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Oris’s Flagship Dive Watch Is Available in a New Case Size

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Aquis Date

Independent Swiss watchmaker Oris’s Aquis dive watch is a value-laden platform that’s formed the basis for myriad special editions and complications. Unpretentious and geared toward serious divers, the Aquis collection offers professional dive specs with a range of features, sizes and dial colors.

Now, Oris has announced two new Aquis Date models, one of which joins the collection of 39.5mm watches, and a second in a brand new size of 41.5mm. Both watches feature 300m of water resistance, unidirectional rotating dive bezels and optional stainless steel bracelets with special clasp-extension systems (the 41.5mm model is also available with a rubber strap). Other features include a domed sapphire crystal, a mineral glass case back, a screw-down crown, the Sellita SW 200-1 automatic movement with 38 hours of power reserve and applied indices with SuperLumiNova. The 41.5mm model on rubber will carry a price of $2,000, while both models on bracelets will be priced at $2,200.

Note: Purchasing products through our links may earn us a portion of the sale, which supports our editorial team’s mission. Learn more here.

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March 3, 2020 / Comments Off

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Everything You Need to Know Before You Buy a TAG Heuer Watch

In 1860, long before Techniques d’Avant-Garde (TAG) purchased a majority stake in the company (which was subsequently gobbled up by the LVMH Group), Edouard Heuer set up his eponymous watch manufacturing company in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland. Soon after, he was patenting unique mechanisms, some of which still operate in many mechanical wristwatches today. However, Heuer was most famous for making chronographs, starting with dashboard clocks used in both cars and planes. Then, in 1914, Heuer offered their first wrist-worn chronograph.

By the 1960s, Heuer watches were so thoroughly enmeshed with auto racing that it’s hard to find a photograph of Formula 1, Indy, or GT racing from that era in which their logo isn’t visible. Specifically, Heuer Autavia and Carrera chronographs were de rigueur among drivers. When Steve McQueen sported a square Heuer Monaco during his all-too-short racing career, both man and watch were immortalized in photographs that have become enduring templates for men’s fashion. McQueen’s 1971 film, LeMans, endowed Heuer’s racing pedigree with a dose of Hollywood’s ineffable mystique.

Heuer, like so many other Swiss watch makers, struggled through the Quartz Crisis of the 1970s, resulting in a situation dire enough that the company went up for sale. TAG was added to the name in 1985 when the holding company Techniques d’Avant Garde acquired the brand. For those of us who remember the Regan Era, Tag Heuer — which sponsored sailing, golf, tennis, and, of course, auto racing — became as much a status symbol as Rolex among well-heeled preppies who grew increasingly unabashed of displaying their wealth. Men and women both strapped on sporty two-tone Tag Heuers, popped the collars on their Lacoste shirts, tied cable knit sweaters around their necks, and sparked up Marlboro Lights in unruly Porsche 911s.

As grunge and (at least the veneer of) financial humility came into vogue during the 1990s, those 1980s associations haunted TAG Heuer enough that the brand began to drop TAG from some of its retro-styled watches, initiating what remains today a coveted section of their catalog that harkens back to the 1950s, 60s, and 70s. But most of TAG Heuer’s offerings during the 1990s tended toward the trends, with increasingly larger timepieces for men and relatively dainty models for women. Then in 1999, LVMH bought TAG Heuer, pumped in enough capital to revive the brand’s ubiquity, and by the 2010s was pushing “connected” TAG Heuer watches intended to compete with the Apple Watch. But Tag Heuer also pushed their legacy to the fore with retro-styled mechanical models and tasty reissues.

This bifurcation between forward- and backward-looking watches isn’t unique to TAG Heuer, but it does seem pronounced with this brand. For those who like vintage-inspired timepieces, Heuer has recently released a slew of new models that will satisfy; for those who like their envelope pushed, TAG Heuer offers a robust catalog of decidedly modern watches.

The Monaco

Featuring an immediately recognizable square case as well as an automatic movement and hip, colorful accents, the Monaco has become an automotive icon (as well as a horological one) since its inception in 1969, when it was named after the famed Monaco Grand Prix.

The Monaco Automatic

Square, iconic, and the one that Steve McQueen made famous. These chronographs have heaps of presence, and are true conversation starters. Nab it with the classic Calibre 11 movement, or with a more affordable Calibre 12 — or go all out with the newer Calibre Heuer 02, which boasts an 80-hour power reserve.
Size: 39mm
Complication: chronograph and date
Price: $5,400+

The Monaco Quartz

This is an affordable way into the Monaco line, offering all the classic styling of the original in but with a less expensive quartz movement.
Size: 37mm
Complication: date
Price: $1,750-$2,450

The Autavia

Somewhat confusingly, the modern Autavias look like dive watches, but also harken back to the original dashboard clocks Heuer built for planes and cars, which were called Autavias (“Automobile” plus “Aviation” = Autavia). Even more confusingly, there is indeed an “Autavia” within the Heritage Collection that hearkens back to the original Autavia chronograph of the 1960s.

Heuer Heritage Calibre 02 (“Autavia”)

As part of their Heritage series watches, the Heuer Heritage Calibre 02 Autavia recalls the 1960s, when these three-register chronographs helped time laps around the world. Best of all, the 12-hour bezel can conveniently be used to track a second time zone.
Size: 42mm
Complication: 3-register mechanical chronograph
Price: $5,300-$6,050

The Autavia

Though these timepieces clearly look like dive watches (rather than rally timers), one way to reconcile this seeming contradiction is to acknowledge that the modern Autavia doesn’t fall back on tired automotive aesthetic cues, but forges a vibe that’s uniquely vintage Heuer. These watches are chronometer-certified mechanical watches that come in at a relatively affordable price point.
Size: 42mm
Complication: time, date (COSC Certified Chronometer)
Price: $3,000-$3,350

The Aquaracer

Though not originally known for dive watches, by the 1980s, Heuer was competitive in this field, keeping pace with Rolex and Omega. Today’s Aquaracers come in many sizes and colorways, and they come with either mechanical or quartz movements. Some of their two-tone models look like their 1980s offerings, while the standard models are decidedly modern.

Aquaracer Standard Quartz

These watches are largely indistinguishable from their mechanical counterparts, but with a vast array of available sizes and colorways — all the way down to 32mm with diamonds and two-tone metals — there’s here something for everyone.
Size: 32mm; 35mm; 41mm; 43mm
Complication: time and date
Price: $1,350-$4,700

Aquaracer Standard Mechanical Caliber 5

These time-and-date watches offer 300m of water resistance and styling cues that are 100% marine-inspired. A vast array of colorways and two masculine sizes assure that there’s something for everyone.
Size: 41mm; 43mm
Complication: time and date, available in both mechanical and quartz versions
Price: $2,200-$2,950

Aquaracer Mechanical Chronograph Caliber 16

Essentially the same as the standard mechanical Auaracer, the chronograph version has a densely packed dial with three registers.
Size: 43mm
Complication: time, chronograph, date
Price: $3,300

Aquaracer Quartz Chronograph

The layout of the sub-dials changes with these watches, but in terms of style and function they remain very close to their mechanical cousins.
Size: 43mm
Complication: time, date, chronograph
Price: $1,650-$2,300

The Carreras

The Carrera label is an enormous umbrella under which a vast array of models exist, from highly technical skeletonized chronographs to dainty diamond-encrusted women’s models. We’ve broken the Carreras down for you as either chronographs or time-date models, and from there we break them down according to their movements.

Carrera Chronographs with 02 Movement

The 02 movement lends this chronograph all the cutting edge technology you’d expect from a modern mechanical Heuer. There’s a wide selection of 02 models to choose from, including a GMT, and generally speaking they’re going to look much like their more complicated 02T cousins, but without the heavy price tags.
Size: 43mm or 45mm
Complication: chronograph (one model includes a GMT)
Price: $5,350-$13,100

Carrera Chronographs with O2T Movement

Large, expensive, technical-looking watches with the 02T in-house chronograph movement that features a tourbillon, a type of escapement in which the balance spring rotates in order to counter the effects of gravity. This is an incredibly complicated way to improve accuracy that originated in the 18th century, but which holds the undying fascination of today’s horologists. The price of these watches is high, but in the world of tourbillons, they’re incredibly well priced — relatively speaking, of course.
Size: 45mm
Complication: tourbillon, chronograph
Price: $17,000-$25,500

Carrera Chronographs with Caliber 16 Movement

A more modest look and size connects these chronographs to Heuer’s storied automotive past.
Size: 41mm or 43mm
Complication: time and date
Price: $4,150-$4,750

Carrera Chronographs with Caliber 16DD Movement

DD stands for Day Date, and the addition of the weekday has a surprisingly powerful impact on the vibe of a watch; it feels decidedly 1960s-70s, the era when the day-date complication was very much in vogue. Perhaps drug-fueled disco nights made keeping track of the weekday difficult?
Size: 43mm
Complication: time, day, date
Price: $4,800-$5,300

Time & Date Carreras with Caliber 5 Movement

Basic in design and features, but filled with the same 60s styling as their more complicated counterparts, these watches are great all-arounders for those who like an automotive vibe on their wrist.
Size: 36mm, 39mm
Complication: time and date
Price: $2,500-$4,650

Time, Day/Date Carreras with Caliber 5 Day-Date Movement

A little larger and a little vibier with the day-date complication, these automatic mechanicals are long-standing essentials for Heuer.
Size: 41mm
Complication: time, day/date
Price: $2,700-$3,000

Small Carreras with Caliber 9 Automatic Movement

These diminutive watches help break the industry-wide assumption that women only want quartz movements.
Size: 28mm
Complication: time and date
Price: $2,200-$6,400

Carreras with Quartz Movements

Less expensive, more accurate, and never requiring the level of service that a mechanical watch will, quartz-powered watches are the ideal for many watch buyers. These quartz-powered Carreras come in a variety of sizes and styles that cover the gender spectrum fully.
Size: 32mm; 36mm; 39mm
Complication: time and date
Price: $1,550-$5,900

Formula 1 Series

Back in the 1980s, the Formula 1 was the watch to have among sport-oriented folks who understood that durability and pizzaz didn’t have to mean buying a Rolex. Today the Formula 1 models represent a similar spirit. They’re relatively affordable, very sporty, waterproof, durable, and often quite colorful.

Formula 1 Chronographs with Quartz Movements

Nearly half the price of their automatic counterparts, these watches come in a variety of colorways, all of which are vibrant and sporty.
Size: 43mm
Complication: time, date, chronograph
Price: $1,300-$2,100

Formula 1 Chronographs with Caliber 16 Automatic Movements

At the top of the Formula 1 series, these represent a sporty and modern alternative to the Carrera automatic watches.
Size: 44mm
Complication: time, date, chronograph
Price: $2,800-$3,200

Formula 1 Time & Date Quartz Models

Some of TAG Heuer’s most affordable watches, these represent an entry point for the brand but don’t sacrifice durability and sportiness. With robust water resistance ratings, these are ready to go anywhere and do anything — and they’ll look sharp, too. Styles and sizes are wide-ranging.
Size: 32mm; 35mm; 41mm; 43mm
Complication: time and date
Price: $1,000-$2,150

Formula 1 Time-Date Models with Caliber 5 Automatic Movements

Basic models featuring automatic movements and 200m of water resistance, these qualify as dive watches and harken back to the very popular Formula 1s of the 1980s.
Size: 43mm
Complication: time and date
Price: $1,800-$2,050

Formula 1 Time-Date Models with Caliber 6 Automatic Movements

Moving the center-mounted running seconds hand to a sub-dial at 6-o’clock, these watches have a vibe all to their own.
Size: 43mm
Complication: time and date with seconds on sub-dial
Price: $1,750

Link Series

These do not link to your smartphone; rather, “link” refers to the bracelets, whose curvy interlocking shapes are distinctive to TAG Heuer (how many watch brands can claim that?). While many brands race into the luxury steel market today, TAG Heuer has been right there for decades.

