All posts in “Watches”

This Historic Dive Watch Brand Is, Finally, Available in America Again

Back in the 1970s, you often had to buy dive watches in dive shops, rather than at jewelers or boutiques the way you can today. But as it turns out, one of the most famous dive watch makers, Doxa, has been largely absent from many U.S shops since then.

Until now, at least. Coinciding with the launch of new forged carbon-cased collection of its famously brightly colored dive watches, Doxa is returning Stateside via the retailer Watches of Switzerland.

Granted, it’s not as if you couldn’t get a Doxa in the United States before now— far from it. Doxa was one of the brands that pioneered online sales long before it caught on in the industry (only quite recently, we might add) thanks to horological entrepreneur Rick Marei. Since the brand revived its Sub 300 series of distinctive and colorful watches in the 1990s, it’s had a presence in the minds and on the wrists of many Americans. It’s just that it wasn’t easy to simply go into a store to see it in person before buying.

submariner

Courtesy

submariner

Courtesy

So what will you see if you walk into a Watches of Switzerland store and stroll over to the Doxa counter? A lot of bright-colored dials and straps, to be sure — but among them will be the newest models featuring the iconic Turtle-like case shape and no-decompression scale bezel executed in a forged carbon material. Carbon (of the forged, fiber, composite or other varieties) has been a popular alternative material in watchmaking for its dark color, its potentially interesting textures and patterns — and most of all, its lightness and toughness.

submariner

Courtesy

submariner

Courtesy

Aesthetically, the look provides an interesting contrast to the brand’s signature range of bold colors and lends the vintage-inspired watch a resolutely more contemporary feel; ergonomically, carbon cases should make the Sub 300’s 42.5mm case even more comfortable to wear. Like the steel models, the Sub 300 Carbon is water resistant to 300m and is powered by a COSC chronometer-certified ETA 2824-2 automatic movement. The new watches join the permanent collection following a special 2020 limited edition in carbon called the SUB 300 Aqua Lung US Divers.

submariner

Courtesy

submariner

Courtesy

The thing about carbon, though, is that as an alternative material, it’s also exotic and costs a premium — which means that the new Sub 300 Carbon watches will be priced over a thousand dollars more than their steel counterparts, at $3,890. The new models come in the brand’s six dial colors and ten total variations with different strap options. You might want to go check them out at your local Watches of Switzerland location…but of course, they’re also available online, as always.

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Synchron’s New Military Watch Resurrects an Old Doxa Diver

It’s funky, it’s Seventies-inspired and it’s a dive watch with military roots: the new Synchron Military covers a range of the hottest current watch industry trends, and it tops them all off with a vintage connection that gives it the extra historical punch collectors demand. Though the modern company is known by collectors as an umbrella group for resurrected brands, this is the first time the Synchron name is being featured on the dial of a modern watch.

The Synchron Group has been the vehicle through which entrepreneur Rick Marei has resurrected a number of dive watch and related brands: Aquadive and Aquastar, as well as the classic rubber dive strap Tropic and ISOfrane. Most of all, however, Marei is known for having helped resurrect Doxa’s famous divers starting all the way back in the 1990s.

For watch enthusiasts who have followed his career, this is where the story turns juicy. Marei parted ways with the current owners of Doxa in 2019, and he seems to have left on less than amicable terms. Fast-forward to today, where, in addition to being a cool-looking watch, the Synchron Military seems to harbor a competitive undertone: it’s based upon the vintage Doxa Army. It gets better: just after Synchron announced its reissue of the watch, the modern Doxa brand (sans Marei) fired back with an Instagram post about its own reissue of the watch, which has seemingly been in the works simultaneously. It’s the sort of watch industry catfight the public rarely gets a glimpse of.

But back to the watch itself. The Doxa reference 11891-4 diver in question is such a rare specimen that its original purpose is debated; possibly less than 100 examples are thought to have been made. (Even military-esque watches of the 1970s apparently had to be “funky,” and here, bright orange hands and a white dial are anything but stealthy.)

The Synchron Military could be considered an “homage watch,” with a design nearly identical to that of the original, but with “military” replacing “army” and “Synchron” replacing “Doxa” on the dial. Powered by a top-grade ETA 2824-2 automatic movement, it’s got a 42mm-wide case in the classic Doxa Sub shape, and comes in two versions: bare and black-c0ated steel.

This may look like a typical way of introducing two model variations, but in fact, they offer an interesting nod to the vintage watches. The originals had a black coating back in a time when such coatings were novel and not very effective, so the vintage examples found today have mostly lost them. Each modern version, thus, has an authentic justification in its own way.

Each iteration of the Synchron Military is being produced in limited a run of 250 examples’ currently, the black-coated model is available for pre-order, but the steel version is sold out. They’re available directly from Synchron’s site online at an “introductory price” of $990.

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Why You Should Be Collecting Vintage Soviet Watches

Not long after the Stock Market crash of 1929, Dueber-Hampden, a watchmaker based in Canton, Ohio, went bankrupt. Slow sales and the tumultuous financial state of the world no doubt played a factor. But according to some historians, the operation was using outdated technology while other watchmaking outfits in the U.S. were the envy of the world. In 1930, Dueber-Hampden’s tooling and equipment were loaded into boxcars. Their destination, along with 21 former Dueber-Hampden employees? Moscow.

This equipment and the know-how of these employees — along with additional gear from Ansonia Clock Company (another failed U.S. clockmaker) — would help form the basis of the First State Watch Factory, and subsequently the beginnings of the entire Russian watch industry, which would become one of the most successful in the world. Up to this point, watches in were in short supply in Russia and were either imported or cobbled together in small workshops from Swiss-made movements and parts. In either case, watches were not an of the people kind of good.

raketa russian watch

Raketa

Within the next decade, Russia was producing hundreds of thousands of watches. Many were based on old Dueber-Hampden pocket watch designs, but the Russians eventually collaborated with watch companies abroad to further their development. For example, the Russian government set up a contract with French watchmaker Lip in the 1930s to collaborate on movement production — it lasted all the way until the 1950s, resulting in many high-end movements that Soviet watchmakers ended up improving on.

In fact, improving watches from outside lands, generally for reliability’s sake, seemed to be the Russian watch industry’s modus operandi, sometimes in an apparently illicit capacity. For example, as Swiss watchmaker Zenith’s chronometer-grade caliber 135 gained traction in the 1950s, the Russians sought to create their own hyper-accurate watch by copying the design. According to noted Russian watch collector Mark Gordon, it’s a mystery as to how it happened. “Nobody is quite sure what happened, but the Zenith caliber 135 blueprints ended up at the Tschistopolsky factory, where a modified version was then produced called the Volna,” he told the New York Times in 2007.

The Volna was not a direct copy. For starters, the small seconds hand of the Zenith caliber was swapped for a centrally-mounted hand, there were more jewels added and a larger balance wheel was utilized. Finishing was pretty much non-existent. And that gets to the crux of the matter: the watches of the USSR were almost never ostentatious, lacking in finishing or frivolous complications — they were first and foremost time-telling tools, built to be robust and reliable. After all, wouldn’t anything else just be an affront to the Soviet ideal of utilitarianism?

raketa russian watch

Raketa

In fact, following WWII, Joseph Stalin was afraid of an influx of foreign watches. As explained in Charles L. Mee Jr.’s 1975 book, Meeting at Potsdam, “Millions of Russian soldiers had seen foreign lands, foreign wealth, foreign freedom. Thousands and thousands had traded everything they had with British and American soldiers for — wristwatches. Wristwatches, gold plated, silver plated, with seventeen-jewel movements: what unimaginable wealth they represented, and every single British and American soldier seemed to have one, and treat it casually, as though it were a mere convenience … [Stalin] did indeed fear that the Russian people would be infected by contact with the West, its wristwatches and its ideas.”

More flashy pieces did come into vogue. Commemorative wristwatches were common, such as the numerous watches celebrating the 1980 Summer Olympics held in Moscow, or watches made in honor of the Sputnik launch. Dials were often branded with logos and illustrations depicting military might or celebrating space or polar explorations by the USSR. Propaganda-dialed watches were even produced to promote political policies like Perestroika and Glasnost. Some were simply adorned with a hammer and sickle.

That’s just scratching at the surface, and even watches that didn’t feature branding or propaganda came in all sorts of different designs. That’s the thing about the Russian watch industry: it produced millions upon millions of watches. According to one expert, by the ’50s and ’60s its production was only outpaced by Switzerland. Given their ubiquity and their simplicity, and the general lack of interest by most collectors compared to European-made watches, they can be found easily and cheaply online.

raketa russian watch

Raketa

As with a lot of low-priced, ubiquitous vintage watches, you need to be wary of Frankenstein’d timepieces or watches with shoddy, reprinted dials, as these tend to be particularly common with these timepieces. These tend to pop up on eBay and Etsy. Online sources, such as Mark Gordon’s extensive collection and watch forums like WatchUSeek, are vital in educating yourself on how to spot what’s correct and what isn’t, so that you’re paying the right price for a watch, be it original or not.

Still, from a historical standpoint, it’s worth it. Watches have always been a reflection of the time and place they were created in and that’s always been part of the draw of vintage watch collecting. But old Russian watches seem even more so to be fascinating artifacts of a tumultuous period in human history and the oppressive regime in which they were created, their dials and movements mirroring the progression of the Soviet Union’s history for decades, all the way up to its downfall in the 1990s. It may not be pretty, but history rarely is. It’s worth remembering that.

5 Watches to Get You Started

Chistopol Sputnik

Why-You-Should-Collect-Soviet-Watches-gear-patrol-Chistopol-Sputnik

This watch was made to celebrate the launch of Sputnik in 1957. It was a simple time-only watch with a small-seconds dial, but in place of a regular hand the watch has a disk with an illustration of Sputnik orbiting Earth that makes a full rotation every minute. An aperture makes up the main body of Sputnik and shows the running seconds time.

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Poljot Okean Chronograph

Why-You-Should-Collect-Soviet-Watches-gear-patrol-Poljot-Okean-Chronograph-1

This chronograph was made primarily for the Soviet Navy during the ’70s and ’80s. It was one of the first watches to use the Poljot 3133, itself basically a reworked version of the Swiss-made Valjoux 7734.

