This week, almost all our picks are coming directly from Ebay, for better and for worse (you will get two Bidder Bewares at once). You will find a well-named Tudor "Elegante," a beautiful yellow gold Zenith chronograph, and some more shady Longines 13ZNs – one recently sold for more than $15,000 despite its fake dial and case. We will double down on the Bidder Beware with a strange-looking military Zenith. We will also include a correct LeJour Yachtingraf, in which you will recognize the design of the Yema Yachtingraf (which is logical since it stems actually from the one and same brand). This is your Bring A Loupe for March 10, 2017.

A Zenith Chronograph 146-HP With A Solid Yellow Gold Case

The Zenith caliber 146-HP was built from the same Martel ebauche used in Universal Genève chronographs. This explains the fairly traditional layout of the sub-registers, with some design touches that we love, including the cross-hairs on the running seconds subdial, and the 3-minute divisions in the chronograph minute counter (originally to time foreign calls paid by this increment). The size of those chronographs was big for the 1960s: 37.5mm, both for the two-register (with the caliber 146-DP) and the three-register examples.

This Zenith come with a very nice reverse golden panda dial that goes very well with the gold case. And of course, the gold hallmarks confirm that the case is made out of 18k solid gold, and not gold-plated as most of the other examples you'll find. The former is much more durable, and thus appealing (flaking plating is never fun). The chronograph shows the correct signed crown and signed, screw down case back. And it comes with a Zenith-signed crocodile strap and buckle.

This gold Zenith 146-HP is offered for £4,960 (around $6,000) on Ebay but the best offer option is also enabled. A Belgium seller offers another example for $5,250, which even comes with the original sticker on its caseback, as well as what might be very well be the original strap.

A LeJour Yachtingraf Reference 9312

You might remember the Wingo Yachtingraf that we recently featured – there is a good reason it looks identical to this LeJour, since both brands were private labels from the French company Yema. LeJour ("the day" in French) was specifically chosen for the US market, probably to emphasize the company's French roots. The Yachtingraf was introduced in 1966 as the reference 9312, coincidentally one year before Heuer introduced its first regatta wristwatch, the Heuer "Skipperera" reference 7754. 

The LeJour comes with a 38mm case in steel (hence the full steel engraved on the caseback) and from this detailed breakdown we can even describe the case as a 2nd execution, made in the first production batch. True to the Yachtingraf name, the dial sports a 5-minute countdown in an oversized counter, essential for counting down to the start of a regatta. It relies on the workhorse manually wound Valjoux 7730, here with the correct Continental Time Co. engraving on the bridge (and on the inside of the caseback). The handset and unsigned crown are absolutely correct for this reference and so is the bezel, although the red coating at 12 was probably added later.

Watchsteez just listed this LeJour Yachtingraf for $4,350, confirming the growing popularity of these regatta chronographs. 

A Tudor "Elegante" Reference 7960

Rolex and Tudor aren't the first names that spring to mind when thinking of slim watches. Yet, in the late 1950s and early 1960s, both brands offered them, under the catchy Veriflat and Verithin names for Rolex, while Tudor went for the "Elegante" (you have to love the quotation marks, which as you can see were actually part of the model name). All share a 34mm diameter, but the Tudor has center seconds, while the Rolex displayed a small second fairly uncommon for the brand. As you can imagine the "Elegante" was not a home run, and they are fairly difficult to find more than 50 years later (we covered another one from the late 1950s a year ago). 

The reference 7960 here definitely belongs to the early 1960s, as evidenced by the presence of tritium on the dial, rather than the radium previously used as luminous material. The dial looks extremely clean, and the leaf hands further enhance the classy vibe Tudor was shooting for with this watch. It looks stunning, with its original Oyster bracelet (signed Rolex as it should) and it comes with the correct end links 57 (the case diameter being 34mm and Rolex being Rolex, you can safely assume the lug size is 19mm, and needs the end links 57 with a rivet bracelet). The manually wound movement here is the caliber 2402, a slim ETA that allowed for the flat caseback of the "Elegante".