Link Chronographs with Caliber 17 Automatic Mechanical Movements

This is a sports watch you could wear with a suit, or jeans and a tee, or anything in between.
Size: 41mm
Complication: time, date, chronograph
Price: $4,500

Link Time & Date With Caliber 5 Automatic Mechanical Movements

Sporty yet elegant, these watches are solid candidates for the one-watch collection.
Size: 41mm
Complication: time and date
Price: $3,000

Small Link Quartz Watches

Styled as a proper alternative to the Lady Datejust from Rolex, but priced far below, these watches get a ton of wrist time on women who know how to rock a casually elegant look while striking a good value.
Size: 32mm
Complication: time and date
Price: $1,650-$4,450

Connected Modular Watches

TAG Heuer was at the forefront of the Swiss efforts to get watches talking to smartphones. The ubiquity of the Apple Watch has put stress on this approach for Swiss brands who dared, but there’s much to like about a connected watch that doesn’t look like everyone else’s. Configurable in myriad styles and able to display even more watch faces to match, these are interesting alternatives for those who actually want to Think Different.

Size: 41mm or 45mm
Complication: connected digital module
Price: varies widely based on your chosen configuration

Note: Purchasing products through our links may earn us a portion of the sale, which supports our editorial team’s mission. Learn more here.

February 28, 2020 / Comments Off

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How a Plastic Swatch Became a Hardcore Punk Icon

Welcome to Watches You Should Know, a biweekly column highlighting little-known watches with interesting backstories and unexpected influence. This week: the Swatch X-Rated .

For current residents of New York City who are enjoying the lowest crime rate in decades, it’s easy to forget the NYC of the 1980s where violent crime was rampant, crack cocaine was king, and not much was being done about it. Crime rates soared causing rent prices to plummet, which allowed all kinds of new subcultures to germinate in the city.

Punk rock flourished during this time in venues like CBGBs and A7, but with it came the violence and hard drug use that made the punk scene so infamous. Yet in the midst of the drug and alcohol abuse rose an opposition to it; a movement called Straight Edge was born within the East Coast hardcore punk scene, whose devotees refrained from the drugs, alcohol and casual sex that were so common at the time.

The movement quickly developed a symbol: a bold X, with adherents regularly marking large Xs on the back of their hands or anywhere else they could fit one. They did this to replicate the markings used by night clubs on underage attendees, indicating to the bar staff that they couldn’t be served any booze.

More Watches You Should Know
• Bulova Accutron
• Benrus Sky Chief
• Glycine Airman

Photo: DoubleCross Webzine

As Straight Edge was defying the norms of the punk scene in America, Swatch was born in Switzerland to defy the norms of Swiss watchmaking. The year was 1983, and the Quartz Crisis had come to a head. Hundreds of traditional Swiss watchmakers had gone out of business, but Swatch rose from the ashes. The name “Swatch” is a contraction of “second watch,” which was the idea from the get-go: to produce inexpensive and replaceable plastic-cased watches that people could rotate in and out of their wardrobe.

The idea was an instant success. The low cost of production and high profitability allowed Swatch to produce the wide range of unusual watches with bold, eye-catching designs for which they quickly became known. In 1987, they unassumingly released a minimalist, white-dialed watch adorned with a large X, and it fit right in with their catalog. However, the watch would quickly find popularity with an unintended demographic.

The Straight Edge faithful jumped at the chance to own another accessory with an X on it, making the Swatch X-Rated an instant hit among the movement’s members. Traditional punks weren’t typically known for wearing watches as they usually opted for spiked bracelets and chains instead, but Straight Edgers were quickly becoming less and less like traditional punks.

While punks typically adorned themselves with leather, spikes and chains, Straight Edge youth dressed more comfortably and simply: They chose letterman jackets and sweatshirts over leather jackets, crew cuts over mohawks, and sensible accessories like watches over studded jewelry. Straight Edgers were essentially showing up to concerts clean-cut and dressed like jocks — an archetype that was not common or welcome at most punk shows.

Yet, it’s this type of contradiction that typified the Straight Edge movement: they opposed drug use by abstaining, they rejected punk fashion by donning athletic wear, and they came to renounce the negativity of punk by adopting an optimistic moral outlook. For youths living in New York in the late 1980s, wearing their Swatch X-Rated to a night club meant opposing everything about the debauched lifestyle that was so common in the punk scene, and New York City’s nightlife in general.

Photo: Steemit

The Swatch X-Rated was eventually discontinued, which only bolstered the prestige it held. As it became more rare, the X-Rated dwindled from its status as a Straight Edge uniform and became more of a statement piece. For anyone at a Straight Edge show, an original X-Rated was the most reputable and hyped piece of gear you could own.

Eventually, the salad days of the movement faded. For both newcomers and nostalgic veterans of the Straight Edge scene, looking back at videos and photos of the original movement meant seeing the X-Rated everywhere, cementing its legendary status. The resale market for an original X-Rated rose to hundreds or even thousands of dollars; far more than the original retail price, and many people turned to knockoffs and copycats.

While New York City’s current nightlife doesn’t involve the level of hard drugs and violence it saw in the 1980s, the movement that rose to oppose it still remains: A new generation of frustrated kids have found meaning in making a commitment to abstain from drugs and alcohol, and there are dozens of Straight Edge bands still playing shows to an active community today. Much to the delight of those Straight Edgers (and the dismay of watch resellers), Swatch finally reissued the X-Rated in Spring of 2018.

While the originals still fetch a pretty penny in the resale market, a brand-new X-Rated can be had for just $75. And while the reissue has certainly reduced the level of clout that comes with owning one, it’s given a whole new generation of Straight Edge adherents the opportunity to partake in a decades-old tradition, and wear their beliefs on their wrist. And based solely on the number of X-Rated’s I’ve seen personally at New York hardcore shows as of late, I’d say both Straight Edge and the Swatch X-Rated are alive and well.

Note: Purchasing products through our links may earn us a portion of the sale, which supports our editorial team’s mission. Learn more here.

February 24, 2020 / Comments Off

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Up for Sale: One of Elvis Presley’s Favorite Watches & More Vintage Watches

This week in Found, our weekly roundup of cool vintage and pre-owned watches from around the internet, we’ve got an obscure but affordable Swiss automatic, one of the first Hamilton Ventura watches ever made and a strange but captivating 1960s skin diver watch for under $1K.

The Affordable Option: Cerberus DS Revue Thommen

Photo: Derek Dier

What We Like: If Revue Thommen is an obscure watchmaker, then Cerberus is even more so. Don’t worry about that too much, though — some otherwise great-looking vintage watches are priced well because they’re either too small for modern tastes or because of an unknown name on the dial. In this case, it’s the latter, but what’s important is that you’re getting a lot of the same quality and features as other Swiss-made automatic watches from the time. It has an elegantly simple case and dial with that ’70s sportiness, and at 42mm wide it’ll even fit those accustomed to more modern watch sizes.

From the Seller: Pristine original dial and screw-back case. The movement was cleaned and is accurately keeping time. The steel bracelet is even original to the watch.

The Icon: Hamilton Ventura

What We Like: There are a number of things that make the completely avant-garde Hamilton Ventura an iconic watch, including its association with Elvis Presley and its appearance in modern Hollywood movies. Most compelling, however, is that it represents a technological milestone as the first electric watch brought to market. This example is from that very first year of production, 1957 — and it’s even got “patent pending” on the dial.

From the Seller: The case is in fantastic condition overall showing normal wear consistent with age and use. Case back shows engraving that reads “Awarded to Martin Lennig for outstanding performance. General Electric. Breakthru 60.”

The Curveball: Vantage Sport Skin Diver

Photo: ThoseWatchGuys

What We Like: Vantage was a brand created by Hamilton to serve a lower price segment in the 1960s. This one has cool “skin diver” style and a manually wound movement, but it’s really the striking dial and handset that make this particular model stand out. And despite a somewhat banged-up bezel, it’ll wear well at 37.5mm wide.

From the Seller: The dial has some noticeable patina throughout. The case doesn’t show any plate loss. The movement was recently serviced & keeps great time.

Zen Love

Zen Love is Gear Patrol’s watch writer. He avoids the snooty side of the watch world, and seeks out food in NYC that resembles what he loved while living in Asia for over a decade.

More by Zen Love | Follow on Instagram · Contact via Email

February 21, 2020 / Comments Off

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One of Todd Snyder’s Best Watch Collaborations with Timex Is Just $99 Right Now

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Mid-Century

Need a versatile, everyday watch to wear with a suit or during a night out with friends? The Mid-Century, a collaboration between Todd Snyder and Timex, might be just the thing — and best of all, it’s just $99 today in both colorways, down from an MSRP of $158. Housed in a 37mm wide steel case, the Mid-Century features a quartz movement and comes on a soft leather strap from S.B. Foot Tanning Co. in Red Wing, Minnesota. Available with a silver dial on brown leather, this is one of our favorite collaborations between the NYC-based titan of modern American menswear and a longstanding watchmaking icon making some of the best affordable timepieces available right now.

Note: Purchasing products through our links may earn us a portion of the sale, which supports our editorial team’s mission. Learn more here.

Zen Love

Zen Love is Gear Patrol’s watch writer. He avoids the snooty side of the watch world, and seeks out food in NYC that resembles what he loved while living in Asia for over a decade.

More by Zen Love | Follow on Instagram · Contact via Email

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February 21, 2020 / Comments Off

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The Best Leather Watch Straps You Can Buy

While we watch-lovers often categorize straps into several well-established types according to style and material (NATO, leather, bracelet, etc.), in truth it’s an oversimplification to lump all leather watch straps together. What type of leather are we talking about – full grain, top grain, nubuck, suede, cordovan? Is the strap a 1-piece or a 2-piece? Is it top-stitched all around the perimeter or does it feature vintage-style threading near the lugs?

All of these factors dictate which type of watch the strap will be appropriate for, and certainly, not all straps are created equal. What follows are 11 of our favorite leather watch straps from some of the best brands available from 3 continents:

Bulang & Sons Denim Blue Retro Leather Watch Strap

Easily one of the most striking leather straps we’ve ever seen, full stop. This beautiful band is handcrafted by Jean Paul Meniccuci, the OG of leather strappage, especially for Netherlands-based Bulang & Sons, and we’d be hard pressed to find something comparable from the other big players. Painted in a cool, denim-colored leather with a distressed pattern and using cream-colored edge stitching and natural leather keepers, the Denim Blue Retro strap pairs perfectly with a vintage tool watch and a beat-up pair of selvedge jeans. Available in sizes from 18mm through 22mm — including 19mm and 21mm for those pesky vintage watches — we challenge you to find a more unique strap for the money.

Bas & Lokes Everett Light Grey Suede

The Everett, a semi-bespoke strap from Australian company Bas & Lokes, is by far one of the most comfortable leather strap we’ve ever worn, period, the end. The suede on this particular strap is so supple that you barely notice it’s on your wrist, and probably wouldn’t notice at all if not for the blunt-force-trauma-weapon-size buckle and the weight of whatever watch you’ve got it sitting on. Additional details include edge paint in a complimentary grey color and side stitching in a grey waxed linen. With numerous lengths, widths and buckle finishes available on each of their straps, it’s possible to semi-customize a Bas & Lokes strap until it feels like it was made especially for your wrist.

Analog/Shift Stout Black Calf Strap

Everyone needs a black leather strap in their rotation, ready to go to accompany a thin dress watch or spruce up an otherwise playful tool watch. And though lizard or croc is a classic choice for such a band, a soft calf leather version is more versatile, giving you that formal look while remaining perfectly appropriate on a Sub. Analog/Shift’s version is made in Italy and comes in 18mm, 19mm or 20mm versions, so you can definitely dress up that vintage 34mm Rolex. With matching black stitching and keepers and a stainless steel pin buckle, this minimalist strap is the perfect companion to a serious watch collection.