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Vostok Amphibian

Why-You-Should-Collect-Soviet-Watches-gear-patrol-Vostok-Amphibian

This diver, originally created in the late ’60s, is as iconic a Russian watch as any. It utilized a case back with a threaded locking ring and a large rubber gasket, and, as water pressure continued to build on the watch, it would push the caseback in further, making it water resistant to 200 meters. The Ampbibia has been made in a variety of designs and can even be picked up brand new today for under $100.

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Vostok Precision

Why-You-Should-Collect-Soviet-Watches-gear-patrol-Vostok-Precision

This is the watch that carried the infamous Volna chronometer movement that copied (and in some respects) improved upon on the Zenith 135. A simple three-hand watch, it came in a variety of dial designs.

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Raketa Polar

Why-You-Should-Collect-Soviet-Watches-gear-patrol-Raketa-Polar

Raketa is best-known for making watches for Polar expeditions, explaining the ubiquity of 24-hour watches from the brand (these helped distinguish the specific hour in the prolonged presence of daylight on expeditions). The Polar comes in a variety of case designs and dial configurations, and can even be bought new from Raketa today.

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How to Quickly Give Your Bronze Watch Patina

You say you want your watch to look like it was dredged from a sunken relic? It’s “cool,” you say? Well, you’re not alone. The use of bronze as a watchmaking material was once considered trendy but is now firmly established, part of the bronze’s appeal being its tendency to form a patina over time. Over months of wear it’ll naturally take on a worn, distressed look that’s unique to the wearer, his or her lifestyle and climate.

But what if you’re impatient? What if you want to post it on Instagram now? There are a number of methods for achieving instant patina gratification. Unfortunately, most of them are somewhat smelly, involving anything from eggs or vinegar to ammonia or other substances that speed the oxidation (patina) process. There are even specialized products for this purpose like Cool Tools Patina Gel ($14).

The various methods and substances involved can have different effects, too. Interestingly, bronze reacts with a wide range of substances and chemicals, and the oxidation process can even bring out unexpected colors and patterns. You can find home tinkerers who have posted experiments and results online from dipping their watches in coffee or wine or various other approaches.

zen

Zen Love

Before getting started, however, some words of caution: Many forced patina methods should probably only be applied to watches with reasonable water resistance. Since dive watches are popular subjects for bronze executions, these should be perfectly appropriate and have a rugged character that’ll match the look you’re after. However, there always remains the possibility of damaging your watch when messing with substances it wasn’t designed to interact with or by causing excessive oxidation. Proceed at your (and your watch’s) own risk.

We’re introducing one of the simplest, most common methods here, and it only requires a few basic and inexpensive items:

What You’ll Need

    Step 1: Prepare Your Watch

    Remove the strap and make sure any screw-down crowns are fully screwed in. Place the watch head in a ziplock bag.

    Step 2: Prepare Your Eggs

    One or two should be sufficient. Make sure your hardboiled eggs are thoroughly boiled and the yolk is solid (we’ll assume you can do this part). Crush them up to expose as much yolk as possible. Put it all in the plastic bag with your watch head.

    Step 3: Wait

    This isn’t the fastest patina method, but it tends to look natural — like the patina that commonly forms with time and use. If the eggs are freshly boiled and warm, the heat will help speed the process. This method tends to have only a rather subtle effect after an hour or so, so simply wait longer — perhaps several hours, but as many as eight for a significant, noticeable change — for more prominent patina. Times and results can vary, though, so keep an eye on the experiment.

    Step 4: Enjoy

    Remove the watch head from its eggy interim home, and clean it thoroughly. You can repeat the process for more patina.

    Removing Patina

    Enough patina, you say, and now you want your watch to be shiny again? Soaking in acidic substances like lemon juice or vinegar helps remove unwanted patina. Subsequently polishing with a Cape Cod Cloth ($6) is further useful in returning a like-new look to your watch, and you can follow this process up with a buff from a microfiber cloth ($6).

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The Best Field Watches Under $2,500

Field watches, which are typically inspired by military designs, are often fairly affordable, and for good reason: originally manufactured en masse to equip military forces, they simply couldn’t have a high unit price, or issuing them would’ve been cost-prohibitive. That being said, these days the true “military watch” is the G-Shock, and the the “field watch” has been experimented with and expanded upon by brands large and small. Sure, you can still find a decent field watch for a couple hundred bucks — a good one, even — but you can also spend a bit more and get yourself something truly refined.

And not all such designs scream “army chic,” either. Watches from American brands such as Monta and Oak and Oscar, for instance, are simply highly well made, time-only watches that aren’t quite divers, but also aren’t quite dress watches. Sometimes, it’s only the time-only quality and the smooth, non-rotating bezel that categorize these as “field watches” — and it’s a loose categorization, at that.

Below are some of our favorite such field watches, ones that clock in between $1,000 and $2,500. Again, you don’t have to spend nearly this much to get yourself a decent field watch these days, but when you do, you’ll be rewarded with better movements, interesting dials, comfortable straps and bracelets, and more.

Christopher Ward C65 Sandhurst

christopher ward c65 sandhurst

Christopher Ward

If you’re a military watch aficionado, you’re no doubt familiar with the Smiths W10, the last watch with a serially produced movement that was actually made entirely in Britain. Christopher Ward’s C65 pays tribute to that watch, though in 2021 that means you’re getting a chronometer-certified Swiss movement, a sapphire crystal, “Old Radium”-colored lume and a brushed steel bracelet.

Diameter: 38mm

Movement: Sellita SW200 automatic Chronometer

Water Resistance: 150m

Price: $1,080

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Timor Heritage Field

timor heritage field watch

Timor

There’s possibly no military watch more iconic than the Dirty Dozen. (Alright, it’s 12 different watches, but you get it.) Timor, one of the more obscure of the member companies of the Dozen, is back, and it’s better than ever. Their Heritage Field is a faithful recreation of their original, 1945 model, but now it’s available with either a hand-wound or an automatic movement.

Diameter: 36.5mm

Movement: Sellita SW216 hand-wound; Sellita SW260 automatic

Water Resistance: 50m

Price: $1,269

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Oak & Oscar Olmstead

oak oscar olmstead watch

Oak & Oscar

Available on a leather strap or a steel bracelet and in one of three dial colors, the Olmstead is a handsome, value-packed field watch from a beloved Chicago-based brand. Named for a famed American park designer and powered by the workhorse ETA 2824-2 Swiss automatic movement, it’s a refined, 21st-century take on a classic genre that doesn’t hit you over the head with military tropes.

Diameter: 38mm

Movement: ETA 2892A2 automatic

Water Resistance: 100m

Price: $1,375+

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Weiss 38mm Standard Issue Field Watch

weiss 38mm standard issue field watch

Weiss

If you are into the military vibes — but you also prefer to buy American — this is the watch for you. Weiss Watch Co, based in California, makes beautiful modern versions of classic American field watches. A manually wound movement with 42 hours of power reserve keeps the case nice and thin (9.2mm including the crystal), while 100m of water resistance means you can truly take it anywhere.

Diameter: 38mm

Movement: Weiss Watch Company Caliber 1005 hand-wound (7001 base)

Water Resistance: 100m

Price: $1,450

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Benrus Type 1 Limited Edition

benrus type 1 limited edition watch

Hodinkee Shop

The original Type 1 was pretty tough to get your hands on if you weren’t on a UDT team or doing spooky work for the CIA in the 1970s. These days, however, you can get yourself a stunningly faithful recreation from a newly reconstituted Benrus. Limited to 1,000 pieces, it’s got the specs to live up to whatever you can throw at it, and best of all: you don’t even have to pass BUD/S to get your hands on one.

Diameter: 42.5mm

Movement: ETA 2681 automatic

Water Resistance: 300m

Price: $1,695

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Monta Triumph

monta triumph watch

Monta

Much like fellow American brand Oak & Oscar’s Olmstead, the Triumph from Monta is simply a great all-around, everyday watch that’s ready for anything. It too features a Swiss automatic movement and serious water resistance (150m), as well as a super comfortable steel bracelet and a highly legible handset and date. It’s also available in three different dial colors.

Diameter: 38.5mm

Movement: Sellita SW300 automatic

Water Resistance: 150m

Price: $1,700

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Sinn 856 Tegimented

sinn 856 tegimented watch

Sinn

Wondering why a simple, time-only watch costs $2,300? Sinn is the master of understated, tech-heavy watchmaking: their “tegimented” technology ensures a scratch-free coating, while their watch cases come with dehumidifying technology to prevent the crystal from fogging. Meanwhile, the watch is also resistant to pressure drops and water-resistant to 200m. What else could you ask for?

Diameter: 40mm

Movement: Sellita SW300 automatic

Water Resistance: 200m

Price: $2,300

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You Can Buy the Watch Bracelet Used by NASA Astronauts

After shuffling off this mortal coil a while back, Massachusetts-based watch bracelet brand Forstner has been resurrected in the 21st Century — and the brand is celebrating its rebirth by recreating some of the most iconic styles of decades past. With the ongoing enthusiasm for vintage watch styles, it’s only surprising that more companies haven’t made this move sooner.

The “beads-of-rice” bracelet has seen a boom in popularity in recent years, but there are many more funky and charming bracelet types that’ll match that vintage or vintage-inspired watch on your wrist. From the Komfit style on which NASA astronauts wore their Omega Speedmasters to the oft-forgotten “bonklip,” Forstner is producing several archetypal vintage bracelets — and doing so for pretty reasonable prices.

Komfit

braclet

Courtesy

There are many different types of mesh watch strap, from Milanese to shark. The Komfit in particular, however, is associated with NASA and the Omega Speedmaster — and when you spot a Moonwatch on NASA personnel in old footage, it’s often worn on this type of bracelet. Available in several variations, it’s not only uber-retro in looks, but as the name suggests, is meant to wear comfortably.

Price: $125

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Rivet

braclet

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Though this bracelet’s got a familiar three-link look when viewed dead-on, from the side the rivets give it a unique, mid-century feel that’s hard to find today. Originally produced by famed bracelet maker Gay Frères, Forstner’s Rivet comes with either “solid” links or stretchable links like those found on mid-century Rolex models.

Price: $125

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Beads of Rice

braclet

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The beads of rice is an obligatory inclusion in an offering an assortment of vintage-styled bracelets. There are differing takes on the concept, but Forstner offers a non-tapering version in which the individual links alternate between brushed and polished finishes.