You can find this gorgeous Tudor "Elegante" on Ebay for £1,450 (or around $1,675).

Bidder Beware - An Avalanche Of Longines 13ZN Chronographs With Fake Dials And Cases

Last week, this Longines sold on Ebay for €15,100 (or around $16,000), which is not bad at all for a black dial 13-ZN flyback chronograph if, and it is a big if, it is genuine and in possession of correct original parts. Sadly, what you see here is not correct one bit, as the step case and dial are later replicas, rumored to come from Eastern Europe. Interestingly, those black dials exist with or without lumed numerals, and seemed plentiful. A couple others are available for sale right now, both with a price on application, here and there.

The Ebay example was initially flagged by an Italian collector on Instagram a couple of days ago. He has witnessed those steadily coming for sale over the past 3-4 years, without much alteration to the rough lines of the cases, and the same printing on the dial proving that they still come from the same batch. It would be interesting to know where the donor 13-ZN calibers come from, which could be partially answered by looking at the movement serial numbers.

Bidder Beware - An Incorrect Military Zenith Cairelli CP-2

With this Zenith Cairelli currently listed on Ebay, we can play the "spot the difference" game (you can see a correct Zenith Cairelli in a 2014 Bring A Loupe here). Very obviously the second hand is incorrect as it should have a triangle on its tip and a different shape overall. The signed crown is unfortunately in the same situation; it should be thicker and with a star engraved (the squarish symbol dates from the later merger with Movado). The bezel is another enigma as the printed numerals should be sitting adjacent to the outer circumference of the bezel, not the inner (and the font is incorrect). The 146-DP chronograph movement, on the other hand, is correct for this military chronograph; however the military engravings are too faded to properly assess.

Bidding on this Zenith Cairelli is already nearing $5,000 on Ebay but one should remember that finding the correct spare parts to bring this chronograph back to its original look will be next to impossible.

Coming out of SIHH, it was the complicated watches from IWC's Da Vinci collection that were getting most of the attention. This includes both the very complicated models like the Perpetual Calendar Chronograph and the smaller complications such as the ladies' moonphase. But for me it's the time-and-date model that stands out as my favorite piece in the collection. It piqued my interest a few weeks ago, but after spending a few days with it I found myself enjoying it even more than I'd expected.

There's no two ways about it – the Da Vinci collection is polarizing. People generally love it or hate it. I'd say that while I have no vitriol directed towards these stylized watches, they're definitely not my favorites from IWC and I'd probably even fall closer to the second camp than I would to the first. However, there's a lot to love about the Da Vinci Automatic, even if you might not think it's a watch you'd naturally gravitate towards.

Think of this watch as the pure distillation of the codes that comprise the new Da Vinci collection, with everything that makes them what they are and nothing extra. The watch starts with a 40mm stainless steel case and I really applaud IWC for resisting the temptation to make this a 42mm beast. I think some of that comes down to wanting the watch to appeal to both men and women, but regardless of the reasoning, I'll take it. 

Immediately you'll notice that rounded bezel and the distinctive articulated lugs. The former nicely frames the dial and gives the case some extra oomph. The latter, paradoxically, look big but actually help the watch wear smaller than you'd expect. They are hinged at the case, and carry the bracelet end link, nicely hugging the wrist and holding the case down tight. That said, they're still a lot of look and one of the reasons many find the Da Vinci tough to imagine on their wrist. I found them much more comfortable than expected and when paired with the bracelet they don't look nearly as dramatic.

The dial is my favorite thing about the new Da Vincis though. Hands down. It's not even close, really. This model has a rich slate sunburst finish that turns various shades of blue, purple, grey, and brown, depending on the light. Even just wearing the watch around the office, I could get three or four dial colors on the walk from my desk to the conference table. The hands are nice and sharp and the fancy numerals (which are definitely not Breguet numerals, by the way) are applied and stand tall off the main dial. Even that date window at six o'clock is finely cut and the slim numbers just show though.