Crown & Buckle American Made Walnut Boxcalf

While there are several styles of 2-piece strap available in C&B’s American Made Collection, the Walnut Boxcalf is a standout offering. This is a two-layer strap with an underside and topside made from matching “Boxcalf”-style leather, which is chrome-tanned, full-grain calfskin sourced from France. Boxcalf leather is typically used in high-end leather dress shoes, and the Boxcalf used in this strap is “boarded,” a process by which a tight grain is created that closes the hair follicles. This is an incredibly versatile color that will work well with a wide variety of dial types, and the slightly darker edge dying, as well as perimeter top-stitching and corner knots near the buckles, lend this strap a vintage look that doesn’t seem to be going out of style any time soon.

HODINKEE Bedford Strap Collection in Olive Green

The HODINKEE Shop began with a small collection of fine leather watch straps, and has been regularly updating its stock with new collections ever since. The company’s Bedford Collection, launched in 2019, is made in the U.S.A. and available in 10 colors and four sizes. Crafted from high-quality nubuck leather in attractive, subdued shades with off-white stitching, brushed buckles and calfskin lining, the Bedford is another strap that serves as the perfect compliment to a vintage piece, or an upgrade to a modern watch. The Olive Green version is our personal favorite, but there’s truly something for everybody in this high-quality collection, available from 18mm through 22mm

Worn & Wound Model 2 Premium Stone

Worn & Wound’s Model 2 Premium (show here in Stone) is essentially a refined version of their Model 2 Classic that uses a tapering design made of Wickett & Craig vegetable-tanned lining and Horween top leather. With painted edges in a complimentary color (the strap is available in 14 different colors), waxed cotton braided knots near the lug edges, fixed metal loop and leather keepers, the Model 2 is, for the money, simply one of the best leather watch straps available on the market. With all the different colors to choose from to precisely match the strap to your watch, not to mention available sizes in 18, 20, and 22mm, there’s a Model 2 Premium that’s right for every watch out there (except perhaps that pesky 34mm vintage Rolex).

HODINKEE Barrett Strap Collection in Navy Blue

If the Bedford is a bit too subdued for your taste, you owe it to yourself to check out HODINKEE’s Barrett Strap Collection. Crafted in a small, family-owned tannery in southern France, this group of six vegetable-tanned leather straps features a glossy sheen that’s sure to compliment a watch in steel or in a beautiful precious metal. Available in burgundy, navy, yellow, dark brown, red and tan in sizes from 18mm through 22mm, the Bedford straps are complimented with contrast stitching and polished buckles.

Molequin Grained Calf Strap in Taupe

Based in Brussels, Belgium, vintage Rolex enthusiast Michael Luther’s brand Molequin fashions straps in a variety of leathers, and their robust, thinly cut Grained Calf is far and away one of the best. Available in nine different colors, two lengths, five widths (from 18mm through 22mm), two spring bar choices and two buckle choices, the Grained Calf is particularly versatile in taupe. Pair this band with a monochromatic watch to maintain a subdued look or use it to counterbalance a timepiece with a louder dial. (Pro Tip: It’s worth springing for the quick-release spring bars, since you’ll likely want to throw this baby on multiple watches.)

Everest Bands Curved End Link Leather (for Rolex Submariner)

Michael DiMartini, founder of Everest Horology Products, conceived of an Italian vegetable-tanned calf leather strap with hypoallergenic lining made for Rolex wearers. The strap features an ABS plastic insert embedded at the case connection point for a precision fit to your Rolex Submariner (there are however several models of Submariner that are not compatible with the curved-end leather model, so we recommend checking the Everest website regarding compatibility). The curved-end leather Sub strap, available in nine finishes, is incredibly over-designed and ergonomic, with its precision-fit ends and steel buckle that looks robust enough to use as a weapon in close-quarters combat. For die-hard Rolex enthusiasts, an Everest strap is about as good as you can get.

Molequin Suede Collection in Taupe

The Suede Collection from Molequin is crafted from premium goat leather from France for uniform quality and feel. The result is a strap that’s low-key, subdued and perfect for a variety of watches, both vintage and modern. Available in 6 colors, two lengths, five widths (from 18mm through 22mm), two spring bar choices and two buckle choices, the Suede straps make use of a calf leather lining to prevent damage from moisture and sweat. We personally love the Taupe colorway, which pairs beautifully with all manner of dial colors.

B&R Bands Russet Le Mans Racing Watch Strap

Every self-respecting watch nerd needs a “rally” strap in his or her collection (or “ralley,” or “rallye,” or whatever). Essentially a leather strap perforated with holes, this type of strap accompanied vintage Heuer and Omega racing chronographs in the 1960s, but it looks good on just about any chunky tool watch. The Le Mans from B&R Bands, founded in 2009, is a modern take on this classic style, available in three sizes (18mm, 19mm and 20mm), two lengths, and several colors. Personally, we dig the Russet version, a dark brown with contrasting top-stitching and brushed hardware, that perfectly compliments darker dials.

February 20, 2020 / Comments Off

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Bulova Is Bringing Back One of Our Favorite American Military Watches

<!–Bulova Is Bringing Back One of Our Favorite American Military Watches • Gear Patrol<!– –>

The “Hack” Watch

If you’re a fan of military watches, you may recall last year’s “Hack Watch” from Bulova, a modern recreation of the MIL-W-3818A spec from the 1950s and 1960s that was updated as a limited edition for Macy’s. At least one fan of the watch (who may or may not be the guy writing this news brief…) hoped that Bulova would deliver a mechanical version, and lo and behold, they’ve come through.

The new Military Collection consists of “an assortment of timepieces inspired by vintage historical watches that have been modernized for a contemporary lifestyle.” Two of the new pieces are based on the MIL-W-3818A spec but now feature the automatic Miyota caliber 82S0, a three-hand movement with a 42-hour power reserve. (The third watch in the collection is the A-15 Pilot Watch, based on a watch evidently produced toward the end of World War II and that, admittedly, I had never heard of before today. Shows you what I know.)

The new Hack Watch models are available in two versions: one features an ivory dial and a brushed stainless steel case with a black leather NATO strap, while the second features a black dial with a grey stainless steel case that looks very much like a “parkerized” military wristwatch from the 1950s or 60s accompanied by a green leather NATO strap. Both models feature inner 24-hour tracks, luminescent cathedral hands and indices, domed mineral crystals, 30m of water resistance and 38mm cases, updated from the diminutive ~31-32mm of the originals.

Pricing is set at $350 for the ivory-dialed model and $450 for the black dial, and both are available now directly from Bulova’s website.

Note: Purchasing products through our links may earn us a portion of the sale, which supports our editorial team’s mission. Learn more here.

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February 19, 2020 / Comments Off

537

This Swanky Rose Gold G-Shock is Affordable and Tough as Ever

<!–This Swanky Rose Gold G-Shock is Affordable and Tough as Ever • Gear Patrol<!– –>

Casio x Kith

Classic Casio G-Shock models like the squarish G5600 series and the rounder G6900 are famously indestructible, inexpensive, and encased in plastic. (Never mind the irony that premium-priced, metal-cased versions of these iconic G-Shocks seem to work so well — because they do.) Following the release of recent G-Shock GM6900 watches with steel outer cases in black, silver, and yellow gold finishes, a collaboration with apparel retailer Kith NYC has resulted in an even swankier limited edition in rose gold.

Props to Kith for choosing a positive (dark-on-light) LCD display for its vastly superior legibility (and its classic style). This tier of metal-cased watches, in fact, merely represents a steel cover atop a more traditional plastic inner case, so none of the famous G-Shock toughness should be compromised. (If you want fully metal-cased G-Shocks, these are available, though they’re more expensive and not yet available in this 6900 form.)

Kith’s G-Shock interpretation stands out most for its rose gold case, but there are a number of other notable details and Kith branding that differentiate from other GM6900 models. The prominent button at 6 o’clock is emblazoned with “KITH” instead of its usual “G,” and the resin band and its rose gold-toned keeper also feature the retailer’s logo.

This is a limited edition for the partnership available at physical retail locations and on the Kith website, though the number of pieces produced has not yet been confirmed. It also commands a price premium of $150 in this version over the non-limited yellow gold version directly from G-Shock, which is typical for such special-edition G-Shocks. The Kith x Casio G-Shock GM6900 has a price of $380 and comes with two Kith-branded resin straps in black and white.

Note: Purchasing products through our links may earn us a portion of the sale, which supports our editorial team’s mission. Learn more here.

Zen Love

Zen Love is Gear Patrol’s watch writer. He avoids the snooty side of the watch world, and seeks out food in NYC that resembles what he loved while living in Asia for over a decade.

More by Zen Love | Follow on Instagram · Contact via Email

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February 15, 2020 / Comments Off

466

Everything You Need to Know Before Buying an IWC Watch

The International Watch Company was established in the mid-1880s by an American operating in Schaffhausen, a German-speaking town in Eastern Switzerland. Though the industrial revolution had already come to pass, fine Swiss watchmaking was still piecemeal labor done mostly in people’s homes. IWC’s founder, Aristo Jones, had a distinctly American vision of an electrically-powered watch factory, and once hydro-electric became established in the area, IWC’s headquarters quickly became one of the most prolific watchmaking facilities in the world, taking on highly profitable commercial and military contracts throughout the World Wars. (See our review of their new facilities here.)

Throughout WWI and WWII, IWC built more mil-spec pilot’s watches than any other company, and the focus on aviation timepieces remains central to IWC today. Their modern catalog also includes dress watches, dive watches, and more than a few grand complications costing hundreds of thousands. Uniquely, IWC’s products span a range far wider than that of many other watch companies, and the quality of their wares is exceptional.

IWC aficionados tend to collect and fuss over the pilot’s watches, and because the company refers back to its historic catalog so much, those in the know love to complain about inconsistencies between older models and their modern iterations. Interestingly, IWC is quick to respond to customer feedback, and few watch companies revise and improve their watches as regularly. Their famous “Mark” series pilot’s watches, for example, have gone through a bufuddelingly large number of iterations, each one seeming to satisfy and disappoint the aficionados in equal measure.

As of this writing, IWC has been slowly replacing 3rd-party movements with in-house calibers in the lower end of their range, and mostly without significant price increases. This evolution makes their current catalog particularly tasty, as the value propositions are getting better every year.

How to Use This Guide
You can read straight through or use the table of contents to jump to specific types of watches.