Price: $125

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Klip

braclet

Courtesy

The Forstner Klip is based on the “bonklip” style the company’s namesake produced in the 1940s. (It’s also called the “bamboo-” or “ladder-style.”) With a military background and unique look, this is one of the most distinctive bracelet types you can find.

Price: $125

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Flat Link

braclet

Courtesy

The Flat Link replicates a bracelet made specifically to fit the Speedmaster — a type which Omega has even offered on some of its modern remakes. It’s not only thin and comfortable, but it offers a spring-loaded stretch effect just like the vintage examples did.

Price: $150

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This Is How a Custom Watch Strap Is Made

A good strap can completely change the look and feel of a watch — even a crappy watch. Everybody knows this. (And if you didn’t, you do now.) Further, a good leather strap can really elevate a tired timepiece.

There are numerous tiers to the leather strap market: on the one hand, there’s the cheap, plasticky aftermarket crap that you can buy for $20 off of Amazon that you don’t want to touch with a 10-foot pole (it’s mostly uncomfortable, poorly made and not terribly attractive). Then, there’s the stuff you can buy for, say, $50-$100 from many vintage watch retailers that’s quite well made, handsome and will last you many years. And for between roughly $100-$200 you can buy yourself a seriously fancy, hand-finished strap that you won’t help but be thrilled with — something that will really complement the crap out of your investment-grade Rollie (or whatever).

alexander gravelle finished strap

Alexander Gravelle

But a tier above that and you’re dealing with bespoke strap making, largely at the $200+ mark. There are several smaller shops all around the world who specialize this (often, they’re one or two-person operations), many of which are fairly young companies who popped up the last few years to service the hordes of folks who are just getting into watch collecting — especially vintage watch collecting. One of these companies is Velle Alexander, the brainchild of Alexander Gravelle.

Based in Saint Paul, MN, Alex is fairly new to the strap-making game, but already has an impressive following and makes an incredible product. Having grown up in Arkansas making all manner of things with his hands, Alex was well poised to take on strap making following his first watch acquisition, a gift from his girlfriend. What was initially a hobby seemed like a natural fit for someone who loved building furniture with his father in college, and was now living in Minnesota, looking for something to do with his long winter evenings and limited in space. In 2018, he went on Youtube, watched some videos, bought some leather and tools, and got to work. By Christmas Eve 2018 he had finished his first strap, and by 2019 he made his first sale.

As is the case with many modern strap makers, many of Alex’s clients find him through his Instagram page. From there, he speaks with the client to ascertain the person’s unique vision. Sometimes, someone comes forward with a highly specific idea for a watch strap, while other times, Alex is large given carte blanche to do as he sees fit. In my case, Alex very kindly offered to make me a custom strap for a vintage watch that belonged to my grandfather, an old, solid yellow gold Longines hand-wound piece from 1947. We used the strap-making process for this leather band to document a prototypical project Alex would complete for a client — here’s how it works:

The Process

Client Consult

First, Alex speaks with the client to ascertain that person’s vision. He can offer non-standard sizing with respect to both width and length, full control over the design process, and myriad different materials. In my case, since I was going to be wearing the Longines strictly as a dress watch with a pair of leather shoes — and because I preferred brown leather to complement the honey tone of the watch — Alex suggested trying to match the leather color to the pair of shoes I’d likely wear the watch with, which we did.

alexander gravelle back of strap

Alexander Gravelle

After showing me samples over video chat, we settled on the following specs:

-An English Bridle leather upper: Produced by Wickett and Craig in Pennsylvania, this type of leather has been used in saddlery for centuries due to its durability, which comes from a hot wax-stuffing process used during tanning. This gives the leather a subtle sheen and makes it water- and sweat-resistant. Its vegetable tanning gives results with a unique patina that comes out over time.

-A Zermatt French Calfskin lining: Produced by the Tanneries Haas in France, this leather is made specifically for watch strap lining. Specially treated for water and sweat resistance, it’s a hypoallergenic calfskin that adds longevity to the strap, which has to deal with constant contact with the wearer’s skin.

-A Velodon inner lining: A stable material that prevents the watch strap from stretching. The presence of the Velodon provides a consistent fit over time.

-A 16mm (lugs) to 14mm taper

-No padding

    Templating

    alexander gravelle templating

    Alexander Gravelle

    After I provided Alex with a measurement of a 16mm lug width on my Longines and a 7″ wrist size, he created an electronic template in a vector-editing program to these specifications. (Alex also suggested a specific taper to the strap according to his expertise, which I agreed to.) After designing the template, Alex cuts it out from heavy card stock using an electronic cutting machine.

    Material Prep

    alexander gravelle templating

    Alexander Gravelle

    Alex then gathers his materials and cuts strips down to the appropriate dimensions. He glues the the stable inner lining (Velodon) to the top leather (English bridle), and heat presses his logo into the lining leather (French calfskin). He splits the top and lining leather down to 0.5mm for the 3-layer leather keepers.

    Cutting and Skiving

    alexander gravelle cutting and skiving

    Alexander Gravelle

    Alex follows up his material prep by tracing his template pattern onto the leather strips he’s prepared and cutting out patterns with a skiving knife. He then skives the leather where the lining will overlap the folded-over top layer such that one will material will smoothly transition to the other.

    Construction

    alexander gravelle construction

    Alexander Gravelle

    Following the cutting and skiving, Alex then glues the folded top leather around the spring bar attachment points and attaches the lining leather, which he trims with a skiving knife. He also cuts off small strips to use in the strap’s keepers.

    Stitching

    alexander gravelle stitching

    Alexander Gravelle

    Once the top leather is attached to the lining leather, Alex punches it with traditional slanted holes for saddle stitching using pricking irons. He hand-stitches the strap using the saddle stitch method, securing each stitch individually to prevent the thread from pulling through if one stitch breaks down over time.

    Edge Finishing

    alexander gravelle edge finishing

    Alexander Gravelle

    Alex bevels the hard edges off the top and bottom of the strap and adds a decorative crease to the perimeter. He then seals the edge with three coats of waterproof edge paint.

    Final Construction

    alexander gravelle final construction

    Alexander Gravelle

    At the end of the process, Alex punches holes in the long end of the strap for the buckle tang. (Note: in the case of my strap, he thoughtfully sourced a vintage gold Longines buckle to match my watch.) He then constructs the straps keepers and stitches them on to the buckle end of the strap; cuts a slot for the buckle tang and attaches the buckle; and punches hole for quick-release spring bars, which he affixes. And voila!

    Parting Thoughts

    I received my strap in a padded mailer with a personal note from Alex and immediately affixed it to my grandfather’s watch, to which it fit like a glove. Previously I had a cheap leather strap on this Longines that was unpliable, much too thick and downright uncomfortable — the Velle Alexander strap, however, was none of those things, and completely changed the look and feel of the watch. (It also happened to nearly perfectly match the leather of the shoes I’ll most often wear this watch with, which to my mind is miraculous considering all this was arranged over a Zoom call.)

    custom strap

    Henry Phillips

    Bespoke straps aren’t for everyone — indeed, I was only peripherally aware of this upper strata of strappage before Alex reached out to me late in 2020 — but if you truly care about craftsmanship, or you have a very particular idea about what the band on any particular watch should look and feel like, or you have a watch with unusual lugs or an unusual shape, you should absolutely consider this route. You won’t be disappointed.

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One of Our Favorite Retro-Styled Chronographs Just Wound Up Getting Better

The Hamilton Intra-Matic collection has consistently excelled at capturing the handsome vibes of the 1960s. The three-hand model is one of the best examples of a retro-styled dress watch we can recommend, while the automatic chronograph has stood out with its striking “panda dial” and historical references. Now, a new version of that chronograph offers the same charm, but with a more mature style — and an interesting twist: it’s manually wound, just like the Sixties original.

Based on models from 1968 called the Chronograph A and B, the new Hamilton Intra-Matic Chronograph H is 40mm wide. The movement in question here is notable: called the H-51, it offers 60 hours of power reserve and was developed especially and exclusively for Hamilton by its sister company ETA.

A hand-wound movement technically represents a reduction in the number of features compared to its automatic variation, as it requires regular winding from the wearer to keep it ticking. However, many enjoy the interaction required of the wearer. Another benefit of manually wound movements is, often, thinner case profiles — though this model is only around 0.3mm slimmer than its predecessor at 14.35mm, including a tall box-style sapphire crystal.

You’ll notice also that the date display has been jettisoned on the new watch, creating a cleaner look that’s popular with collectors. Reducing features and design elements can offer a more elegant experience, and many enthusiasts might find that such a watch feels more “authentic” to its mid-century inspiration. (Another bonus of manually wound movements is that they can offer a view of the movement unobstructed by an automatic rotor, but here it’s hidden behind a steel case back.)

The Intra-Matic Auto Chrono was received with enthusiasm when it debuted, in part, because there weren’t as many brands making vintage styled chronographs (especially with the popular style of contrasting subdials called a “panda dial”). Now, the market is more competitive — but Hamilton has stepped up with a product that feels not only more refined, but remains at the relatively affordable price point that brand is known for.

The Hamilton Intra-Matic Chronograph H comes in two dial variations of white (“panda”) and black (“reverse panda”), each available on a leather strap for $2,045 or a mesh steel bracelet for $2,095. They’re available directly from the brand online now.

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This Marine Chronometer Was the First Global Positioning System

Welcome to Watches You Should Know, a biweekly column highlighting important or little-known watches with interesting backstories and unexpected influence. This week: the Harrison H4 Marine Chronometer “Sea Watch.”

In fourteen hundred and ninety-two, Columbus sailed the ocean blue…but he didn’t have a clue where — or more importantly, how far — he was going. He just aimed ‘er west and told the boys to floor it. He was headed to India, he thought, but he ended up in the West Indies; that’s how the Lesser Antilles got their popular name. Columbus had no idea how far west India lay, or how long it would take to get there. He just trusted they wouldn’t fall off the edge of the world — where there be dragons, you know.

The problem of longitude — where you are on the planet, east-west speaking — was the thorniest puzzle of the day, or really, of the 18th century. The way southwest from Great Britain to where the riches of the New World lay was really to go south to the correct latitude, which one could easily determine by observing the North Star, then head west until the guy in the crow’s nest yelled, “Land Ho!” Not really efficient.