Turning the watch over, you'll find a rather simple caseback, which I like here. Nothing fancy, but nothing fancy is needed. Underneath is a simple automatic movement with a 42-hour power reserve and hacking seconds. It's called the IWC caliber 35111, which is the company's version of the Sellita SW300-1. This is the same caliber you'll find inside the basic Portofino watches as well as the 36mm Pilot's watches.

The model I tried here is the one on a stainless steel bracelet, though the watch is available on a strap too. The link bracelet is comfortable and has a feel that sits somewhere between dressy and sporty. It's brightly polished throughout, so if you wanted something understated it's probably best to look elsewhere. The model that comes on a strap has a different dial and hand set (silver dial with gold hands and markers), and I much prefer this version. Also, wearing the watch on a strap really accentuates those lugs, which could be a good or bad thing depending on where you come down on the style.

On the wrist is where this watch really impressed me. I thought the lugs might look too conspicuous or that they would make the case wear larger than I'd like. I was wrong on both counts. The case fits nicely to the wrist and wears comfortably. Again though, it's the dial that gets me. There's no other way to put this – the Da Vinci looks a lot more expensive than it is. The color and finish of the dial, and those crisp applied numerals just look awesome. The more I looked at the watch, the more it won me over.

All in all, the Da Vinci Automatic is exactly what you'd think. It's a pure, no-frills rendition of the 80s-inspired design with all the details accounted for. And, even if you're a Da Vinci skeptic, I highly recommend you at least give it a try.

The IWC Da Vinci Automatic comes in two versions. The model shown here on a stainless steel bracelet will retail for $6,400, while the model with the silver-plated dial, gold numerals and hands, and alligator strap will retail for $5,400. They're both currently available for pre-order on IWC.com.

Daylight Saving Time (DST) is upon us. As you probably know, that means that starting tomorrow, everyone in a time zone that follows the practice of setting clocks ahead an hour at the beginning of Spring will be waking up, and doing everything else, an hour later than usual. What you might not know is that the first modern proposal for Daylight Saving Time came, over a century ago, from an amateur entomologist, who wanted more time after work and before nightfall to catch insects. 

You will sometimes read that DST was originally Ben Franklin's idea. Franklin did publish an anonymous pamphlet, in 1784, suggesting that Parisians could cut the cost of lighting homes at night by getting up earlier as the days lengthen in spring (the pamphlet was a bit of a satire; he also suggested a tax on curtains, and firing cannons at dawn). This isn't strictly speaking a DST proposal, as you can't really have Daylight Saving Time system as we understand it, without a system of time zones. However, in 1895, a postal clerk and amateur entomologist named George Hudson, whose job gave him time after work to collect insects, suggested to the Wellington Philosophical Society that clocks be set ahead in the Spring in order to allow more usable hours of daylight. 

Hudson's idea, though it generated a lot of interest in New Zealand, was not initially adopted. 

Another prominent advocate of Daylight Saving Time was the English construction magnate, William Willet. Willet published a pamphlet called "The Waste Of Daylight" in 1907, and though he agitated tirelessly for the idea (an avid golfer, he disliked having to cut short his game at sunset) the UK did not implement it during his lifetime. Ultimately, it was left to a guy with the euphonious moniker of William Sword Frost to put the idea into practice; he instituted DST in the town of Orillia, Ontario, during his tenure as mayor (1911-1912).

The first national adoptions of the scheme were by the British Empire and German Empire, who began the practice in 1916, with the idea of saving on coal during the war years.  Willet had passed away a year earlier, at the age of 58, but he's commemorated by a sundial, placed in the London suburb of Petts Wood, that's permanently set to DST.  In the USA, DST went into use in 1918.

Though DST is supposed to be a benefit (especially to agricultural workers, for whom an extra hour of daylight at the end of the day is clearly a big help) there is accumulating evidence that it does more harm than good. Daylight Saving Time annoys us by requiring us to re-set our clocks and watches, but as it turns out it just might help kill you too. The disruption in sleep cycles DST causes has been linked to everything from an uptick in strokes and heart attacks, to an increase in traffic accidents. If you'd like one more thing to get indignant about, Bloomberg (among others) has the story, in a piece entitled, "Proof Daylight Saving Time Is Dumb, Dangerous, and Costly."