Table of Contents
Pilot’s Watches

Dive Watches: The Aquatimers

The Portugieser

The Ingenieur

The Portofino

The Da Vinci Collection

The Jubilee Collection

Pilot’s Watches

IWC segments their pilot’s watches into five categories: Classic, Spitfire, Top Gun, Le Petit Prince, and Antoine De Saint-Expuéry (author of Le Petit Prince). Within each category you’ll find many of the same watches, differentiated mostly by the dial’s color and case materials. Roughly speaking, here’s how the IWC pilot’s watches break down:

Classic: steel cases, with the occasional titanium case thrown in
Spitfire: largely bronze cases, but some steel as well
Top Gun: ceramic cases
Le Petit Prince: steel cases with blue dials and “Le Petit Prince”-themed case backs
Antoine de De Saint Expuéry: steel cases with brown dials

(Note: Below we take each individual watch model and indicate which series it’s available in)

Mark XVIII Pilot’s Watch

Starting with the now highly collectable Mark XI, IWC has iterated on their most basic pilot’s watch, and this is the one that often causes the most stir among the aficionados. Placement of the date window has caused feuds among forum-dwelling nerds, but that passion indicates how compelling the Mark series pilot’s watches are.
Diameter: 40mm
Movement: Cal. 35111 (based on Sellita SW300-1)
Available Series: Classic (black, white, and a heritage colorway); Le Petit Prince; Spitfire; Antoine De Saint Expuéry
Price: $4,250 (strap)-$5,250 (bracelet)

Pilot’s Watch 36

Following the vintage trend, IWC’s 36mm pilot’s watch is a unisex model ready for just about any wrist.
Diameter: 36mm
Movement: Cal. 35111 (based on Sellita SW300-1)
Available Series: Classic (gray, black, or blue dial)
Price: $4,150 (strap)-$5,150 (bracelet)

Pilot’s Watch Chronograph

A little bigger and featuring a weekday and date complication alongside a robust three-register chronograph function, this watch is a purebred IWC staple.
Diameter: 43mm
Movement: Cal. 79320 (based on ETA 7750)
Available Series: Classic (white, racing green, black, or gray dial); Le Petit Prince (blue dial with steel or gold case); Antoine De Saint Expuéry (brown dial)
Price: $5,150 (strap)-$22,200 (gold)

Big Pilot’s Watch

With its enormous dial, clever power reserve indicator at 3-o’clock, and unmistakable “onion” crown, the Big Pilot’s Watch is perhaps IWC’s most iconic timepiece, one that could stand for the brand above all others.
Diameter: 46.2mm
Movement: Manufacture cal. 52110 with 8-day power reserve
Available Series: Classic (black dial with steel, titanium, or bronze case),;Le Petit Prince (blue dial with steel case); Spitfire (gray dial, gold case)
Price: $12,900 (steel)-$13,200 (titanium or bronze)

Complicated Big Pilot’s Watches

Using the same basic format as the Big Pilot’s Watch, these watches include elaborate in-house movements of the highest horological quality. There’s a big-date, an annual calendar, a perpetual calendar, a dual-register, right- handed model, and a constant-force tourbillon.
Diameter: 46.2mm
Movement: Various in-house calibers with complications
Available Series: All except Top Gun
Price: $14,700+ (unlisted for Tourbillion model)

Timezoner Pilot’s Watch

No pilot’s watch collection is complete without a serious world timer, and the relatively new addition of the Timezoner model sees IWC taking global travel seriously (this was less of a concern back in the short-flight days of the World Wars). This watch will track a second time zone as well as the time in cities around the world.
Diameter: 46mm
Movement: Manufacture cal. 82760
Available Series: Classic; Spitfire; Antoine De Saint Expuéry
Price: $11,900+

A Few Other Smaller Pilot’s Watches

There are a few unique yet simple pilot’s watches from IWC, including the 41mm Top Gun in carbon, a 39mm UTC Spitfire in bronze, and a 39mm time-date Spitfire in steel or bronze.
Diameter: 39-41mm
Movement: Manufacture cal. 32100 (time and date); Manufacture cal. 82710 (UTC)
Available Series: Spitfire; Top Gun
Price: $4,450+

A Few Other Larger Complicated Pilot’s Watches

These models show up in the Top Gun and Classic series of watches, and are just unique enough to warrant a separate entry. The blacked-out Dual Chronograph with its split-second function from the Top Gun collection carries the unique 79420 in-house calibre, while the AMG Mercedes chronograph with carbon dial and the Blue Angels edition of the same chronograph use the Cal 89361 in-house movement.
Diameter: 44mm (Dual Chronograph) 44.5mm (dual-register chronographs)
Movement: Manufacture cal. 79420 (Dual Chronograph); Manufacture cal. 89361 caliber (dual-register chronographs)
Available Series: Top Gun; Classic
Price: $10,900 (Blue Angels); $14,600 (Dual Chronograph); $15,600 (AMG Mercedes)

Dive Watches: The Aquatimers

Flying far below the radar, these submersible divers from IWC are robust timepieces with compelling features and a look that imitates nothing while remaining quite classic. The internal rotating timing bezel is actuated via the crown at 9-o’clock, a feature which, taken visually, offers a unique symmetry to these waterproof watches.

Aquatimer Automatic

If the time, date and a rotating timing bezel are all you’ll need, then the Aquatimer Automatic is the watch for you. With 300 meters of water resistance, these watches are more than ready for any watery adventure.
Diameter: 42mm
Movement: Cal. 30120 (based on ETA 2824-2)
Price: $5,400 (rubber)-$6,400 (bracelet)

Aquatimer 2-Register Chronographs

With the date, running seconds, and a minute totalizer, these chronographs bring a bit of the pilot’s watch line down underwater with them. There are three special editions: Charles Darwin (our favorite, in bronze), Galapagos Islands (blacked-out), and the Laureus Sport for Good (one of the not-for-profit charities that IWC supports, this edition carries a lovely blue colorway).
Diameter: 44mm
Movement: Manufacture cal. 89365
Price: $10,600-$11,700

Aquatimer 3-Register Chronographs

Add in the day of the week and an hour totalizer, and you’ve bumped up a notch in the IWC diver’s selection. However, these models do not house in-house movements, so some may prefer the 2-register model above, while others may prefer the always-serviceable ETA 7750 Chronograph movement in this watch. There is also a lovely Jaques Cousteau limited edition available.
Diameter: 44mm
Movement: Cal. 79320 (based on 7750)
Price: $6,850 (rubber)-$7,850 (bracelet)

The Portugieser

Based on oversized timepieces developed in the 1930s for two Portuguese merchants, these watches range in price from $7,600 to $235,000+ for grand complications, indicating that IWC is not only committed to this platform, but that the Portugieser covers a lot of ground for their customer base. A closer look explains why.

The Portugieser Chronograph

It’s the lack of date that creates such a compelling and open dial on these no-nonsense chronographs, which so often have the date squished in under the assumption that the function outplays the aesthetics. Water resistance is 30 meters, so don’t do any cannonballs in this one.
Diameter: 40.9mm
Movement: Cal. 79350 (based on ETA 7750)
Price: $7,600 (steel)-$16,600 (gold versions)

Portugieser Chronograph Classic

Step up into the in-house cal. 89361 movement, and you’ll pick up a date complication and a dual-hand sub-dial at 12 o’clock that totals both minutes and hours when you run the chronograph function. Running seconds are elegantly displayed on the 6-’o’clock sub-dial. Water resistance is still 30 meters, so go easy on this one around the water.
Diameter: 42mm
Movement: Manufacture cal. 89361
Price: $12,100-$20,100 (gold)

Portugieser Automatic

A straight-forward watch that packs a ton of mechanical umph. The left-hand sub-dial tracks running seconds while the right-hand sub-dial indicates how much of the 52010 movement’s 168 hours (7 days) of power are stored up. That’s correct: set it down for a week at a time without having to reset it.
Diameter: 42.3mm
Movement: Manufacture cal. 52010
Price: $12,700-$23,900 (gold versions)

Portugieser Annual Calendar

A complication that reaches toward haute horlogerie while barely breaking the $20k barrier. The 7-day power reserve makes sure you don’t have to go resetting all of those complications should you go with another timepiece for sportier adventures.
Diameter: 44.2mm
Movement: Manufacture cal. 52850
Price: $20,900-$31,000 (gold)

Portugieser Perpetual Calendar

A classic complication that includes a moon-phase indicator, this watch plays nicely into the Swiss horological tradition with an appearance that’s clean but full of information. Precious metals only, so the prices are high.
Diameter: 44.2mm
Movement: Manufacture cal. 52615
Price: $38,000 (red gold); $41,100 (white gold)

Portugieser Grand Complications

These watches will take you far higher up the horological food chain than even the most complicated pilot’s watches from IWC. Prices start at $86,500 for the gold minute repeater (not a crazy price tag, given what it is) and soar to unlisted prices. IWC shows their unique breadth with these fascinating and beautiful timepieces.
Diameter: Various
Movement: Various in-house
Price: $86,000+

The Ingenieur

After Audemars Piguet and Patek Philippe hired Gerald Genta during the 1970s to design the now-famous Royal Oak and Nautilus steel sport watches, IWC brought the famed designer into its fold to help them compete in this fast-emerging market. The result was the Ingenieur, a watch that never gained the fame of either the Royal Oak or the Nautilus. And yet, for those seeking a sporty-yet-dressy watch that’s 100% IWC, the Ingenieur is accessible, handsome, durable, and incredibly versatile.

Ingenieur Automatic

Straight-forward, water resistant to 120 meters, rugged enough for an adventurous weekend and classy enough for suit-and-tie affairs, this watch may be the best deal in IWC’s whole catalog.
Diameter: 40mm
Movement: Cal. 35111 (based on Sellita SW301-1)
Price: $4,590 (steel on leather)-$13,600 (red gold)

Ingenieur Chronograph

If the Omega Speedmaster is too sporty for you, consider the Ingenieur Chronograph, a watch that nimbly conveys all the information of a chrono with tachymeter scale while still maintaining an elegant visage and a plain bezel. Inside is an in-house movement that one would expect to pay much more for.
Diameter: 42.3mm
Movement: Manufacture cal. 69375
Price: $7,950 (steel on bracelet)-$18,100 (red gold)

Ingenieur Perpetual Calendar with Digital Date Month

It seems IWC can’t help but flex their horological muscle, even when executing their presumably more affordable lines of watches (of which, to be fair, this is not). This watch carries a full chronograph function and a fascinating large date and month display on sub-dials at 9 and 3-o’clock.
Diameter: 45mm
Movement: Manufacture cal. 89801
Price: $46,300

The Portofino

The Italian seaside town of Portofino is so elegant and beautiful that when the equally elegant and beautiful Cate Blanchett walks the red carpet wearing an IWC Portofino, we confront a self-referential, kaleidoscopic display of luxury. Grab a shard of that impossibility and strap it to your wrist with the Portofino.

The Portofino Automatics

Simple, elegant, and unmistakably IWC in character, the Portofino Automatic is available in an array of beautiful dial colors and case metals.
Diameter: 34mm; 37mm; 40mm
Movement: Cal. 35111 (based on Sellita SW301-1); Cal. 35100 (34mm)
Price: $4,700 (steel)-$11,600 (gold versions)

The Portofino Chronograph

If a little more complication is your dish, check out the Portofino Chronograph models. With a day-date complication and three elegantly proportioned subdials, this watch confidently displays its pedigree.
Diameter: 42mm
Movement: Cal. 75320 (based on ETA 7750)
Price: $5,800 (steel)-$15,300 (gold versions)

Portofino Hand-Wound 8-Days

An in-house movement with a huge power reserve packed into a classic-looking watch that will never go out of style.
Diameter: 45mm
Movement: Manufacture cal. 59210
Price: $9,900 (steel)-$18,800 (gold versions)

Portofino Automatic Moonphase

A classic and dreamy complication for a classic and dreamy watch. Smartly, IWC doesn’t use an in-house movement here, so the price of entry is relatively achievable.
Diameter: 37mm; 40mm
Movement: Cal. 35800 (based on Sellita SW300-1)
Price: $6,900

Portofino Hand-Wound Moonphase

Well, if you must have an in-house moonphase watch, then this is the ticket. Baiscally their 7-day movement with a moonphase complication added in, this timepiece is just complicated enough to warrant genuine horological fascination.
Diameter: 45mm
Movement: Manufacture cal. 59800
Price: $13,000 (steel)-$22,900 (gold case, grey dial)

Portofino Retrograde Tourbillon

This watch is the granddaddy of the Portofino lineup and sees IWC really flexing their watchmaking muscle. A retrograde date complication powered by a very complicated tourbillon escapement adds up to a uniquely interesting high-end watch.
Diameter: 45mm
Movement: Manufacture cal. 59900
Price: $58,000

The Da Vinci Collection

For an American-founded company operating in Switzerland, IWC sure does seem to love the Italians. The DaVinci series watches step up the jewels and complications to a degree that spans, again, an incredibly wide range of features, luxury, and price. As such, the pilot’s watch aesthetics are not to be found here.