Thus, in 1714, the British government offered the huge prize of £20,000 (roughly £2 million today) to anyone who could solve the longitude problem once and for all. The competition was to be overseen by a newly created Board of Longitude.

All manner of candidate solutions appeared: lunar tables, complex equations based on the sightings of the planets, and many more. The real solution, everybody knew, was to know the precise time where you were on the open ocean and also know the precise time at home. Then it was a simple calculation to figure out how far west — or east — you were. You could do this by sighting the sun at high noon where you were, and if you had a good enough clock for the time back home, you could compare the two and, with some simple mathematics, determine your position.

harrison watch

National Maritime Museum, Greenwich

That was a big if. No one thought such a clock could be built. The best clocks could approach the necessary precision in a rock-steady parlor, but nothing of the kind would do while tossing and turning on a heavy sea. Pocket watches were out of the question, as they kept time to plus or minus a minute a day at best. To win the prize with a timekeeping solution, the watch would need to be good to at least plus or minus 2.8 seconds per day.

In 1714 the British government offered the huge prize of £20,000 (roughly £2 million today) to anyone who could solve the longitude problem once and for all.

Enter a self-trained carpenter from Yorkshire, John Harrison. In the 1720s Harrison was making nice, accurate clocks out of wood. He believed in his clocks strongly enough to toss his hat in the longitude prize ring. These days, we know Harrison’s five marine timekeepers (a uniquely significant term in Harrison’s day) as simply H1, H2, H3, H4, and H5 (note: these names did not come into common usage until 60 years ago, when Harrison biographer and clock restorer Rupert Gould coined them).

john harrison

Philippe-Joseph Tassaert

H1, H2, and H3 were fairly large clocks, ranging in height from 59 centimeters to 66 centimeters (roughly 23-¼-inches to 26-inches) high. Importantly, Harrison’s clocks needed no oil for lubrication. Instead, he designed roller bearings for contact surfaces.

Harrison built H1 between 1730 and 1735. It was essentially a portable version of his wooden clocks, though it was bigger and with several revolutionary improvements to increase precision. H1 proved promising on its trial run to Lisbon, Portugal in 1736; it wasn’t good enough to win the prize, but was encouraging to both Harrison and the Board of Longitude.

Harrison built H2 between 1737 and 1739. H2’s contribution to horology was the remontoir, a device designed to take the variability of the parts manufacturing process out of the timekeeping equation. However, H2 had other problems, and rather than chase his tail trying to fix them, Harrison abandoned H2 and set about building a third timekeeper.

H3 was to prove a major trial for Harrison. At over 700 parts, and subsystems for temperature compensation, a remontoir, and an isochroniser (a device to ensure the clock’s balance wheel swings each way in the same amount of time), the clock was too complex and idiosyncratic to ever work properly. Harrison labored for 19 years before abandoning H3 as the solution to longitude.

Here’s where the story gets interesting. In 1753, Harrison ordered a pocket watch from a London watchmaker. The watch was to be based on Harrison’s own design ideas. When he received the watch, he realized that with certain improvements, it could become the timekeeping answer to the longitude problem. His simple breakthrough discovery was that small, high-frequency oscillators (balance wheels) were much more stable during movement than were larger clocks.

harrisons drawing of watch

Ferdinand Berthoud

H4, just 13 centimeters in diameter, was the result of this realization. The improvements Harrison made included a balance wheel that was much larger than a typical pocket watch. It oscillated at a higher frequency, five times a second — or 18,000 beats per hour. The watch contained a refined version of the temperature compensation Harrison had included in H3, and it contained a miniaturized remontoir.

The one problem, if it could be called that, was that H4 needed oiling. However, Harrison followed a relatively new practice in friction reduction and installed jeweled bearings in several places to minimize friction.

Harrison’s breakthrough discovery was that small, high-frequency oscillators (balance wheels) were much more stable during movement than were larger clocks.

H4 was completed in 1759. The Board of Longitude sent it on two official trials to the West Indies. The timekeeper performed flawlessly on both voyages, but the Board of Longitude was not satisfied. It took until 1765 for the Board to award Harrison half of the prize, and that was conditional upon Harrison’s full disclosure of construction details.

Following Harrison’s disclosures, the Board commissioned a copy of the watch to be made by Larcum Kendall. This watch, known today as K1, was tested on multiple voyages to the South Pacific by none other than Captain James Cook. It too performed flawlessly, and two more were commissioned. One sailed on the Bounty with Captain William Bligh and ended up on Pitcairn Island, where it stayed until returned to the British government in 1840. The other also sailed with Captain Cook on his third voyage to the South Pacific.

Meanwhile, Harrison was getting desperate to “earn” the balance of the Longitude prize. He embarked on H5, a refinement and simplification of H4’s design. With this timekeeper, he sought the support of King George III. The King, a natural philosopher in his own right, tested H5 himself and promised Harrison his support. Ultimately, the King swayed Parliament, and the Board of Longitude capitulated and awarded Harrison the balance of the Longitude prize, plus expenses. The total came to £23,065, very roughly $4 million in today’s dollars. Not bad for a life’s work.

There is more to the story of marine chronometers, of course. They were precise instruments critical to shipping well into the 20th century. But a self-taught Yorkshire carpenter was there first. There is no denying that Harrison’s designs — most especially the large watch known as H4 — are the true forefathers of all modern precision watches.

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This Chronograph Watch Is Striking, but It’s What’s Inside That Makes It Special

One somewhat unexpected result of today’s vintage watch reissue trend: homages that aim to recreate even the movement that’s typically hidden behind the dial. The latest example is a fascinating new chronograph from Montblanc featuring a movement based on one that was originally developed for pocket watches in 1909.

The new Montblanc 1858 Monopusher Chronograph Origins Limited Edition 100 (say that five times fast) is based on a military chronograph from the 1930s that Montblanc keeps on display in its museum in Villeret, Switzerland. Villeret is the site of their movement manufacturing facilities acquired from the legendary watch-maker Minerva, who made the vintage chronograph in question; Minerva watches inform many of Montblanc’s modern collections, and these facilities offer high-end, in-house watchmaking capabilities for Montblanc.

At 46mm wide, the Minerva chronograph was giant for its time. The new Montblanc watch has the same diameter, but it’s not meant as an exact reissue, as it uses bronze — a metal that’s only recently come into vogue — as its case material. An “officer” (also called “hunter”) case back offers a hinged lid, which opens to reveal the MB M16.29 movement. It’s manually wound, so no automatic rotor obstructs the view of its 252 components.

watch

Courtesy

Montblanc describes its modern MB M16.29 as a handmade “authentic reconstruction” of the 1909 Minerva movement. It’s a “monopusher” chronograph. and it even runs at a rate of 2.5Hz, which is faithful to its inspiration, but uncommonly low for modern watches — most have a 4Hz frequency. Although once again produced as a horological curiosity today, monopusher chronographs are another throwback, offering a single button for the chronograph features (start, stop and reset) instead of today’s familiar two-button system.

Recreating an entire movement is a significant technical challenge, and this is why it’s interesting for brands like Montblanc to undertake it. A notable recent example of this approach was Omega’s reverse-engineering and reconstruction of its famous 321 movement used in astronauts’ Speedmaster watches. Watches like this will remain rare and expensive, but they represent the fascination enthusiasts have with both the technical and historical aspects of watches.

Only 100 examples of the Montblanc 1858 Monopusher Chronograph Origins Limited Edition 100 will be produced, and each will have a price of around $35,600.

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Why Is There a Domino’s Logo on This Rolex?

“You see this watch?” a smug, young and skinny Alec Baldwin asks during his “Always Be Closing” speech at the beginning of Glengarry Glen Ross. He waves his gold Rolex DayDate in front of Ed Harris’s face before setting it down on his desk. “That watch costs more than your car. I made $970,000 last year…that’s who I am.”

Of course Baldwin’s venomous “motivational” diatribe would include a gold Rolex. It’s perfect. A character who defines himself so much by his wealth would wear the one brand that is universally synonymous with status, power and success. Baldwin’s particular model of Rolex is nicknamed the “President,” for God’s sake.

I wonder how Baldwin’s character would feel about a Rolex Air-King — the 34mm dateless three-hander that, until being discontinued in 2014 (and subsequently revived at a large diameter), was Rolex’s entry-level watch — loudly branded with the familiar red-and-white logo of the world’s second-largest pizza chain. Look on any number of online vintage watch dealers and you’ll see them pop up from time to time: Domino’s Rolexes. So how did one of the world’s foremost watchmakers end up producing a watch for the official pizza of laser-tag parties?

dominos-watch-gear-patrol-ambiance

Other exercises in horological employee rewards? The Coca-Cola and Winn-Dixie dials.

Domino’s began incentivizing its franchisees with Rolex in 1977 when Domino’s Pizza founder and CEO Tom Monaghan gave a high-earning franchise owner the watch off his wrist. In his 1986 autobiography, Pizza Tiger, Monaghan wrote, “I wore a Bulova with our Domino’s logo on its face. A franchisee asked what he had to do to get that watch from me, and I told him, ‘Turn in a twenty-thousand-dollar sales week.’ He did it.”

After that, Managhan began giving away Seikos to top earners. Then he upped the ante with “hundreds of $800 Rolexes.” In the early days of what is now known as the Rolex Challenge, turning in $20,000 in sales one week at Domino’s would get you a Rolex. (Break $10,000 and you’d get an Hermés tie.) But as Rolex prices increased, so did the stakes. Domino’s continued to give out branded Rolexes, but a franchise needed to hit $25,000 in sales in a week — four weeks in a row. According to a Domino’s spokesperson, a franchise would pull in closer to $17,000 in sales a week, on average.

“As soon as I realized the challenges were attainable, I starting to work hard for them,” said Hannah Lantz, a Domino’s Franchisee. “I have won five times, including at the $45,000 and $50,000 level. Fifty thousand dollars is a lot of pizza per week. It required growing the staff and more preparation.”

I wore a Bulova with our logo on its face. A franchisee asked what he had to do to get that watch from me, and I told him, ‘Turn in a twenty-thousand-dollar sales week.’ He did it.