Time zones map and image of G. V. Hudson via Wikimedia Commons.

Wednesday evening we were lucky enough to host an incredible HODINKEE meet-up in Los Angeles. More than 100 people came by POT (@eatatpot) at The Line Hotel in Koreatown to enjoy good company and lots of horological nerdery. Managing editor Stephen Pulvirent was on hand to talk watches and LA watch culture, and what started as a little two-hour get together ended in the HODINKEE crew basically shutting down the bar.

A big thank you to everyone who came out, some driving two hours or more from around southern California to join us. Who traveled the furthest? Independent watchmaker Romain Gautier came all the way from the Vallée de Joux in Switzerland (ok, he was already in town on business, but still!). It's always a true pleasure and a great treat to get to meet all the members of the HODINKEE family and you can bet we'll be back in Los Angeles very soon.

For now though, enjoy the photos below.

Photos: Jill Sipkins

The "MilSub," or "Military Submariner" is a rare variant of the Rolex Submariner that was issued to the British armed forces. But when most of us think of the term "MilSub", we think of the 5513 or 5517 with the sword hards, fully graduated bezel insert, and circled "T" on the dial that we see on Instagram or in a few different episodes of Talking Watches. But those watches date to the 1970s – and they're pretty well studied. Today over on the Vintage Rolex Forum, Australian dealer Jed McCormack has given us a pretty detailed look at the other Rolex military Submariners.

He provides information on Submariners issued to the MOD as early as the reference 6538 Big Crown in the 1950s, followed up by the rare A/6538 and military-issued 5512s. Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the report is his look at the so-called "Burford" dials, which were dials refinished by a company called Burford at the request of the MOD to replace the radium components with tritium. Needless to say, this is one that the vintage Rolex lovers will find fascinating, and everyone else will, well, not. 

Read it here on VRF.

Auction season is starting soon, and the next sale at Watches Of Knightsbridge is fast approaching. While it is shorter than the previous sale ("only" 335 lots), it does not lack in interesting pieces, keeping in line with the house's focus of offering more accessible pieces at auction. From the March 18 catalog I've selected five chronographs with a high estimate below $5,000 that all have seductive 1970s looks. Besides the French Lip and Yema, you'll also find an overlooked Zenith El Primero reference A787, a Fortis Marinemaster reference 8001, and a square Favre-Leuba reference 31013. Get ready to discover some funky designs and unexpected colors.

1970s Lip Chronograph, With Pink And Orange Dial Accents

The French brand Lip made a name for itself with reliable movements and avant-garde designs. While this chronograph still relies on the outsourced Valjoux 7730, the pink notes of the dial definitely stand out against the grey minute track. And of course the handset is red/orange, because why not? The case is made of stainless steel, a positive point since most of the Lip chronographs from the 1970s were plated. The diameter is listed as 37mm but I would bet that it's closer to a "large 35mm," with the slim bezel making it wear like a bigger watch. You can also bet that you won't see chronographs like this around too often since no other brand ever dared to use this combination of neon colors on a chronograph.

This Lip is lot 43 and it carries an estimate of £1,500-2,500 (approximately $1,820-3,040 at time of publishing).

Yema Rallye Chronograph With Formica Dial

The 1970s was a good time period for French brands, further evidenced by this Yema Rallye with its incredible sandwich dial that incorporate a formica layer. This is exactly the type of aesthetic we would expect from the dashboard of a sportscar straight from that decade. Like the Lip above, it relies on a Valjoux movement, here the caliber 7734, which allows for that unusual date window at six o'clock, also framed in attractive (if strange) fake wood. The 39mm diameter is another nice surprise, and the watch comes with the tachymeter bezel that you would expect from its name.