DaVinci Automatic 36, 36 Moonphase, and 40mm Automatic

Aimed at those who prefer classic European cues of femininity, the 36 is offered in a wide array of styles that range from simple to the very edge of flamboyance. For the gentleman seeking fantastical elegance, the 40mm will fit the bill.
Diameter: 36mm; 40mm
Movement: Cal. 35111 (based on Sellita SW300-1)
Price: $5,400 (steel on leather)-$37,900 (gold with diamond bezel)

DaVinci Complications

Don’t think that IWC isn’t going to pack their most complicated movements into their most elegant watches. Here we have a limited edition chronograph, a perpetual calendar chrono, and a retrograde tourbillon.
Diameter: 42mm (chronograph); 43mm (perpetual calendar); 44mm (retro tourbillon)
Movement: Various in-house
Price: $12,700+

Jubilee Editions

Not exactly another series of watches, but to celebrate 150 years of business, IWC has released myriad Jubilee editions that range from pilot’s watches to their most complicated and bejeweled specimens. Sizes, complications and styles range widely, and we encourage you to snoop around the Jubilee page to see what’s still available at any time.

Note: Purchasing products through our links may earn us a portion of the sale, which supports our editorial team’s mission. Learn more here.

January 31, 2020 / Comments Off

562

Why Did This Understated Omega Watch from 1947 Sell for Almost $1.5 Million?

Welcome to “Watches You Should Know,” a bi-weekly (the once-every-two-weeks kind) column highlighting little-known or notable watches new and old that have interesting stories or have had a surprising impact on the industry.

This is the story of a curious feature of mechanical watchmaking called the tourbillon, and it’s a tale that’s ironic on many levels. The tourbillon’s purpose today is primarily “for show,” but its symbolism is powerful, representing wealth, prestige, and one of the most challenging feats of micro-mechanical craftsmanship. Originally intended to improve accuracy in pocket watches, it’s visually captivating and became so popular with high-end wristwatch brands that others have gone on to build more cost-effective versions. So what makes people so crazy about the tourbillon, and how did it become the emblem of high-end watchmaking that it is today?

The tourbillon could be considered a kind of watch escapement. (Please bear with a little technical talk.) The escapement regulates timekeeping in a watch (which provides the familiar ticking sound), and is the most visually animated part of the movement, as among its primary parts are the balance wheel, which swings back and forth multiple times per second. (This system is easy to spot even in the most common, inexpensive movements.) A tourbillon takes this entire structure and puts it in a frame that revolves a full 360 degrees. So it’s ticking and twitching and turning all at once. Tourbillons are extremely complicated to produce, with a lot of tiny, precise components — and they’re dazzling to observe.

The tourbillon was invented by none other than the seminal 18th-century watchmaker Mr. Abraham Louis Breguet, and the idea was to counter the effects of gravity on the escapement of a pocket watch. Pocket watches were largely worn vertically in waistcoat pockets, but even this orientation could change by up to 45 degrees, and gravity’s effects on the escapement would cause a deviation in timekeeping accuracy. (If the watch was then stored horizontally on a table at night, the effects could be even more pronounced.) By rotating the escapement, however, deviations would be “evened out,” as the escapement was constantly changing its orientation.

The simple fact that a wrist-born timepiece is constantly changing the orientation of the escapement has meant that the tourbillon is largely superfluous in modern watchmaking. Complicated and delicate, they’re generally found in very high-end luxury pieces which sticker prices starting in the mid to high five-figure range, and going way up from there.

In the 1940s, however, the tourbillon was a rare and largely forgotten curiosity of horological history, mostly found only in the occasional pocket watch. The Swiss were worried about the strong American and British watch industry (the Japanese threat was not yet apparent), and constantly improving accuracy was one way to stay relevant and competitive. Omega experimented with a wristwatch-sized tourbillon escapement meant to compete in third-party trials for “observatory chronometers” — watches that passed these tests and were given this designation would give Omega a legitimate claim to high accuracy and marketing clout.

Omega’s tourbillon movements were built to high standards and did well in the trials, but such competitions were essentially meant for R&D purposes as well as overall brand prestige — they were mostly never even put in watch cases. There were a total of 12 of these tourbillon movements made, and they took part in the observatory trials between 1947 and 1952. In 1987, seven of the tourbillon movements were rediscovered by Omega, rebuilt, cased, and sold to collectors. There was one more, however, that was originally cased in 1947 as a prototype with the apparent intent to eventually put it into production.

In 2017, this very watch was auctioned for almost $1.5 million. In retrospect, it represented the beginning of the modern tourbillon craze (though the craze is now abating compared to where it was several years ago). When Omega’s engineers produced a prototype tourbillon intended for a wristwatch in 1947, however, their goals were purely practical and chronometric. That’s very different from the contemporary “expensive novelty” status of tourbillons.

The Omega Calibre 30 I is notable even if it can’t claim to be the “first” tourbillon-equipped wristwatch — French brand Lip had one in the 1930s and other brands produced wristwatch-sized movements that never actually found their way into wristwatch cases. Too difficult and expensive to produce, the tourbillon was far from an efficient or effective way to improve accuracy.

At some point, however, people noticed that they look incredible…

Today, the watch and tourbillon scene is very different than it was when Omega’s 1947 prototype hid its tourbillon behind a solid case back as part of a largely undecorated movement. It’s now the symbol of haute horlogerie, often in watches costing as much as a house, and almost every high-end brand has made it a major part of their halo-product offerings. Even more notable is that brands are now trying to make “affordable tourbillons”: Stroll through the halls of the Hong Kong Watch & Clock fair, and scores of Chinese brands are offering tourbillons for far less. Even brands like TAG Heuer and Frederique Constant have made headlines with Swiss Made tourbillon watches costing under $20,000.

The brilliant idea of displaying the highly animated tourbillon on the front of a watch is claimed by Franck Muller in a piece from 1984 (before his eponymous brand was even established). Now it’s the norm, and tourbillon-equipped watches are often accompanied by a high level of finishing, as well as avant-garde designs meant to dazzle as they show off the delicate mechanics.

While still a relatively rare feature, tourbillons are today included among so many high-end watches that their novelty and exotic appeal is diminished. Unnecessary, overly complicated, inefficient, expensive, and technically anachronistic? Yes, but they are also nothing short of eye candy, as well as technically fascinating representations of history and craftsmanship. Mechanical watches themselves could be described in the same way.

October 22, 2019 / Comments Off

520

Why Did This Understated Omega Watch from 1947 Sell for Over $1.5 Million?

Welcome to “Watches You Should Know,” a bi-weekly (the once-every-two-weeks kind) column highlighting little-known or notable watches new and old that have interesting stories or have had a surprising impact on the industry.

This is the story of a curious feature of mechanical watchmaking called the tourbillon, and it’s a tale that’s ironic on many levels. The tourbillon’s purpose today is primarily “for show,” but its symbolism is powerful, representing wealth, prestige, and one of the most challenging feats of micro-mechanical craftsmanship. Originally intended to improve accuracy in pocket watches, it’s visually captivating and became so popular with high-end wristwatch brands that others have gone to build more cost-effective versions. So what makes people so crazy about the tourbillon, and how did it become the emblem of high-end watchmaking that it is today?

The tourbillon was invented by none other than the seminal 18th-century watchmaker Mr. Abraham Louis Breguet, and that the idea was to counter the effects of gravity on the escapement of a pocket watch. Pocket watches were largely worn vertically in waistcoat pockets, but even this orientation could change by up to 45 degrees, and gravity’s effects on the escapement would cause a deviation in timekeeping accuracy. (If the watch was then stored horizontally on a table at night, the effects could be even more pronounced.) By rotating the escapement, however, deviations would be “evened out,” as the escapement was constantly changing its orientation.

The simple fact that a wrist-born timepiece is constantly changing the orientation of the escapement has meant that the tourbillon is largely superfluous in modern watchmaking. Complicated and delicate, they’re generally only included in super high-end luxury pieces which sticker prices in the tens (or hundreds) of thousands of dollars.

In the 1940s, however, the tourbillon was a rare and largely forgotten curiosity of horological history, mostly found only in the occasional pocket watch. The Swiss were worried about the strong American and British watch industry (the Japanese threat was not yet made manifest), and constantly improving accuracy was one way to stay relevant and competitive. Omega experimented with a wristwatch-born tourbillon escapement meant to compete in third-party trials for “observatory chronometers” — watches that passed these tests and were given this designation would give Omega a legitimate claim to high accuracy and marketing clout.

In 2017, this very watch was auctioned for almost $1.5 million. In retrospect, it represented the beginning of the modern tourbillon craze (though the craze is now abating compared to where it was several years ago). When Omega’s engineers produced a prototype tourbillon intended for a wristwatch in 1947, however, their goals were purely practical and chronometric. While most tourbillons today are made to be displayed on the dial side of the watch, Omega’s 30 I was not even visible unless you removed the watch’s solid case back to look at the movement.

At some point, however, people noticed that they look incredible…

While still a relatively rare feature, tourbillons are today included among high-end watches, diminishing their novel and exotic appeal. Unnecessary, overly complicated, inefficient, expensive, and technically anachronistic? Yes, but they are also nothing short of eye candy, as well as technically fascinating representations of history and craftsmanship. Mechanical watches themselves could be described in the same way.

October 22, 2019 / Comments Off

562

These Are the 6 Watches We’re Obsessing Over in September 2019

As watch lovers, we spend our afternoons pitching, researching and writing stories, poring over the new timepieces coming in and out of our office, and hunting for deals on used and vintage pieces online. When a new watch comes across our radar, one that particularly resonates with our tastes, we can’t help but obsess over it. We talk about them, debate their relevance, orate on their greatness and rail against their faults. So, here’s a taste of that process — seven timepieces our watch-loving staff are obsessing over right at this very moment:

Bulgari Octo Finissimo

I have a Bulgari Octo in steel. It’s a great timepiece. Gerald Genta design cred with a touch of Italian flair and masculinity that only Bulgari can seem to pull off. It’s a sleeper steel watch. But damn if the Finissimo isn’t a watch I’ve become smitten with ever since it was released in 2017. Lately, I find myself falling in love with it again.

Our watch editor Oren and I have spiritedly debated the merits of this watch for some time now and I think I may have finally convinced him that the thinness and engineering merit respect, but here I am again gushing and he may edit this out, but I’m saying it anyway. The finissimo is titanium, svelte as an Italian Stiletto, and the triple-gray look just completely devastating. It may be the coolest titanium watch out there. Sure, I prefer my watches steel and on rubber or webbing, but the Finissimo makes me want to put on the black suit I own but rarely ever wear and whisk my wife away to a gala I rarely attend. –Eric Yang, Founder

Marathon General Purpose Mechanical

My interest has always been on the iconic pieces that have a story, particularly dress watches lately. But I was digging through some samples of Marathon watches and I’m certainly enjoying the General Purpose in Stainless Steel. Built to government specs for military issue, it’s got an ETA 2801 movement, tritium illumination, a sapphire crystal and a beautifully curved 315L stainless steel case. I’ve never been into military watches, but this one definitely has me thinking about them more than ever. –Brian Louie, Head of Commerce

Monta Atlas GMT

The Atlas is a perfect representative of what Monta does well and what has helped achieve its impressive rise. Namely: conservative, pragmatic tool watch design with a high level of finishing and refinement that is reminiscent of Rolex’s approach — though much more affordable and not mimicking its look. Getting to wear one recently, but only briefly, left me even more wowed by the value being offered and a lingering impression that won’t go away soon. –Zen Love, Associate Staff Writer

Patek Philippe Cataltrava ref. 2545

Though I’ve never been terribly attracted to yellow gold watches in general, I do own a few of them (two of which were my grandfather’s), as there’s really nothing that captures the platonic ideal of the dress watch, to my mind, more than a thin, yellow gold, handwound timepiece. This Calatrava from the mid-1950s is exactly that — a reference 2545 (cousin to the legendary ref. 96) with just enough patina to look make it looks properly worn, but not beat to shit. –Oren Hartov, Associate Editor

Hamilton X-Wind Auto Chrono

The sleek black watch face paired with a silver bezel looks excellent on an all-black band or brown leather band meaning it’s basically like two watches in one. Initially, the X-Wind Auto Chrono was intended for pilots to calculate crosswinds (hence the name) along their journey, but it works just as well on land as it does in the air. And while this watch would likely dwarf my wrist, it’s still lovely to look at. –Meg Lappe, Editorial Coordinator

Patek Philippe Annual Calendar Regulator 5235G-001

I don’t think there is anything more elegant than a regulator — typically marked by subdials for hours and running seconds with a centrally-anchored minute hand. While I am not typically drawn to Pateks, and certainly don’t need an annual calendar, there’s something about this 5235G that I find incredibly attractive; the blued steel hands, the simple, well-proportioned, two-tone dial marry with the 40.5mm case extremely well. Now, to find that $40K I left laying around… –Jacob Sotak, Content Director, Gear Patrol Store

September 26, 2019 / Comments Off

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How the ‘Freak’ Introduced Silicon to Mechanical Watchmaking

Welcome to “Watches You Should Know,” a bi-weekly (the once-every-two-weeks kind) column highlighting little-known or notable watches new and old that have interesting stories or have had a surprising impact on the industry.