As a means of motivation, Monaghan’s use of Rolexes as incentives seem incredibly more effective than the “fuck you, look at my watch” method employed in Glengarry Glen Ross. In his essay “The CEO as a Corporate Myth-Maker,” Wayne State Literature and Folklore Professor Richard Raspa suggests that Monaghan believed “everyone who worked at Domino’s was a potential replica of the founder.” That offering employees the same kind of luxury pens, ties and watches he owned — even the one off his own wrist — would bestow them with the same kind of entrepreneurial power Monaghan possessed to turn a Ypsilanti, Michigan pizza parlor into one of the biggest fast food franchises in the world.

dominos

Christies

As for the watches themselves, the ones that show up on the secondhand market have become oddball collectibles, selling at over what you’d normally expect to pay for a vintage Air-King. (They are more easily found than Rolexes branded by companies like Winn-Dixie and Coca-Cola, which gave their watches away for years of service rather than monetary goals.) Still, the Domino’s logo is a divisive feature. An image of one on our own Instagram page garnered over 60 comments ranging from “I LOVE branded Rolexes, un-sarcastically” to “Ugh, what a travesty.”

“That Rolex gets more attention in my window than any other Rolex, except maybe the vintage Submariner,” said Steve Kivel, president of Central Watch in Grand Central Station, where a Domino’s Air-King sat in the shop window with a $3,595 price tag. “I think it’s colorful and unusual, and that is rare for a Rolex vintage watch. Anytime you have something different from the normal black- or silver-dial Rolex, it draws a lot of interest, and usually will be more valuable.”

When asked how long the watch was on sale at Central Watch, Kivel admitted it sat for several months. “Sometimes being so unique is not for everybody,” he said.

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Can Citizen Get Away With a $6,000 Automatic Watch?

Japanese watch companies make strategically baffling moves with some regularity. The new circa-$6,000 automatic watch from Citizen doesn’t seem to fit with the brand’s familiar character or affordable positioning — but it does fit into an overall trend of once primarily inexpensive Japanese brands moving significantly upmarket.

Indeed, thanks to its high-end execution from its case through to a movement developed with its subsidiary Swiss company La Joux-Perret, this new automatic is far more than a watch you can simply write off as an “expensive Citizen.”

Before asking “what’s Citizen playing at?”, take a look at the watch itself. It’s simply called The Citizen Mechanical (“The” being a distinguishing part of the name). At 40mm wide and 10.9mm thick in steel, it has an angular case with sharp facets and contrasting finishes, including the famous zaratsu technique.

It also has an “integrated bracelet,” which is something of a buzz term in the watch industry. It actually refers to a case design without traditional lugs, which requires a proprietary bracelet. The new watch finished to luxury standards, with a chronometer-beating accuracy of -3 / +5 seconds per day and 60 hours of power reserve.

It certainly looks more refined than your typical Citizen watch at first blush — but a view of the movement through the case back tells you right away that there’s a lot more going on. This is no basic Miyota with a stamped-out rotor; the automatic movement in question is called the Caliber 0200, and it was produced in collaboration with the high-end Swiss movement manufacturer Citizen acquired in 2012.

mechanical

Citizen

But wait, as they say, there’s more. It’s not simply a movement produced in Switzerland and purchased for Citizen watches; although we don’t have all the details, the manufacture, assembly and finishing of most components is said to take place in Japan — La Joux-Perret primarily provided design and expertise help.

For most people familiar with Citizen, solar-powered watches in myriad variations costing a couple hundred dollars come to mind, not automatics priced to compete with Rolex and Omega. The price point of this The Citizen Mechanical isn’t totally out of the blue for the brand, however, with examples like record-breaking solar powered watches and an upscale Citizen sub-brand called Campanola preceding it. (They even made a circa-$90,000 tourbillon watch.)

Watch industry-watchers have expected more interesting examples to result from the integration of its Swiss movement maker, but it’s not clear what will stick as part of the brand’s longterm image and collections.

So who’s spending $6K on a Citizen watch? Maybe speculative collectors who see the brand going the way of Grand Seiko. For now, the The Citizen Mechanical will be part of the brand’s permanent collection, and is expected to be available for purchase in the fall of 2021.

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5 Questions to Ask Before You Buy a Chronograph Watch

Editor’s Note: So you’re ready to make a watch purchase? Not so fast. Before committing, it’s worth thinking carefully about your needs to make sure you’re truly buying the right timepiece for you. Our series Five Questions aims to help you do just that.

There are a lot of good reasons to want a chronograph, not the least of which that they add a potentially useful function to your wrist aside from telling the time — namely, a stopwatch. The resulting watch is often busy with the captivating look of a technical tool, as the stopwatch is manipulated with protruding buttons and displayed on additional hands and subdials.

Inside, the mechanics are also busy. Chronographs, especially mechanical ones, are significantly more complicated than simple time-only watches. As a result, they’re also often near double the price of their comparable three-hand counterparts. So you have to really want a chronograph watch to pay that premium. We put together a list of 5 questions to ask yourself as you’re shopping around for your first “chrono” that should make the process a bit easier:

5-Questions-to-Ask-Before-You-Buy-a-Chronograph-Watch-gear-patrol-ambiance-2

1. Mechanical or quartz?

The eternal debate. This can, of course, apply to any watch. However, if you’re looking for a chronograph for practical reasons, a quartz one is going to be the far more affordable solution — and there are plenty of solid options. With quartz, features like a flyback are significantly less expensive than they are in a mechanical watch. Solar charging is another good option to look for in a quartz watch.

While one can be fun to play with, however, most people don’t need a chronograph today for its functionality. Let’s face it: chronographs are popular in no small part because they look cool — and serious, and masculine. People wear watches in general for “the look,” but also because they represent some interesting history and run on fascinating (vaguely antiquated) tech that you don’t often see elsewhere in the modern world. If you appreciate watches for this reason, then you already know why you want a mechanical chronograph.

2. Will it fit on my wrist (and under my cuff)?

Be aware that chronos tend to be on the larger side, in both width and thickness. It’s common for brands to release time-only and chronograph watches side by side in the same collection, so you can often see the exact size difference the stopwatch feature makes. Mechanical chronograph movements are chunky to begin with, and if they’re automatic, you can expect significant thickness that’s surely been a deal-breaker for many watch buyers.

Perhaps the most common automatic chronograph movement — used by brands big and small, all over the world, for decades — is the Valjoux 7750 (and its Sellita equivalents). Watches with this movement can often be thick indeed, so you’ll want to consider the situations and type of clothing your chronograph will accompany. Bigger watches are a lot easier to live with if you, say, reside in a warm climate and wear short sleeves everyday.

Not all chronographs are giant, but it’s important to understand and consider these points since pictures (and even specs) don’t always convey watches’ dimensions well. As much as possible, even in a world of e-commerce convenience, it’s recommendable to see a watch in person and try it on before buying.

3. What kind of chrono do you want?

As chronographs are one of the most popular genres of watches, there are plenty of options, the most popular of which have historical roots in motorsport or aviation. That’s why the tachymeter bezel (for measuring speed) is so common — even though almost nobody uses it today. Other bezel scales include telemeter (for measuring distance), pulsometer (for measuring heart rate), or even a simple 0-60, and these can be found on all kinds of chronograph watches.

Further, there are differences in how much information is offered. Very basic chronographs might only measure up to a minute (these are rare), while measuring up to 12 hours is common (as offered by the 7750 movement). Those with only two subdials, one of which is usually for the main time’s running seconds, constitute yet another option with a clean, symmetrical, retro feel.

There are monopusher chronos (those with only one button for stop, start and reset), flybacks, and others as well, but it helps to be aware of the common varieties out there. In the end, what kind of chronograph is right for you will probably be determined more by your tastes and interests more than practical needs.

5-Questions-to-Ask-Before-You-Buy-a-Chronograph-Watch-gear-patrol-ambiance-1

4. What’s your budget?

Chronographs range in price from Dan Henry all the way up to Richard Mille (a couple hundreds bucks to millions of dollars, basically). At the lowest end of the price spectrum, you can find quartz chronographs that may very well satisfy your needs, and there’s even the occasional mechanical one powered by an inexpensive Chinese movement for not too much more. For a Swiss automatic chronographs, however, anything under $2,000 has historically been considered entry-level. Microbrands and the gray market are now pushing those starting prices lower, and they can now occasionally (rarely) even be found under $1,000.

A few thousand dollars is a sweet spot for mechanical chronographs in which you’ve got great choices — including some options with in-house movements — but that remain within the range of everyday wear. Some of the most iconic chronos from Omega, Zenith, IWC and TAG Heuer are available for four figures at MSRP, for example.

5. What features add value to a chronograph watch?

As in other watches, premium materials like sapphire crystal, ceramic and titanium add value to a watch, just as in-house movements, more complications, or the option of a steel bracelet does (of course, there are many other factors that can affect value as well). Exotic movements or certain types of chronographs (like monopushers) also tend to cost more, though not necessarily because they add intrinsic value.

There are some technical features, however, that are specific to chronos which tend to be valued by enthusiasts. The kind of chronograph movement that uses a column wheel and vertical clutch is spoken of with great ardor among collectors. It’s valued as more difficult to produce, and for its smoother tactile experience when operating the chronograph’s buttons, and, ultimately, watches that contain it even seem to be valued highly at auction.

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Why Doesn’t Zenith Make a Modern Dive Watch?

What brand can afford to ignore the dive watch‘s popular appeal? It’s all but de rigueur for today’s watchmakers to offer one. But I recently noticed an anomaly: one of the old-guard Swiss brands stands out from its prestigious peers by being totally absent from this segment. Zenith doesn’t make a dive watch.

It begs the questions: What’s stopping them? Should they? And what might a successful Zenith dive watch look like?

Zenith doesn’t have a strong association with diving, and many brands today feel new releases need some type of “heritage” justification. Although Zenith has some historical dive watches in their catalog (like the S.58 and Sub Sea), these aren’t particularly significant models in dive watch history. The brand would need to create something contemporary to stand out.

What Zenith lacks in dive watch heritage, however, they make up for in general sport watch provenance: pilot’s watches and chronographs characterize the modern brand’s image. A dive watch would fit right in.

zenith
A vintage Zenith S.58

Shuck The Oyster

Zenith doesn’t have many vintage diver models to reissue anyway, but that’s not the only reason its dive watch should be conceived as a contemporary piece. Zenith’s average price point and historic name make it well positioned to offer a luxury dive watch somewhere in between the two major players in this space: Omega’s Seamaster Diver 300m starting at around $5,000 and the Rolex Submariner at around $8,000.