This unique-looking Yema is lot 93 and it carries an estimate of £2,500-3,500 (approximately $3,040-4,250), which is right around market value.

Favre Leuba Chronograph Reference 31013

The 1970s were not only about eccentric dials, but also crazy new geometric case shapes, and that is what this Favre-Leuba is all about. The case is actually guaranteed water-resistant up to 10 ATM (around 100 meters), not a small feat given the increased complexity that comes with the square shape. Yet, it is not the only Favre-Leuba with such abilities, the well-known Deep Blue and Sky Chief models also coming to mind. The date placement here indicates the presence of the manually-wound Valjoux caliber 232, while the original signed bracelet completes the look (it was manufactured by NSA, which also produced some similar-looking bracelets for Heuer at the time). 

This square Favre-Leuba is lot 70 and it carries an estimate of £1,200-1,500 (approximately $1,460-1,820.

Fortis Marinemaster Reference 8001

For its 100th Anniversary in 2012, Fortis launched a re-edition of the Marinemaster chronograph – the reference 8001 seen here is the original from the 1970s. The Marinemaster moniker was used on other occasions by Fortis (and by Seiko), but this chronograph stands out thanks to its overall blue theme, from the sub-registers to the handset. Speaking of the hands, the seconds hand is obviously too short, and beyond any doubt an improper replacement part since the original hand extended until the inner track, in order to read the tachymeter scale. The stainless steel case with rotating bezel reaches a very nice 39mm size, and it houses the famed Valjoux 72 caliber, the movement also found in the Rolex Daytona of that time.

This blue Fortis is lot 140 and it carries an estimate of £2,000-3,000 (approximately $2,450-3,700).

Zenith El Primero Reference A787

While the El Primero's birth in 1969 is well documented and the references A386 and A3817 get all the attention with their tri-color dials, but the silver-dialed reference A787 does not lack interest. First off, only 1,500 examples were manufactured in 1971-1972, so it's certainly rare. Its case shape might be more of an acquired taste, but this Zenith offers the very same chronograph caliber 3019 PHC, which changed the watchmaking history in no small way. Note that the plain caseback here is perfectly correct for the reference, while the listing also mentions that the crown is properly signed.

This rare Zenith El Primero is lot 306 and it carries an estimate of £1,800-2,400 (approximately $2,200-2,950).

To see the rest of the catalog for the 335-lot May 18 auction, visit Watches of Knightsbrige online.

We've shown you the "Speedy Tuesday" Omega Speedmaster – the limited edition of 2,012 pieces set to commemorate social media's impact on the collecting and appreciation of Speedmaster – twice now; first when it launched, and then with live photos when I happened across the prototype while in Geneva. But because this watch is so great, and because we had the rare occurrence of its co-creator, Robert-Jan Broer of Fratello Watches, being in New York City, I thought it'd be fun to get him on camera to talk about how this watch came to be. 

Watch above for Robert-Jan Broer explaining all that there is to know about the Omega Speedmaster "Speedy Tuesday."

Fossil is serious about the smartwatch market. From the company's acquisition of wearables maker Misfit back in 2015 to its recent announcement that it would double smartwatch production in 2017, it's been scaling up for some time now. Today the company makes its next big move, committing to take all of its touchscreen smartwatches, past and present, to the new Android Wear 2.0 operating system. 

On March 15, Fossil will start rolling out the new OS to all three of its current touchscreen smartwatch collections, the Q Wander, Q Marshal, and Q Founder. It's worth clarifying here that this announcement covers Fossil Brand, not Fossil Group. The former is the company you think of when I say "Fossil," while the latter is the parent company, comprised of 19 brands including Fossil, Misfit, Skagen, Zodiac, and a few licensed fashion watch brands. We'll almost certainly be seeing Android Wear 2.0 on smartwatches from the other Group brands, but no timeline has been confirmed for that rollout.