Who says the mechanical watch industry is stuck in the past? The same incredible material that has made the computing revolution possible is also impacting the world of the tiny spring-powered machines that inefficiently and expensively display the time on our wrists — but which are somehow enchanting. That material is silicon; and when the historic Swiss watch brand Ulysse Nardin introduced the first watch to incorporate it in 2001, called the Freak, it was met with skepticism and controversy.

Less than two decades later its use is widespread, and it promises to be the watchmaking material of the future. Why is silicon such a good material for watchmaking? To begin with, it’s for some of the same reasons that it’s useful in microchips and solar cells, but silicon is beneficial for other reasons that are pretty specific to watchmaking.

Terms to Know: When people in some parts of the world say “silicium” they mean the same thing as silicon, but “silicone” (with an -e) is something totally different.

Traditional watchmaking materials like steel have inherent properties that have provided watchmakers challenges for centuries. Temperature and magnetism can affect a movement’s timekeeping performance, and friction from interaction between parts eventually causes significant wear. Silicon is unaffected by any of these problems. Since silicon is so hard, it obviates the need for the lubrication traditional watch movements require — and that alone makes a huge impact on movement health and longevity, in part because oil ages as well.

For those reasons, as well as its extreme light weight, silicon is ideal for watch movement components like those involved in the escapement, the part of the watch that regulates timekeeping. In addition to these qualities, critically, silicon is also a material that’s inexpensive and widely available. However, that doesn’t mean that it’s making mechanical watches less expensive, at least for the time being: Working with silicon requires expertise and equipment outside watchmaking’s traditional wheelhouse. Unlike metal, silicon (a metalloid) is also brittle. Needless to say, incorporating silicon into mechanical watch movements also required significant research and development.

2001 Ulysse Nardin Freak

In 2001, Ulysse Nardin caused a stir when they released the Freak using silicon in its escapement, but also with a totally avant-garde concept. The use of silicon didn’t necessitate the Freak’s audacious design, but it was an appropriately outlandish way to introduce the controversial material. What makes the Freak so freakish? Most of the watch’s movement itself forms the minute hand, and the mainplate (with an arrow on it) rotates and forms the hour hand. The time is set by turning the bezel, and the movement is wound by turning a case back bezel. In other words, it aimed to rethink a number of fundamental watch features.

Since the introduction of the first Ulysse Nardin Freak, the brand has continued to build upon the concept with an entire line of fascinating and increasingly out-there Freak watches. However, silicon is no longer controversial and has been enthusiastically adopted across the watch industry. Particularly used for its antimagnetic properties in balance springs, it’s now a premium material that prestigious brands like Rolex, Patek Philippe and Omega proudly emphasize. The Swatch Group has even begun equipping some of its inexpensive 80-hour-power-reserve movements with silicon hairsprings.

Ulysse Nardin “Flying Anchor Escapement”

Silicon is even providing watchmakers with new, cutting edge solutions that transcend the traditional escapement as in Zenith’s Defy Lab watch, which beats at 15Hz and is able to achieve unprecedented accuracy for a mechanical watch. Research and development of silicon in watchmaking continues, and promises benefits for accuracy, stability, durability, and even affordability in the future. It’s an exciting material for a wide range of reasons, not least for giving traditional watches room to grow into the century ahead.

September 24, 2019 / Comments Off

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This Company’s Pilots and Dive Watches Are Made for Professionals

“We haven’t tried to appeal to everyone — we’ve said this is who we are, and we’re going to keep that style. And we’re not designing by committee. It’s about a classic-style aviation watch.”

Sounds like a pretty straightforward sentiment and mission statement, if you ask us. Giles English, who along with his brother Nick founded Bremont in 2002, is under no illusions as to what his company is and is not. When the two brothers decided to establish their watch brand following the death of their father in an aviation accident, they had a very particular goal in mind: namely, to bring watchmaking back to the UK. And they decided that if they were going to embark on that mission, that they were going to do it correctly, and without cutting any corners.

It took a full five years until the first Bremont watches were ready for delivery, in 2007. Since then, it’s been a whirlwind adventure making watches for various militaries; for the civilian market; and in collaboration with some of the most iconic British brands, personalities and products of all time, including Jaguar, Martin Baker, the Concorde, and more. If you’re a real-life adventurer, soldier, racer or sailor (and especially if you happen to be English), there’s a very good chance that you rock a Bremont watch as your daily wearer.

17 years after Bremont was established, the company employs roughly 30 watchmakers and about 160 total employees, and turns out roughly 10,000 watches per year. But the challenge is hardly over, though the initial growing pains may be behind them: “Everyone said we were mad, and we knew we were a bit mad,” says Giles. “And it’s been very hard — there isn’t a single day when it’s been easy. But it’s been very exciting and we’ve done something not a lot of people have been able to do.”

Amen to that.

We visited Bremont’s facilities in Henley-on-Thames, about an hour outside London, to get a better sense of what their operations are like, and how they design and manufacture their watches. Though the company is currently building a brand new, state-of-the-art facility from the ground-up, Bremont currently relies on several smaller facilities, which it’s quickly outgrowing. Stay tuned for more coverage next year when their new manufacture finally opens, but more now, scroll down for a view into how Bremont’s bringing watchmaking back to England.

Photo Tour

A vertical mill is used to manufacture flat movement components, such as baseplates. While these machines are sufficient for small numbers of components, Giles explains the need for more advanced machines with higher spindle speeds that can churn out, say, a baseplate, in less than an hour (it currently takes about five hours to machine a single one now, given the surface’s complex geometry).

Special plates are used that are perfectly flat, which are then machined, deburred, put through a polisher, and have perlage (decoration) added to them, after which they’re sent to be plated. Bremont, like many other manufacturers, doesn’t do plating itself, which is a skill best entrusted to someone who a shop that specializes in it. Bremont does, however, manufacture all its own jigs itself.

Finding competent watch assemblers in the UK is no easy task — you can’t simply go out and recruit dedicated, established workers with a long history in the industry. Giles English explains: “If we want a watch assembler, we have to go out and get 50 people for bench tests — do they have dexterity? These guys have never dealt with watches before, they’ve come from all different backgrounds. There’s no watch industry (here in the UK) to choose from, so we have to take people from different industries.”

“They may have never seen a watch before, but do they have the dexterity to start off with, and do they have the mental mindset to do this for hours and hours — you whittle those down pretty quickly, and then it’s a long time training process to be able to do it. If you went into any other large Swiss workshop of ours size, it would all be assembly line production — for example, one guy just puts the crowns on. We do a tiny bit of that, but not really so much, and the reason why is we’re training future watchmakers who can then go onto different parts of the business. So we’re trying to build as much of that skillset as possible.”

“We haven’t tried to appeal to everyone — we’ve said this is who we are, and we’re going to keep that style. And we’re not designing by committee. It’s about a classic-style aviation watch.”

Stu, Bremont’s first watchmaker, works on a Codebreaker, a special edition watch from 2013 that utilized wood from Bletchley Park floor boards and metal from an original Enigma machine, the famed Allied codebreaking machine from Work War II (Bletchley Park housed the famed codebreaking facilities). The Codebreaker is a complicated watch, featuring a flyback chronograph as well as a GMT complication.

Standard screws used to affix rotors to automatic movements are normally blued and utilize a normal screw head, but the weight of a rotor spinning puts a large stress on them, so Bremont designed their own screws. The Bremont screw head has two small holes in it and utilizes a screwdriver tip with two small “dots” that grip the head. This system increases the tensile strength of the screw considerably, and the screws don’t need to be blued, which weakens them. The new screw design solves the problem of the screws shearing in half because of the stress of the rotor spinning.

Of course manufacturing ones own tools is costly — the screwdriver grip that Bremont’s watchmakers use is standard, but the bits are custom-made to the tune of 600GBP per unit. “Every seal, every screw is all bespoke to us,” says Giles. “So a lot of brands will buy generic components off the shelf. We do it all ourselves, which means we have control over what is being made.”

“We don’t want the watchmaker to be filing parts to get the case together. If we were building 100 watches a year, we could do that — you can have slightly substandard stuff. But our stuff has to be perfect.”

Nick and Giles do all the design work themselves, mostly by mining the troves of aeronautical instruments that have come before: “We haven’t tried to appeal to everyone — we’ve said this is who we are, and we’re going to keep that style. And we’re not designing by committee. It’s about a classic-style aviation watch. An aviation watch is not a dive watch and not a dress watch — it’s that middle ground and category.

Before we came along most of the aviation watches were so delicate that you couldn’t wear them while flying — they were becoming dress watches. Whereas we wanted something that was tough, easy to read and that you’re able to wear in the boardroom or up Mt. Everest. That was our whole remit, which is why we started getting adventurers and explorers and those guys to start wearing our watches.”

Bremont builds most of its watches using their proprietary Trip-Tick three-piece case (the Her Majesty’s Armed Forces collection being a notable example). Because the company’s cases are specially hardened, they can’t be polished during service, but rather replaced entirely. However, because the cases are built in three pieces, they can simply replace, for example, the bezel component without having to chuck the entire case. (This was part of the original thought process when developing the three-piece case). The steel used by Bremont is 7-8x harder than that used in the average watch case.

A five-stage process is used for case manufacturing, and between each stage, the case must be polished and satined (after the final plating stage, which is done by a specialist company, the cases can no longer be polished). The final polishing stage is done by hand by a skilled employee, and between each of these stages, the cases must be cleaned and kept in small silk bags for protection. Over-polishing can ruin tolerances and prevent parts from fitting together, such as a crystal onto a case.

“If a watch gets tested for three weeks and comes back and there’s even a speck of dust, the entire watch needs to be rebuilt. So it’s all about quality control.”

A laser is used to engrave the sequential numbering that appears on case backs, as well as lettering, such as the company wordmark (the lasers used by Bremont are powerful enough to cut straight through steel) — etching, however, is outsourced. Bremont has become so adept at using their laser engraving machines that the manufacturer even contacted them, asking how they achieve certain techniques.
Once Bremont receives a COSC-certified movement from Switzerland, it’s already been tested to rigorous standards — but tests are conducted on the movement only, not on a watch containing it. “So what we’re doing is regularly testing them the whole time,” explains Giles. “We have systems for batch-testing in five different angles — our watches should be +/- 3 seconds per day. When the watchmaker then does his own individual QC and feels that it’s perfect, then the watch will go upstairs to be individually QC’d.

With watchmaking, it’s all about first-time pass rate, meaning, can I work quickly enough so that I can build my quota without making any mistakes. Because if that watch gets tested for 3 weeks and comes back and there’s even a speck of dust, the entire watch needs to be rebuilt. Our machines will batch-test and keep digital records for us, so we can track when it was tested, what tests were run, sort of like block-chain.”

Kits of watch components are put together on the upper floors of Bremont’s Henley facility, after which they make their way downstairs for assembly. These components have been thoroughly QC’d and may have been sitting for some time in stock. “The idea is to deliver a perfect set of components devoid of scratches, defects, etc. to the watchmaker,” explains Giles. “When it comes to the watchmaker, they want the watch to ‘slide together.’ We don’t want the watchmaker to be filing parts to get the case together.