As these brands have shown, a dive watch collection should be anchored in a simple and down-to-earth design: save the chronographs, skeletonized versions or what have you for later. It’s the refined details, excellent quality, in-house movements and, let’s not forget, the Zenith name that would make such a dive watch competitive. Zenith, in fact, already has a collection that would perfectly accommodate a diver: the Defy.

The current Defy collection is the home of a slightly confusing range of mostly technical wonders and ultra-modern, skeletonized models that seem stylistically fashion-oriented. Including a diver within the Defy collection would bring needed focus and balance to the brand’s lineup, which includes its sporty Chronomaster chronograph, Pilot and dressy Elite collections. The 41mm case of the Defy Classic might offer a good starting place in designing a modern diver.

zenith
A vintage Zenith Sub Sea

Lot-Art

Is the market where Zenith’s hypothetical diver would be positioned extremely crowded and competitive? Sure. But the brand is in a unique position. In terms of direct competition, IWC has comparable prestige and price range, so Zenith might aim for something with more stylistic versatility and mainstream appeal than the IWC Aquatimer.

With respect to marketing, Rolex and Omega again provide good models: partnering with a technically ambitious project like Rolex’s Deepsea Challenger or Omega’s Ultra Deep seems like an obvious tack. Storytelling is important for luxury brands like Zenith, but there’s also a certain advantage to a (relatively) clean slate. Every company has to start somewhere, right?

There are many factors to consider in making a successful dive watch for a well established brand like Zenith. The company seems to be in a rare position, however, to offer something unique and fill a highly desirable niche. Zenith should take the plunge.

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This Is The Spiritual Successor to an Important Military Watch

Tutima M2 Coastline Chronograph, $3,300-$3,600

Key Specs:

Case Diameter: 43mm
Case Depth:
15.8mm
Water Resistance:
200m
Movement:
Tutima cal. 310 automatic (Valjoux 7750 base)
Price
: $3,300-$3,600

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One of the most obscure military watches of the past 40 years is also one of the coolest.

Tutima Glashütte’s mechanical NATO Chronograph ref. 798 adorned the wrists of Germany’s military aviators from the early 1980s and became somewhat of classic in military watch circles — based on the unique Lemania 5100 with central minutes chronograph hand, it was robust, unique and downright cool-looking. In 2013 the company released a successor timepiece, the M2, which, though no longer issued to NATO pilots, brought to the fore several technological improvements that modernized the model. The original NATO Chrono and the M2 itself have since gone through numerous iterations and become somewhat collectible.

Back at Baselworld 2019, Tutima released the M2 Coastline Chronograph, a more affordable take on the M2 ($3,300 on a strap and $3,600 on a bracelet), later updating in 2020 it with a special rubber/leather strap option with a deployant clasp. We never got a chance to have hands-on time with the M2, and given our obsession with military (and military-inspired) watches, this seemed a downright horological tragedy. So here we go.

tutima

Henry Phillips

Notable

The M2 Coastline builds upon the legacy of Tutima’s NATO chronographs, themselves an evolution of a watch first produced by Orfina/Porsche Design in 1979 called the ref. 7177. Tutima began building similar watches in 1983, dubbing its version the “Military Chronograph,” and it’s this watch that forms the basis of the M2 Coastline Chronograph’ design. Though it doesn’t incorporate the interesting Lemania ca. 5100 central minutes chronograph movement (the standard M2 model incorporates this functionality), it does use for its engine a version of the famed Valjoux 7750, which provides minutes, seconds, running seconds, a 30-minute register, a 12-hour register and a chronograph register, as well as the date.

Who It’s For

Someone who appreciates Tutima’s military history would surely enjoy the M2 Coastline Chronograph (especially considering the significant savings it offers over the standard M2 model, which retails for over $6,000), as would someone in the market for a robust chronograph, or even just a robust watch. You need a healthy-sized wrist to pull this one off at 43mm x nearly 16mm, but the originals were roughly that size as well, which provides good legibility for pilots.

tutima

Henry Phillips

Alternatives

There is, of course, the standard M2, which offers Lemania 5100-like functionality, albeit for much more money than the M2 Coastline Chronograph. You could also conceivably get yourself a vintage ref. 798 (~$2,800-$3,500) for similar money, though because the Lemania cal. 5100 is out of production, service might be a pain in the butt, and costly. The 144 St Sa from fellow German brand Sinn ($2,310-$2,490) is a close cousin of the M2 Coastline Chronograph and shares many similar features due to the shared base movement — though it’s smaller and thinner, which might be preferred for some people.

Review

The thick tonneau-shaped case, rectangular pushers and vertically aligned chronograph layout immediately give the Coastline Chronograph away as a military-inspired model. This certainly isn’t a design object complete with multiple surface treatments, decorations on the movement, etc — it’s meant to do a job, and to do it well.

The blue dial version is certainly handsome, with a navy dial (and matching strap) accented by a 12-hour rehaut, white sword hands, a white date wheel with black numerals, and thick, white hour indices. There’s no day-of-the-week display as on many Valjoux 7750-powered watches (the Tutima branding lives in the space where this display would otherwise go), but this makes for a slightly less busy dial. The sub-registers — a 30-second counter at 12 o’clock, a 12-hour counter at 6 o’clock, and a running seconds counter at 9 o’clock — are legible despite their size and easily scannable. For a watch that displays a lot of information, the “NATO/Bund chronograph” is both attractive and does its job admirably. An anti-reflective, flat sapphire crystal protects the dial from anything you can throw at it.

It’s a good thing the Coastline is made from solid, brushed titanium, because it’s by no means “svelte” — at 43mm wide by nearly 16mm thick, this is a hulking chronograph, though so was the original ref. 798, so it’s tough to fault the brand for being faithful to its own designs. Still, I immediately found myself wishing for a smaller, thinner version, especially given the new strap’s design:

The blue leather, rubber strap is an interesting mesh of the two materials, with a rubber core sheathed with an outer leather layer affixed with blue top-stitching. It’s certainly handsome, but it makes use of a deployant clasp, which is absolutely my least favorite type of strap. I find them cumbersome and deeply uncomfortable, and despite a clever system in which the rubber keeper is secured in place with small rubber notches — as well as a material that in and of itself is quite comfortable — this strap was no exception. I would absolutely spring for the bracelet version of the watch if I were to purchase one myself, and especially so given that the spring bars are elevated within the lugs, meaning that the strap and watch don’t sit flush with one another. This strap was my biggest gripe with an otherwise very cool watch.

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Henry Phillips

Chronograph action as powered by the brand’s cal. 310 automatic (Valjoux 7750-base) movement with 48 hours of power reserve is smooth enough, and the timing functions work well. The watch’s pushers, which are rectangular and given a black PVD coating over a grippy surface, are now somewhat iconic, and their low profile means that the watch won’t snag on any equipment — a thoughtful and welcome design. I was less impressed with the crown on this particular model, which, though it screws down securely to ensure 200m of water resistance (impressive for a chronograph), I found to feature a wobbly stem. This would concern me if I were using the watch in an equipment-filled environment, and I hope the problem was localized to this review model, which has do doubt made its way around the world from editor to editor.

Speaking of the watch making its rounds, keep in mind that titanium, though super light, is easy to scratch, and though it can be polished like steel, it’s often coated, meaning that the polished portion will stick out like a sore thumb. Be mindful of this before you purchase any titanium watch if you’re terribly concerned about aesthetics.

Verdict

The M2 Coastline Chronograph is a watch that’s admittedly best for someone with large wrists, or someone who doesn’t mind such a case depth (~16mm). These sorts of specs aren’t my personal preference in a chronograph, but then again, I also don’t need a chronograph that’s water-resistant down to 200m, so there’s that to consider. If I were to buy one, there’s no doubt in my mind that I would fork over the extra $300 for the bracelet, however — I just can’t get behind deployant straps, even one made from an intriguing leather/rubber combination. Thankfully, the Coastline Chronograph is available in not only multiple dial colors (black and blue), but on multiple straps and bracelets is well. Ultimately, the choice is yours.

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The Ultimate Guide to Buying Affordable Watches

Everybody loves something “affordable,” but this doesn’t have to mean “cheap” in the pejorative sense. You can get highly accurate and well-designed watches for under $100, and there are even excellent mechanical watches available for not much more than that. There’s some crap out there too, sure, and that’s why a little guidance can be helpful.

The good news is that it’s a good time to be a watch lover, or a watch shopper, even if you don’t have a lot to spend. The rise of crowdfunding, online retail, direct-to-consumer microbrands, global supply networks and inexpensive production has lowered the entry point to levels of quality that once costed much more. You’ve got a lot of options.

“Affordable” is relative, of course, and means something different to everyone. Whether you’re looking to spend as little as possible for a simple, functional timekeeper or just want bang for your buck, we’ve got you covered. Below, you’ll find solid recommendations and insight to help you make a smart buying decision, whatever your angle.

The 30 Best Affordable Watches Under $1,000

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From $80 to a grand, these are the best watches to get when you don’t want to spend a fortune.

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The Best Affordable Mechanical Watches

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From field watches to divers to dress watches and more.

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Affordable Vintage Watches That Experts Love

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We got some of the foremost experts in the watch world to weigh in on vintage watches that aren’t prohibitively expensive…yet.

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These Are the Best Watches You Can Buy Under $500

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You don’t have to drop a ton of money in order to get a great watch that, with a little TLC, could potentially last a lifetime.

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These Are the Best Watches Under $200

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Bargain watches get a bad rap, but there are plenty of dirt-cheap options with excellent design and solid build quality.

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The Best Watches Under $100

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It’s perfectly possible to snag a respectable watch for less than a Benjamin — in fact, you can even go mechanical.

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5 Budget Watches That Look Way More Expensive Than They Are

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Quality and refinement don’t need to cost thousands.

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5 Classy Dress Watches Under $1,000

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A great dress watch doesn’t have to cost as much as a car.

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A Brief Guide to Affordable Vintage Rolex Watches

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From Air Kings to Oyster Perpetuals, these are the Rollies you can buy without taking out a HELOC.

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Affordable Alternatives to the Most Iconic Watches Ever

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If that classic watch is out of reach, there are still other great options.

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The Best Field Watches Under $500

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Marathon

Field watches offer some of the best value out there, and these awesome examples prove it.