Android Wear 2.0 was first released just a month ago on a pair of LG smartwatches designed in collaboration with Google. It offers a number of new features, some big and some small. Both onboard LTE connections and Android Pay are now supported (two oft-requested features from users, unsurprisingly), and there is also much richer fitness tracking support through Google Fit. Right up front you'll also notice differences, with many more customization options for watch faces, including new integrations of app widgets directly into the faces themselves. Overall the experience is more customizable, offers more potential independence from your phone, and brings much-needed connectivity and payment options into the mix.

The biggest addition to the platform though is the Google Assistant. This is the company's virtual assistant (as you could probably tell from the name) and it's already in a few Android smartphones, notably the Google Pixel, as well as the Google Home device. This is arguably the most interesting technology to come out of Google in years and it looks like it's also Google's vision for the future of mobile communication and device interaction – so having it on your wrist is a big step for the platform.

While all of these features will likely enhance the overall user experience, the real question is what Android Wear 2.0 brings to Fossil and Fossil's customers in particular. "What is really exciting about 2.0 from both a design and consumer standpoint is more watch faces," says Jill Elliott, Fossil Brand Chief Creative Officer. "Personalization is so important to Fossil Brand; we know our customer wants the option to customize their watch faces and straps with the same frequency that they want to customize technology to enhance their lifestyle."

The release of Android Wear 2.0 comes just a few months after Apple dropped watchOS 3, the first major overhaul of its wrist-worn operating system. In both cases, users get more features, streamlined experiences, and simpler interactions. It is clear that customers don't want to spend tons of time scrolling through long menus and interacting with apps on their wrists – they want information, they want it quickly, and they want their smartwatches to complement their lifestyles without getting in the way.

"We truly believe there is a massive opportunity in merging fashion and technology in the market. We are continuing to design innovative new hardware focusing on design and fashion (so trying to get products smaller and keeping with watchmaking traditions)," says Kyle Beste, Fossil Group Senior Director of Wearables.

For a company as large as Fossil and with as much mass appeal, there's a big advantage to working with Google on these products. "We are a global brand. We have retail stores around the world as well as concessions and wholesale distribution in most countries around the world," says Beste. Internationally the share of Android phones is much higher, and so as we think about servicing all of our customers both in the U.S. and globally, so partnering with Android Wear allows us to reach both iPhone and Android phone users around the world. Ultimately it is an exciting opportunity to design great product, both the watch and software experiences, for our Fossil fans globally."

For more, visit Fossil online.

TAG Heuer has just unveiled its second smartwatch, and this time it's officially "Swiss Made." The new electronic watch's finally assembly is tackled in TAG's La Chaux-de-Fonds workshop, qualifying it for the official designation, and it also introduces a new modular concept that hopes to eliminate the issue of obsolescence that plagues smartwatches, no matter the maker. Below you'll find all the details, and here's a video stream of the press conference, live from Switzerland.

The company's first smartwatch, the aptly-named Connected, was launched a little more than a year ago and was powered Intel hardware and Google's Android Wear operating system. The American tech giants have once again lent their support to TAG Heuer, but this time, the final steps in the assembly of the electronic module takes place in TAG Heuer’s workshops in La Chaux-de-Fonds, where it is also inspected and cased.

Because more than 60% of the manufacturing costs of the watch are now incurred in Switzerland, the TAG Heuer Connected Modular 45 can receive the official "Swiss Made" label. The rules for this designation recently changed – as noted here, in the context of the now-infamous "cheese watch" – and TAG Heuer meets all the requirements.

The TAG Heuer Connected Modular 45 is not just a new smartwatch, but also a totally new concept from TAG Heuer. The watch will be able to host both digital and mechanical modules that attach to the watch's lugs. Users will therefore be able to switch from wearing a smartwatch to a mechanical one seamlessly. Both modules will be the same size, 45mm, which is about 1mm smaller than the original Connected. The electronic module has received quite a few upgrades too. The watch is once again powered by an Intel Atom processor Z34XX series – Intel believes its compact form and energy efficiency is unmatched at this point – but this time it operates on Android Wear 2.0. That alone is a big deal, as we told you just yesterday.