If we were building 100 watches a year, we could do that. You can have slightly substandard stuff. But this stuff has to be perfect. We want them to be pure assemblers. And that’s the hardest bit and has taken years, to get good-quality components throughout the business. If a component is off by even a few microns, it can throw off the entire process.”

Each watchmaker at Bremont has his or her own custom-built desk, assembled to that watchmaker’s height. Each watch is largely assembled by one watchmaker, who will be given kits of components from the upper floors at Henley. Rather than work on one watch a a time, this person will line up several watches, affix their dials, hands and crowns, and build them. This way, as Giles notes, there is some efficiency to the process. Each watch is numbered and has an individual movement and case number. Each watchmaker has their own tools and when they leave, they leave their desk clean. They also learn how to sharpen their own tools and look after them.

“When you first learn you work on standard 3-hander watches,” says Giles. “When you’re working with chronographs and GMTs you have all different hand heights and if you put these on incorrectly, they can rub against the crystal, cause problems, etc. You train to get to complicated watches.”

Sometimes the simplest solution is the best one. This machine is filled with ceramic beads that vibrates subtly and remove burrs from case components after roughly ten minutes. But the machine has to be watched very carefully — too much time will ruin the components, and not enough time will have a negligible effect.
While all watches go through highly rigorous testing at Bremont, it’s perhaps the military watch projects that mean most to the English brothers. “What we love, the most satisfying part of the business is making for the military all around the world, for lots of different nations, begins Giles. “And a big part of it is that if they’re buying en-masse, they’re getting a deal, they’re effectively subsidizing it. There was a guy, an F-18 pilot who said to me look, I’m flying an F-18 for seven years of my life, but I’ll spend the rest of my life talking about it, and the watch is proof that I did it. I’ll give it to my son, and he’ll tell his son that his grandfather was an F-18 pilot. It becomes a complete badge of honor for these guys. And there’s not much you can buy that does last forever.”

September 23, 2019 / Comments Off

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This Company’s Pilots and Divers Watches Are Made for Professionals

“W“e haven’t tried to appeal to everyone — we’ve said this is who we are, and we’re going to keep that style. And we’re not designing by committee. It’s about a classic-style aviation watch.”

Amen to that.

Photo Tour

“We haven’t tried to appeal to everyone — we’ve said this is who we are, and we’re going to keep that style. And we’re not designing by committee. It’s about a classic-style aviation watch.”

“We don’t want the watchmaker to be filing parts to get the case together. If we were building 100 watches a year, we could do that — you can have slightly substandard stuff. But our stuff has to be perfect.”

“If a watch gets tested for three weeks and comes back and there’s even a speck of dust, the entire watch needs to be rebuilt. So it’s all about quality control.”

September 23, 2019 / Comments Off

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These Professional Dive Watches Are Completely Underrated

Back in the 1960s, Aquadive built dive watches, and only dive watches. These purpose-driven timepieces were standard fare among SCUBA divers who would see them in magazine ads, in local dive shops, or on the wrists of their fellow divers. Aquadive made a wide assortment of models, from snorkeling watches to enormous electronic models with oil-filled depth gauges for professional divers. But Aquadive, like so many other watch brands, didn’t survive the ascendency of electronic quartz watches. They went kaput in the 1980s.

In 2011, avid dive watch collector Rick Marei brought Aquadive back to life, first with watches built into new-old-stock cases he acquired along with the company. Those are all gone now, so today Aquadive produces its cases in Germany, and it sources its movements and performs assembly in Switzerland. The newly designed Aquadive Bathyscaphe is the brand’s current flagship model, and this new watch is loosely based on that large watch with the depth gauge, the legendary Aquadive Model 50.

The Aquadive Bathyscaphe measures 43mm across, but for fit you’ll want to know that it’s only 49mm from lug to lug, making this seemingly large watch wear quite comfortably even on small wrists. It’s 15mm tall, which is not small, but the height is mostly due to the tall bezel — which turns out to be an important feature. Expect a large and heavy diver, but one that will fit lots of folks comfortably.

With 1,000 meters of water resistance (3,330’), the Bathyscaphe is not fooling around. Sure, you don’t need all that capability as a casual SCUBA diver, but remember that extreme depths will test the seals of any watch. This one is going to hold steady.

Today’s dive watches are so often marketed as fashion statements that it’s become relatively rare for a company to design one as a straight-up, thoroughbred diving tool. The Aquadive Bathyscaphe is just such a rarity. It doesn’t look entirely out of place with a casual, rugged outfit (let’s say a work shirt, jeans, and boots), but the Bathyscaphe really begs to be worn in and around the water. Better yet, it loves to go deep, and it looks entirely at home snaking around the jagged edges of a sunken freighter, tunneling through a coral cave, or coming face-to-face with a shark.

Diving off the Dutch island Bonaire for a week, and again off of Grand Cayman for a few days (both in the Western Caribbean), the Bathyscaphe proved to be a most trusty companion underwater and above. I’ve scratched a couple sapphire watch crystals and banged up my share of bezels, and I’ve only done that while SCUBA diving. The abuse arises when hoisting heavy aluminum tanks into the back of pickup trucks, reaching an arm through a buoyancy compensation device (BCD) and straight into some hard bit of boat rigging, or lifting myself onto a concrete slab with 16 lbs. of lead weights around my waist as ocean waves blithely toss me to and fro. Some watches might look like badass divers, but they ultimately succumb to damage in real diving conditions. Meanwhile the Aquadive Bathyscaphe takes a serious beating unscathed.

The reason the Bathyscaphe is so rugged goes back to Aquadive’s history of designing exclusively purpose-built dive watches. Consider whether you’d prefer a Cadillac SUV or a Land Rover Defender for actual off-road driving. Right — you chose the Rover because that company had been perfecting tough, capable off-road vehicles when Cadillac was still building land yachts. You can’t fast-forward that evolution; it’s just too much hard-earned RnD -— year in, year out — for anyone to imitate.

And that’s exactly why you’d choose an Aquadive for diving. Its design is an accumulation of small improvements that add up to a seriously capable dive watch, and not some fashion statement. Though, ironically, the Aquadive’s bonafides as a tool make it an even cooler fashion statement for some of us. When you get bored with bitching and moaning about date window placement or an extra millimeter here and there, it’s refreshing to find a dive watch that reminds us that these are tools, not toys. Strap it on, stop fussing, and go do stuff.

What specifically makes the Aquadive Bathyscaphe so capable? First of all, it’s the case and bezel. The wide-flanged cushion case (not entirely unlike a Doxa SUB) creates a protective wall around the watch. Similarly, the tall beefy bezel and it’s ultra-hard ceramic insert protect the flat sapphire crystal. The mounting holes for the spring bars are deeply inset into the stout lugs, and the spring bars themselves are fat and inspire confidence. The provided Isofrane strap is a rubber affair that’s become an industry standard for reliability and comfort, either on your skin or over a wetsuit. Add in the 1,000 meters of water resistance, the unrivaled Super-LumiNova lume, and the proven ETA 2836-2 automatic movement, and we’re talking about a watch that’ll just waltz through daily abuses.

Underwater, the legibility of the Aquadive Bathyscaphe is unparalleled. Super-LumiNova is standard stuff, but I wonder if there’s a secret sauce here? It’s really, really bright. Swimming under the shadow of a wreck at 95 feet, the dial lit up like Times Square. And the amount of lume on the bezel makes it really easy to read exact timings at depth. Again, it’s all about performance.

Another important feature for diving performance is bezel action. When your hands are numb with cold, or bound up in neoprene, you’re going to want a bezel that’s easy to grip and turn, but not so easy that it’ll get moved around without your consent. I was suspicious of this one because the bezel slopes up toward the crystal, which has proven a slippery proposition on other watches. But the bezel on the Aquadive Bathyscaphe is tall, and the coin edge is super sharp, so it proves to be easy to grip and turn. Further, that sloping bezel is a safety measure of sorts, because a bezel that overhangs the case can latch onto rocks, or coral, or any of the countless obstacles we encounter when diving.

There’s no need to overthink the Aquadive Bathyscaphe. It’s a dedicated thoroughbred dive tool with a professional lineage that assures its legacy as such. For those who have come to love tool watches as tools, the Bathyscaphe will scratch that itch. For desk divers who just want a cool fashion accessory, perhaps the Bathyscaphe will have you reconsider fussy fashion concerns in favor of a serious tool with serious cred.

Numerous versions of the Aquadive are available beginning at $1,990 direct.

September 10, 2019 / Comments Off

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This Affordable, Field-Inspired Watch Celebrates Fossil Watches of the 1990s

Fossil’s Archival Series features limited-edition sets that recall early Fossil watches, the newest of which is the Defender. Featuring a 42mm brushed stainless steel case with 22mm lugs, the Defender is a throwback to a watch first introduced in the 1990s that featured both field and dive-inspired influences.

The new Defender ships in a handsome leather box with two straps — one a brown leather type with rubberized backing, and the second a green NATO strap — and, interestingly, three interchangeable “top rings.” These can’t be called “bezels” in the classic sense, as they don’t turn, but they provide the wearer with an opportunity to easily swap them out for a fun look. Two are diver-style count-up bezels (one in brushed steel and one in aluminum), and the third is a black steel compass bezel. The crown is a push-down type and is located at 4 o’clock, giving the watch a water-resistance of 100m.

If you’re on the lookout for an affordable field/diver-style watch or happen to have grown up in the 80s or 90s and have fond memories of Fossil, the quartz-powered Defender, which is available for $255 in select Fossil stores, could be the watch for you.

September 9, 2019 / Comments Off

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The Best Affordable Watches for Every Kind of Dad

No one knows your dad like you do, or can guess what kind of watch is right for him. Buying watches as gifts for others is hard, even when that person is close to you — maybe especially if he’s close. The good news is that, even if you totally misjudge Dad’s taste, the most important thing is that the gift is from you. Probably not every Father’s Day is going to be one where you give him a watch, but if it’s one of those years, these sub-$1,000 watches are a good place to start.

Geeky Dad: Casio World Time Digital Watch

This is a great option that just about anyone can afford. It’s got a nostalgic, retro-futuristic appeal, a lot of functionality, and is incredibly robust especially considering its price. All of this makes it a completely worry-free watch for almost any occasion.

Sporty Dad: Citizen Promaster Professional Diver

For the active dads out there, a sporty, rugged Citizen Promaster is a practical and satisfying choice. Citizen’s Eco Drive technology means the battery is charged by any light source, so it’ll never need to be changed. This will require some heftier wrists to be worn comfortably and regularly, with a diameter of 44mm wide — but if it fits the bill, it will serve Dad well for a long time.

Outdoorsy Dad: G-Shock Master of G Mudmaster

There’s a certain satisfaction to something that seems almost more like a piece of military equipment than a watch. If that’s something the dad in your life can appreciate, a number of G-Shocks probably match the description. The Mudman, however, just has that rough-and-tumble feel that seems like it would only get better by banging it up. It’s got all the specs to handle some abuse, like 200m of water resistance, and a lot of useful Casio tech as well.

Tool Watch Dad: Obris Morgan Nautilus

With a unique but pragmatic design, Obris Morgan introduces mechanical movements to this list. This is a tool watch with some character and a great Japanese automatic movement with the Miyota 9015. The Obris Morgan Nautilus offers 200m of water-resistance and strong value. At 41mm, it’s the kind of dive watch Dad can wear every day, whether to the office, swimming, or casually.

Retro Dad: Yema Superman Heritage

The Yema Superman offers a vintage dive watch aesthetic, modern dive watch specs with 300m water-resistance and sapphire crystal, and a solid ETA 2824-2 automatic Swiss movement. The suave dad that knows how to dress will appreciate the style Yema is offering backed up by thoughtful details and evident quality. The retro sizing of 39mm makes this versatile for a range of wrists, and more understated than the many bold-wearing dive watches on the market.