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These Are Seven of the Most Affordable GMT Watches

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GMT watches needn’t be bank-breaking. From big Swiss companies and upstart microbrands, here are 7 affordable GMTs.

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The Only Watch Cooler Than the Rolex Submariner Is the Military-Issued ‘MilSub’

Welcome to Watches You Should Know, a biweekly column highlighting important or little-known watches with interesting backstories and unexpected influence. This week: the Rolex Military Submariner.

If the Rolex Submariner is the most famous dive watch, then the Rolex Military Submariner, or MilSub, is the most famous military-issued dive watch. What is now a highly sought after piece of watch history — and one of the rarest collector’s watches ever — was once merely Ministry of Defense (MOD) standard issue equipment.

The Brits were one of the early militaries to use divers for offensive purposes during wartime, complementing ongoing recon and defensive missions. Coming out of WWII, the MOD realized a robust and reliable dive watch would be absolutely necessary for diving units. At the time, Rolex was the clear leader in waterproof watch technology, catching the attention of the MOD and marking the first appearance of a military-issued Submariner.

Around 1957, when the MOD was ready to commit to the Submariner, Rolex was several years and several upgraded references into the Submariner’s history. The 6538, which would become known as the Bond Submariner for its time on Sean Connery’s wrist, was made into a MOD-spec version, the A/6538.

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HQ Milton

According to Mike Wood, one of the world’s preeminent collectors and authorities on MilSubs, the MOD required certain features that would differentiate the civilian and military Subs: fixed bars, requiring a nylon strap and ensuring the watch case isn’t leaving your person without an arm attached to it; a larger bezel, allowing gloved divers more gripping power; and a bezel material of German silver (a copper alloy not containing silver), which would typically dent upon impact, versus cracking or breaking.

The factory-installed dials with luminescent markers powered by radium had to be re-lumed by MOD watchmakers due to their unsafe radioactive levels. Tritium was used for the re-lume, signified by a circled “T” above the depth rating — making this likely the only vintage watch worth just as much or more with a re-finished dial.

It seemed as though the beefed up Submariner was to receive its own reference number, 6540, given the amount of modifications, but, likely due to the small production run, the reference defaulted to A/6538. In fact, documented examples show a crossed-out “6540” stamped inside of the casebacks, with “A/6538” stamped alongside.

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HQ Milton

After the Omega Seamaster served MOD divers from 1967 to 1971 as the issued watch of choice, the MOD approached Rolex and asked that they produce a reference 5513 Submariner with some of the same modifications found on the Omega. What resulted was three different MilSubs: the 5513, the 5517, and a double-stamped 5513/5517. All examples were to leave the factory with the MOD specs: fixed bars, the tritium “T” on the dial, sword hands, and a 60-minute bezel, which has a hash mark for each of the 60 minutes versus the first 15 minutes on your average diver.

However, over time, many MilSub examples have felt the effects of time and are often found with replaced parts, i.e., Mercedes hands or the standard bezel — a product of servicing. In other cases, the mismatched parts are a sign of an untrustworthy seller pawning off a “Frankenwatch” to naive buyers.

While the three 5513-based MilSubs are very similar, their subtle differences are based on markings and date of release. The early 1970s saw the release of the 5513 MilSub, which, as you can guess, is stamped with a 5513 between the lugs. As the mid-70s wore on, the 5513/5517 began production, adding a small 5517 marking on the backside of one of the lugs — hence the term “double-stamped”. Finally, the most sought-after reference, the 5517, followed the 5513/5517 and replaced the 5513 marking between the 12:00 lugs to simply read “5517.” Clear as mud, right?

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HQ Milton

The MilSub is one of the priciest vintage Rolex watches, the result of having serious military provenance combined with such low production numbers. All told, from 1971 through 1979, only about 1,200 MilSubs were issued, of which an estimated 180 or so still exist today. Regardless of whether it’s a 5513, 5513/5517, or 5517, purchasing a MilSub takes patience, lots of research, a trustworthy seller, and a healthy bank account. In good condition and with documentation, don’t be surprised to see a MilSub fetch six figures. That’s a lot of coin for a modified Submariner that can only be worn on a nylon strap.

Trying to understand the MilSub from an outsider’s perspective, the high prices and obsessive collectors may seem odd, maybe even ridiculous. But after digging into the details, the picture gets somewhat clearer; the history is there, and it’s nothing short of impressive. Over a short span, MilSubs provided a clear link between watchmaking and world history. As the existing examples get lost with time, the link slowly fades away with them. So, you know what? Forget the Queen. God save the remaining MilSubs.

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These Are the Watches We’re Obsessing Over in February 2021

As watch lovers, we spend our afternoons poring over watches both new and vintage. When a new timepiece comes across our radar, one that particularly resonates with our tastes, we can’t help but obsess over it. So, here’s a taste of that process — four timepieces that our watch-loving staff are obsessing over right at this very moment.

Unimatic Modello Uno U1-NR Norwegian Rain

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I mean let’s be honest, nine times out of ten the true inspiration for a L.E. watch comes from a marketing department trying to think up new reasons for people to buy the same old model. But this collaboration between Unimatic and Norwegian Rain actually seems to offer something. First off, it’s conceivably within my price range. Secondly, the dial is beautiful. The two layer oxide copper and galvanized brass is really very striking and adds a lot to the whole package. Lastly, another plus this watch has is that it is already sold out so I don’t have to even try and stop myself from buying it. It’s already too late. -J.D. DiGiovanni, Platforms Editor

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Rolex Datejust rev. 16220

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Normally I wouldn’t quite understand the appeal of a good Datejust without its iconic Jubilee bracelet, but in this case, the dial of this 16220 is just so nice (check out those lume plots and matching hands), and it’s a birth year watch…I think I’d just have to make an exception. The polished case also doesn’t bother me so much, though some folks would strongly disagree with me. -Oren Hartov, Associate Editor

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Yema x Worn & Wound Superman Maxi Dial Limited Edition Watch

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Yema

It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s…a watch. Yema’s Superman watch, originally launched in 1963, gets a 2021 update thanks to a collaboration with watch publication Worn & Wound. The bolded markers account for the “maxi dial” name, which is a useful touch since even with glasses I can’t make out most details on my watches. At a modest size of 39mm, the Superman manages presence without swallowing my dainty wrist. Its locking bezel is useful for divers, and while I’m not diving any time soon, it’s a neat function to show to my watch-loving friends. -Tyler Chin, Associate Staff

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Piaget Altiplano

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There’s something really special about an ultra-thin watch that seems to sit on the same plane as your skin. Piaget is known for making such watches, and this version of their Altiplano is only 6.36mm thick with an automatic movement inside. They have even (record-breakingly) thinner ones, with movements integrated into the case that are unencumbered by dials, but this particular model strikes me with its somehow gold-colored meteorite dial. I’ll never own a $30k-dress watch like this, but that doesn’t stop me from being fascinated. -Zen Love, Staff Writer

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Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch 321

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If I was in the market for a watch, this is the wait list that you would find my name on. There is the romance of the single-watchmaker story among other history nuggets, but those might not come up in conversation. What will come up is that it’s by far the best looking modern Omega — period. -Tim Murray, Account Executive, Brand Partnerships

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All the Coolest Watches That Came Out in February 2021

The watch release season is heating up, and February saw watch brands big and small introduce some of their major releases of the year. Seiko and Grand Seiko announced flagship products, and there have been more than a couple anticipated announcements from the likes of IWC and TAG Heuer, who partnered with Hodinkee. This month brought a virtual buffet of horological goodies you won’t want to miss, so dig in below.

Yema x Worn & Wound Superman Maxi Dial Limited Edition Watch

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Collaborating with watch website Worn & Wound, Yema gave its popular Superman dive watch a “maxi” dial — meaning the markers are bolded. The somewhat quirky look results in one of the coolest versions of the (already awesome) Superman automatic dive watch yet — and a reasonable price makes it all the better.

Price: $990

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Grand Seiko Heritage Series 9 SLGH005 Watch

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Fascinating textured dials are one of Grand Seiko’s trademarks — one of these, in the brand’s newest release, is meant to reference birch bark. The SLGH005 watch has all the traits the brand is celebrated for, from zaratsu polishing to exquisite detail, and it’s powered by an in-house high-beat (5Hz, rather than the more common 4Hz) automatic movement.

Price: $9,100

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Oris Aquis GMT Whale Shark Dive Watch

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This version of Oris’s flagship dive watch features a GMT and was created in collaboration with underwater photographer and brand ambassador Gerardo del Villar to raise awareness of the endangered whale shark. The dial features a cool embossed shark-skin texture.

Price: $3,200

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Panerai Luminor Marina Platinumtech PAM 1116 Watch

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Panerai makes tough, tool-style watches, but they are simultaneously high-end luxury items — even in steel. In platinum, the new PAM1116 is even swankier, but this is no typical soft and easily scratched platinum. Rather, it’s a special Panerai alloy made to be harder and more resistant to wear. On top of all this, it comes with a 70-year warranty.

Price: $36,900

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Luminox Bear Grylls Air Series Watch

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In a continuing collaboration with celebrity survivalist Bear Grylls, Luminox completes its collection of air-land-sea outdoor watches with an aviation-themed new release. This one features a GMT complication, 200m of water resistance and, of course, tritium tube illumination.

Price: $695-$795

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Hanhart Pioneer One Bronze

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Hanhart

The German brand Hanhart is well-known for its pilot’s chronographs, but their latest timepiece is a limited-edition three-hand pilot’s watch in bronze with a green dial — which quickly sold out. Keep an eye out for future variations.

Price: ~$1,445

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Bulova Oceanographer Devil Diver Watch

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Nicknamed for its 666 feet (or around 200m) of water-resistance and based on a model from the 1960s, the Bulova Devil Diver is an enduring favorite option for an affordable vintage-inspired diver. Modern iterations have come in several colorways, the latest of which is vibrant orange.

Price: $750

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Accutron Legacy 521 Watch

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There’s no shortage of vintage-styled reissue watches nowadays, but the new Accutron Legacy 521 is surely one of the most distinctive. It’s based on a model from 1960 known to have been worn by Elvis Presley.

Price: $1,450+

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Shinola Steel Bracelet for Apple Watch

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Detroit-based Shinola has announced a new steel bracelet that’ll make your Apple Watch feel more like a traditional sport watch than ever.