The second installment of Google's operating system dedicated to wearables gives users the ability to run standalone apps without the need for a smartphone nearby. Users will be able to connect their watches to the internet via wi-fi and cellular networks too. It also introduces support for Android Pay, enabling contactless payments. It's worth noting that the original Connected will be getting a software update to Android Wear 2.0 too.

Another major feature is the customizability of the watch's face. TAG Heuer is releasing the TAG Heuer Studio, a watch face configurator that gives owners the ability to customize their watch by picking from 30 different faces, and giving them the option of adding and removing specific features, such as the SuperLuminova effect on the hands and changing the colors of specific details. You've probably noticed that customization is a theme here, and it only gets more involved from here.

The big news for guys and gals who are into their mechanical watches is that TAG Heuer’s latest watch is modular, meaning the base will be able to host both both digital and mechanical modules. The original Connected was offered as a set of discrete references, each of which was a self contained unit. It could also be traded in for a mechanical Carrera for a $1,500 premium when the wearer was done. This modular construction is the next step in TAG Heuer trying to solve the problem of smartwatches becoming obsolete after a time.

TAG Heuer is kicking things off with two compatible mechanical modules, but we were told that more will follow. Right now you can get the Calibre 5, with a time-and-date automatic movement, and the Calibre 02T, the company’s entry-level tourbillon. They represent opposite ends of complexity in terms of TAG Heuer’s current caliber production and are a nice start for this new program.

The lugs, straps, and buckles are also interchangeable and will be sold as additional accessories. We don't yet have a complete run-down of the offerings, but in total TAG Heuer is promising up to 4,000 unique configurations for the Connected Modular 45, letting wearers make their watches feel more personal. 

The watch will hit TAG Heuer stores as of today, and will be available from $1,650. Eleven standard models will be available, but up to 56 references will be available on demand, including titanium, ceramic, and gold-plated components. The chronograph Heuer-02T tourbillon mechanical module is at the top of the range and will be offered in a deluxe box set that includes a connected module and an additional black rubber strap, all for $17,000.

For more information, visit TAG Heuer online.

The advent of quartz watches – more accurate, more durable, and eventually much cheaper than mechanical watches – dramatically and permanently altered the way most people tell time. Interestingly enough, the ubiquity of accurate time from cell phones, fitness trackers, and everything else, from your TV to your microwave, has had a similar effect on quartz watches, which though still sold in the millions, are no longer really necessary. The result has been a kind of dumbing down of the quartz watch over the years – development of better accuracy in quartz timekeeping has become something of a niche pursuit, with just a handful of makers pursuing it.

It's a fairly short list. Bulova makes its high frequency Precisionist watches; there are the 9F caliber quartz Grand Seikos; Citizen makes its domestic-market-only, ± 5 seconds-per-year Chronomaster; Breitling has its Superquartz movements ; and there are others, with these just being some of the more notable contenders. In the past, there were a wider variety of attempts to make cutting-edge, high-precision quartz watches. Everything from Omega's quartz Marine Chronometer, which was the first marine chronometer wristwatch, to a range of high frequency models from Seiko and Citizen, to Pulsar's PSR-10 (± 10 seconds per year accuracy) vied for attention and consumer dollars. One of the most interesting was the long-forgotten Longines VHP – a Very High Precision watch made in the 1980s and 1990s that offered ± 10 second per year precision.

The original VHP was first introduced in 1984, and Longines and its partner, Asulab, continued to develop the movement over the next decade or so. One of the biggest contributors to rate drift in quartz watches is temperature variation, and the VHP had a thermocompensated movement; later models included a perpetual calendar and 10 year lithium battery. Like many manufacturers, however, Longines found that consumer demand for this degree of accuracy was a bit of a niche business, and the VHP was eventually discontinued. Today, however, it's back.