Analog Dad: Tissot Vissodate Automatic

What if your dad’s more of an analog guy with a nostalgic streak? The Tissot Vissodate is one of the best values out there with all the specs you’d want from a Swiss-made mechanical watch, like a sapphire crystal and automatic winding. At 40mm wide with a stout profile, this will wear modestly and handsomely, and is perfect for everyday duty with an understated retro flare.

Aviator Dad: Stowa Flieger Verus 40

Does your dad wear a leather bomber jacket and/or aviator sunglasses? That might be a good indicator of a candidate for a vintage-styled pilot watch like the Stowa Flieger Verus 40. Stowa is a German brand with legitimate history making pilot watches, and the Flieger Verus looks the part, is available in date and no-date as well as different movement versions, and remains very wearable at 40mm.

Weekend Warrior Dad: Victorinox I.N.O.X. Mechanical

This is a tough tool watch perfect for the dad who likes the outdoors and is rough on his wristwear. When first released in its quartz-powered version, Victorinox even put this watch through 130 tests more trying than normal wear would ever be — so you know it can handle anything. There are various colors, as well as diver models and more affordable quartz watches to choose from. This mechanical version offers a Swiss automatic movement for a pretty reasonable price.

Diver Dad: Seiko SPB053J1

This handsome and capable dive watch is one of the more premium among Seiko’s sub-$1,000 Prospex watches but, as always for the brand, it punches above its weight. Based on one of the brand’s most popular vintage dive watch models, the SPB053J1 is versatile and can easily do the job for a dad who just wants one tough, reliable watch to last for many years.

Motorhead Dad: Autodromo Group B

There’s a good chance that any dad out there who’s into cars in some form or another will also be able to appreciate a good watch. For those who are serious motorheads, the Autodromo Group B celebrates motorsport in a unique and fun way with some vintage cues and colorful dial options.

May 16, 2019 / Comments Off

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Citizen Has Made the World’s Most Accurate Light-Powered Watch, Though It Doesn’t Come Cheap

Like most world records, “the world’s most accurate watch” is a moving target and almost always requires some qualification. The technology was announced in 2018, but the wristwatch to contain the super-accurate Citizen Caliber 0100 quartz movement debuted at Baselworld 2019. It’s accurate to within one second per year, powered by light with Citizen’s Eco Drive technology, and prices start at over $7,000.

To put this in perspective, most quartz watches measure their accuracy per month, and even the most accurate traditional mechanical watches measure per day. Citizen beats high-end quartz watches like those from Grand Seiko with estimates of +/- five seconds per year. The difference between five seconds and one second per year might sound insignificant, but consider it five times more precise, and refinements at this level get exponentially more complicated. While some watches use various external sources via the likes of radio signals or internet to regularly synchronize with atomic clocks (and some have even managed to make an atomic clock semi-wearable on the wrist), Citizen can claim to have the most accurate, light-powered, autonomous movement.

The brand explains that one thing they did differently for the Caliber 0100 was to replace the quartz crystal’s typical tuning-fork shape with something called an “AT cut” (previously used in watches only very rarely). This has a number of benefits for stability and resistance to temperature and position changes, but it also oscillates at 8 megahertz rather than the 32 kilohertz of the traditional shape (256 times faster). Citizen goes into the technical details of how it all works in this video, and there’s a lot more cool stuff going on with this watch if you care to put on your nerd glasses.

Citizen combined other technologies such as an integrated circuit designed to correct minor temperature-caused deviations. One cool feature of the new watches is that the brand displays the movement through a case back window, which is very uncommon for quartz watches. The wristwatches containing this remarkable movement measure 37.5mm wide and a thin 9.1mm with 50m of water-resistance. Versions in hardened titanium cases will be priced $7,400 and limited to 200 pieces for a mother of pearl dial and 500 pieces for the black dial model. A white gold case version will cost $16,800, and all will be available in Fall 2019.

Gear Patrol also recommends:
Longines Conquest V.H.P. Watch ($1,300)
Grand Seiko Spring Drive GMT SBGE227 Watch ($5,600)
Breitling Professional Chronospace Military Watch ($6,110)

April 26, 2019 / Comments Off

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5 Brutal Torture Tests Brands Use to Vet Their Watches

WARNING: Watch lovers may find the following content distressing.

Many watches claim extreme durability standards far beyond what any human wearing them could be expected to endure themselves. The point is to show that they can take even more than you can possibly throw at them, but some watch brands have gone to creative lengths to demonstrate ruggedness. It is somehow fascinating to watch these small and often intricate machines survive the stunts conceived to test their limits.

Factories commonly perform durability tests in controlled environments, such as dropping a watch from a specific height; smacking it with a hammer swung from a large pendulum; or placing a watch in a chamber that simulates water pressure in order to test water-resistance. Watch factories are also full of interesting and weird-looking machines meant to replicate real-life wear over an extended period.

Protecting watches and their intricate movements from things like shocks and moisture has led to immense investments from watch companies in testing and some notable developments in watchmaking technology. More extreme stress tests such as strapping a watch to a crash test dummy or running one over with a truck probably have some merit even if they’re less empirically quantifiable than those performed in a sterile lab — aside from marketing value, they’re also extremely entertaining, so please enjoy the following five examples of super tough watches and crazy watch durability stunts.

Casio G-Shock

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Conceived with the modest idea of making “a watch so durable it wouldn’t break even when dropped,” according to its creator Kikuo Ibe, Casio G-Shock might be the first thing to come to mind as the “indestructible watch.” The plastic wonder timepiece is tough, inexpensive, and reliable, which is why it is probably the watch that sees the most actual military duty today. This fun video from Japanese TV features Casio factory tests including the drop and the hammer-smack, but goes on to torture a poor G-Shock G5600 in increasingly unspeakable ways. After being frozen, this G-Shock is strapped to a BMX bike and bunny-hopped upon (3:50). Finally, it is shown working normally after being run over by a steamroller (4:40).

BONUS: Here is another cool video in which a $70,000 18ct-gold Casio G-Shock G-D5000-9JR undergoes the drop and hammer tests.

Victorinox INOX

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The INOX was launched with a event touting no fewer than 130 durability tests to highlight the brand’s 130th anniversary — obviously, this was more for marketing purposes than pure scientific pursuit, but it’s still immensely fun to watch, and truly speaks to the durability of Victorinox’s offerings. These trials included being strapped to a bobsled (apparently to test vibration resistance); frozen in a block of ice; boiled in a coffee pot; run over by a 64-ton fire truck; and 126 more tests of varying degrees of silliness and impressiveness.

Bremont Martin Baker

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While partnering with a company that makes ejection seats like Martin Baker might sound pretty niche, it affords some opportunities for crazy wristwatch tests. Yes, British watch brand Bremont straps its watches to crash test dummies, blasts them out of airplane cockpits, and then checks to see that the watches are alright. Even just watching the video is a little jarring. While some of these watches can only be purchased by people who have actually ejected in a Martin Barker ejection seat, other models are commercially available.

Seiko Marinemaster Professional 1000m

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Finally, in the same vein as Rolex’s Deepsea test (see below), Seiko similarly tested a couple of their Marinemaster Professional watches by sending them deep into the ocean with an unmanned submersible device. This time, however, there’s a twist. First, Seiko actually tests the watches to failure (which occurs around 2:05 in the video). Also, it keeps a camera trained on them so you can see the instant and exact depth at which they are overcome by the water pressure. The watch’s seconds hands simply stop. It might not be a dramatic moment or captivatingly violent like Bremont’s exploding cockpits, but it’s genuine and cool to witness.

Spoiler alert: while not going as deep as the Rolex in the Mariana Trench, the watches function normally well beyond their claimed depth rating of 1,000m.

Rolex Deepsea

In normal wear, or even actual diving, most dive watches won’t get anywhere near the depth they are pressure-tested to. A case in point is when watch companies strap a watch to some submersible device and send it under the water to a depth that would easily crush a human body. Rolex tests its watches extensively in-house, but it also sent a special version of its Deepsea watch with James Cameron more than 10,000 meters into the Mariana Trench, the deepest natural trench in the world, strapped to the outside of his submersible vessel. Cameron also wore a regular Rolex on his wrist inside the vessel where it would be of more use to him.

April 12, 2019 / Comments Off

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All posts in “watch-desk”

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The Monaco

The Monaco Automatic

The Monaco Quartz

The Autavia

Heuer Heritage Calibre 02 (“Autavia”)

The Autavia

The Aquaracer

Aquaracer Standard Quartz

Aquaracer Standard Mechanical Caliber 5

Aquaracer Mechanical Chronograph Caliber 16

Aquaracer Quartz Chronograph

The Carreras

Carrera Chronographs with 02 Movement

Carrera Chronographs with O2T Movement

Carrera Chronographs with Caliber 16 Movement

Carrera Chronographs with Caliber 16DD Movement

Time & Date Carreras with Caliber 5 Movement

Time, Day/Date Carreras with Caliber 5 Day-Date Movement

Small Carreras with Caliber 9 Automatic Movement

Carreras with Quartz Movements

Formula 1 Series

Formula 1 Chronographs with Quartz Movements

Formula 1 Chronographs with Caliber 16 Automatic Movements

Formula 1 Time & Date Quartz Models

Formula 1 Time-Date Models with Caliber 5 Automatic Movements

Formula 1 Time-Date Models with Caliber 6 Automatic Movements

Link Series

Link Chronographs with Caliber 17 Automatic Mechanical Movements

Link Time & Date With Caliber 5 Automatic Mechanical Movements

Small Link Quartz Watches

Connected Modular Watches

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More Watches You Should Know• Bulova Accutron• Benrus Sky Chief• Glycine Airman

Photo: DoubleCross Webzine

Photo: Steemit

Note: Purchasing products through our links may earn us a portion of the sale, which supports our editorial team’s mission. Learn more here.

The Affordable Option: Cerberus DS Revue Thommen

Photo: Derek Dier

The Icon: Hamilton Ventura

The Curveball: Vantage Sport Skin Diver

Photo: ThoseWatchGuys

Note: Purchasing products through our links may earn us a portion of the sale, which supports our editorial team’s mission. Learn more here.

Bulang & Sons Denim Blue Retro Leather Watch Strap

Bas & Lokes Everett Light Grey Suede

Analog/Shift Stout Black Calf Strap

Crown & Buckle American Made Walnut Boxcalf

HODINKEE Bedford Strap Collection in Olive Green

Worn & Wound Model 2 Premium Stone

HODINKEE Barrett Strap Collection in Navy Blue

Molequin Grained Calf Strap in Taupe

Everest Bands Curved End Link Leather (for Rolex Submariner)

Molequin Suede Collection in Taupe

B&R Bands Russet Le Mans Racing Watch Strap

Note: Purchasing products through our links may earn us a portion of the sale, which supports our editorial team’s mission. Learn more here.

Note: Purchasing products through our links may earn us a portion of the sale, which supports our editorial team’s mission. Learn more here.

Pilot’s Watches

Mark XVIII Pilot’s Watch

Pilot’s Watch 36

Pilot’s Watch Chronograph

Big Pilot’s Watch

Complicated Big Pilot’s Watches

Timezoner Pilot’s Watch

A Few Other Smaller Pilot’s Watches

A Few Other Larger Complicated Pilot’s Watches

Dive Watches: The Aquatimers

Aquatimer Automatic

Aquatimer 2-Register Chronographs

Aquatimer 3-Register Chronographs

The Portugieser

The Portugieser Chronograph

Portugieser Chronograph Classic

Portugieser Automatic

Portugieser Annual Calendar

Portugieser Perpetual Calendar

Portugieser Grand Complications

The Ingenieur

Ingenieur Automatic

Ingenieur Chronograph

More Watches You Should Know
• Bulova Accutron
• Benrus Sky Chief
• Glycine Airman