Price: $225

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Longines Heritage Silver Arrow Watch

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Swiss watchmaker Longines has revived a vintage watch that has all the charm and panache of the 1950s original. With a 38.5mm case with a thin profile and powered by an automatic movement, it’s expected to be extremely wearable.

Price: $2,100

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Nixon 5th Element Watch

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Though Nixon is best-known for quartz watches, this modern three-hander is powered by a Japanese automatic movement. At 42mm wide with a contemporary style, it offers a fun and affordable alternative to the multitude of retro watches recently being released.

Price: $400

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Nivada Depthmaster

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Nivada, as a recently revived modern brand, is wholly committed to bringing back one cool, historical watch after another. The latest is its Depthmaster dive watch from the 1960s, and it’s coming out soon with a few versions, including one with the awesome Art Deco “Pac-Man” numerals collectors love on vintage models.

Price: $1,000 – $1,275

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Piaget Polo Skeleton

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Piaget’s luxury sport watch, the Polo, got a new twist with a skeletonized dial and movement in a couple variations. The brand is known for its record-breaking ultra-thin watches and this one, with its in-house movement. measures only 6.5mm thick.

Price: $28,500

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H. Moser & Cie. Swiss Alps Watch

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In addition to showcasing its high-end independent watchmaking brilliance, H. Moser & Cie. regularly makes statement watches that poke fun at anything from the Swiss watch industry to smartwatches. The Swiss Alps watch has come in a range of versions parodying the Apple Watch, but this Final Upgrade version is said to be the last in the series. Here, the seconds indicator takes the form of a motif mimicking a loading screen, but the watch is powered by fully mechanical in-house movement. If you’ve got $30,800 to spend on an ironic watch, this might be the one to get.

Price: $30,800

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Omega Seamaster Diver 300M “Beijing 2022” Special Edition

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As official Olympic timekeeper since 1932, Omega is looking ahead to the Winter Olympics to be held in Beijing in 2022. The brand releases commemorative watches for each Games, of which the Seamaster Diver 300M “Beijing 2022” Special Edition, with a blue dial and titanium bezel engraved in relief, is the latest. A subtle reference to the occasion is present in the form of markers at the dial’s edge in the colors of the Olympic logo.

Price: $6,150

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Swatch Essentials N-Igma

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The day and date wheels on a watch are usually hidden behind a dial with only a small window framing the information you want to know. In several new models from Swatch, exposed wheels offer an interesting look, and the style is available in a couple colors and sizes.

Price: $75+

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Nezumi x Ruf Voiture Chronograph

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Swedish watch brand Nezumi partnered with German carmaker Ruf Automobile on an affordable, vintage-style chronograph powered by a Seiko VK63 mecha-quartz movement. The 40mm case, green dial and sporty vintage vibe make for a great look.

Price: $464

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Zodiac x Huckberry Super Sea Wolf “Farallon” Watch

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One of our favorite makers of tool watches partnered with one of our favorite gear retailers on a new version of the Zodiac Super Sea Wolf dive watch. It’s got the familiar Super Sea Wolf features and specs and a dial that’s unique, to say the least, with a motif that mimics the look of sun rays from underwater.

Price: $1,095

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Marathon Arctic GSAR Automatic Watch

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One of the few makers of genuinely legit military watches has released a new variation of its most famous model, the GSAR. Though perhaps not quite as stealthy as the classic black dial, a new white dial version should be highly legible and functional. Doesn’t hurt that it’s got a Swiss automatic movement and a handsome look, too.

Price: $1,300

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Unimatic U1-NR

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The Italian brand Unimatic is known for its design-centric interpretation of classic tool watch styles, but also for interesting collaborations. The latest is a version of its minimalist dive watch produced with outerwear maker Norwegian Rain featuring a striking dial. The effect is achieved by a layer of oxidized copper with cutouts that reveal a solid copper layer beneath.

Price: $974 (sold out)

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Omega Seamaster Diver 300M America’s Cup Chronograph Watch

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Omega has announced a new diver’s chronograph in celebration of the America’s Cup yacht race, which takes place from March 6th to 15th, 2021. The red subdial at 3 o’clock counts the chronograph minutes and emphasizes the first five minutes, which have to be timed precisely at the beginning of the race.

Price: $10,700

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Tissot T-Touch Connect Solar

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An evolution of the brand’s unique touchscreen outdoor watch, the new T-Touch Connect Solar is one of the only smartwatches with solar charging. (It’s even more interesting since many of the technologies and features are proprietary to Tissot and Swatch Group, including its operating system.) Equipped with a “disconnect” function (I like the sound of that), it can easily go back to being a regular touchscreen-equipped, solar-charging, rugged outdoor watch.

Price: $1,050-$1,195

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Junghans 1972 Automatic FIS Edition Watch

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If you know watchmaker Junghans, you likely associate the German brand with minimalist, formally styled watches of a Bauhaus persuasion. This one is so different from most of what the brand is known for that it almost feels out of character. Based on a sporty ’70s aesthetic, it features a dive-ready 300m of water-resistance, and the colorful inner bezel can be rotated to help track another time zone.

Price: ~$1,940

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Breitling Top Time Deus Watch

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Breitling teamed up with the Australian motorbike and surfing lifestyle company Deus Ex Machina on a tribute to the Top Time watch from the 1960s. It’s got a very retro feel up front with a panda dial and pops of orange, and the case back features a motorcycle motif designed by Deus.

Price: $4,990

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IWC Pilot’s Chronograph Edition Tribute to 3705

Before ceramic watches were popular, IWC created the all-black 3705 chronograph — it initially sold poorly, but then became super collectible. This modern recreation updates the case to a 41mm version in Ceratanium, the brand’s proprietary ceramic-and-titanium material, and includes an in-house, automatic movement in place of the original Valjoux 7750.

Price: $11,900

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Longines Avigation BigEye Titanium

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Time & Tide Watches

The new Longines Avigation BigEye, named for its extra-large subdial, was initially rereleased a couple years back with a military look true to the ’70s original. Now, a new version reimagines it with a sleek modern feel with a striking blue dial and a titanium case.

Price: ~$4,200

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TAG Heuer Carrera “Dato” Limited Edition for Hodinkee

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Heuer Carrera

This unique design from 1963 was advertised as “a wristwatch, a stopwatch, and a calendar, too” since not many chronographs of the time offered a date display. It’s since become the kind of watch that offers just the right combination of charm, history and unique features to make it a favorite of vintage collectors — like the folks at Hodinkee who teamed up with TAG to bring it back.

Price: $7,250

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These Are All of Seiko’s Most Exciting New Watches for 2021

Releasing an lofty number of models each year, as Seiko does, is an accomplishment all in itself — but the Japanese watchmaking superstar consistently outdoes themselves by including many highly compelling, entirely new watches in its comprehensive model lineup.

This year, the brand is following a familiar pattern: it’s launching tons of updates and new designs, as well as a near-exact remake of a famous vintage piece — alongside more affordable modern interpretations. Here’s what you should know.

Seiko Prospex 1959 Alpinist Re-creation SJE085

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The Alpinist was Seiko and Japan’s first dedicated sport watch, famously made for Japanese “mountain men” in 1959. The watch of that name as it’s known today, however, has a design that was established in the 1990s and looks very little like the original Alpinist.

The popularity of the Alpinist has lead to increasing interest in its earlier versions, so Seiko has harnessed this enthusiasm and released a near-exact remake of the first Alpinist, reference SJE085. As with past such remakes, this is a limited edition model with premium features, high-end finishing and movement…and a price to match. (It comes on a cool leather bund strap, though.)

Diameter: 36.6mm
Movement: Seiko 6L35 automatic
Water Resistance: 100m
Price: $2,900

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Seiko Prospex 1959 Alpinist Modern Re-interpretation SPB241, SPB243 and SPB241

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For close followers and mega-fans of Seiko (and there are many), the formula is familiar, but no less exciting: accompany the high-end, limited remake with “modern reinterpretations” of the vintage design at a much more affordable price point. While the “re-creation” models are squarely aimed at Seiko collectors, the reinterpretations have a much broader audience.

While they lack luxury bells and whistles, these models live in the Prospex line’s sub-$1,000 tier, but have the excellent build quality, specs and finishing that that makes the collection consistently punch well above its weight. While common design cues like the triangular hour markers make the connection clear, the new models feel contemporary in other ways, including a slightly upsized case. They come in dial colors of gray, green and cream.

Diameter: 38mm
Movement: Seiko 6R35 automatic
Water Resistance: 100m
Price: $725 (strap) $750 (steel bracelet)

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Seiko Prospex Diver 1970 Modern Reinterpretation SLA049 and SLA051

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The legendary Seiko 6105 dive watch was released in 1970, and it has a badass vibe with its unusual, asymmetric case. Later nicknamed the “Captain Willard” for the character who wore it in the 1979 film Apocalypse Now, this watch has previously received a treatment similar to the Alpinist above. The version you see here is based on the 6105 but with modern tweaks and premium specs. Two new editions respectively feature blue or black dials and bezels; they’re intended to highlight both Japan’s and Seiko’s history, and dedicated to a famous Japanese adventurer, Naomi Uemura.

Diameter: 44mm
Movement: Seiko 8L35 automatic
Water Resistance: 200m
Price: $2,900 – $3,100

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Seiko Presage Sharp Edged Series GMT

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Alongside Seiko’s rugged and outdoor-themed Prospex line is the generally elegant and formal-ish Presage collection. Within Presage are many sub-collections (yes, Seiko’s taxonomy can be confusing), including contemporary dress-style watches called Sharp Edge that have striking, faceted dial executions. Seiko has now expanded on this sub-(sub)-line with a new GMT model available in dial four dial colors of black (SPB221), green (SPB219), blue (SPB217) and brown (SPB225).

These automatic models are relative outliers in the Prospex or Presage line for incorporating complications. But the popular GMT function is always welcome, and here it’s accompanied by an unusual combination of features: there’s a power reserve indicator around 9:30 and the date is displayed in a subdial at 6 o’clock. The dial layout and 24-hour bezel, combined with the unique dial texture, makes for an interesting — but possibly polarizing — aesthetic.

Diameter: 42.2mm
Movement: Seiko 6R64 automatic
Water resistance: 100m
Price: $1,400

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