The new watches are very much technically in the spirit of the original VHP timepieces. The biggest talking point of course, is accuracy: the new VHP models are guaranteed to within ± 5  seconds per year, which puts them in a very small group. Citizen's Chronomaster springs to mind, but even most other high precision quartz movements max out at ± 10 seconds per year (your mileage may vary, of course) and typically quartz watches without TCXO (temperature compensated crystal oscillators) are about an order of magnitude less accurate, at ± 10-15 seconds variation per month (as an interesting side note, a properly adjusted mechanical watch can beat that, especially if you're lucky with the regulation, but it's not something you should expect. Rolex's Superlative Chronometer standard promises ± 2 seconds per day, so at worst you'd be a minute off at the end of the month, unless a gain on the wrist was offset by, for instance, a loss at night when the watch is off the wrist). 

These watches will be offered initially in a three-hand-and-date variation, with two dial treatments, and as chronographs, also with two different dial treatments. The three-hand versions can be had in 41 or 43mm case sizes, and the chronograph, in 42mm or 44mm cases. Additional features include a very interesting-sounding "gear position detection" system, which allows the hands to be re-aligned should they become displaced by a shock or a strong magnetic field, a perpetual calendar, and a five year battery life. Water resistance is 50 meters.

Prices will be extremely reasonable for technically advanced quartz time-keeping – 950 CHF (approximately $940 at time of publishing) for the three-hand models, and 1,550 CHF (approximately $1,530) for the chronographs. This degree of sophistication in quartz timekeeping will likely remain something of a niche market but I think high accuracy quartz has its own, unique kind of intellectual beauty and satisfaction and I hope these will find an audience.

For more, visit Longines online.

Over the last few years, Omega has increasingly become one of the watchmaking industry's leaders in making watches that can withstand extremely powerful magnetic fields and emerge unscathed. With the opening of a new exhibition at the Omega Museum in Bienne, Omega is underscoring just how far it has come – and part of the exhibition is a watch that's survived what is, by far, the strongest magnetic field to which any watch has ever been exposed (as far as we know).

Magnetism is of course a huge issue in watchmaking. Ultra-powerful magnetic fields like those created in labs studying magnetism are less an issue than the magnetic fields found in everyday life, such as those produced by permanent powerful magnets used in consumer products. Though Nivarox-type balance springs are not nearly as vulnerable to magnetism as plain steel, they can nonetheless be affected; even brief exposure to a strong field can badly impair accuracy. Less noticeable is the effect of magnetic fields over the long term – you might not notice it immediately, but over time, exposure to magnetism can negatively affect the ability of a Nivarox-type balance spring to compensate properly for temperature variations.

Traditionally, the way to deal with magnetic fields was to place the movement in an inner case made of so-called "soft iron." In this case, "soft" means soft magnetically – that is, a material that will conduct a magnetic field, but not become magnetized itself; such materials are generally nickel-iron alloys, and are also called "mu-metals," the Greek letter mu (μ) being the symbol for magnetic permeability.

In January 2013, Omega announced the Aqua Terra >15,000 Gauss, which is capable of withstanding a 15,000 gauss magnetic field (that's MRI machine-level stuff; your average refrigerator magnet is about 50 gauss). Also, 15,000 gauss is equivalent to 1.5 tesla, a more convenient unit for expressing very strong magnetic fields.

Incredibly, the Sea Master Aqua Terra at the heart of the exhibition withstood a field 16 tesla, or 160,000 gauss. The experiment took place at the Laboratoire National des Champs Magnetiques Intenses (LNCMI) in Grenoble, France, a lab which specializes in research into extremely powerful magnetic fields. Equipment at LNCMI can generate sustained fields of up to 35 tesla, and at the lab's Toulouse facility, millisecond-duration fields of up to 250 tesla have been generated (although this destroys the field generator coil). For reference, the magnets used to confine the particle beams of the Large Hadron Collider operate at about 8.3 tesla – more than 100,000 times as powerful as the Earth's magnetic field.

A watch with a silicon balance spring is already significantly more resistant to magnetism than one with a standard balance spring, but Omega achieves this level of antimagnetism through the application of non-ferromagnetic materials throughout the movement, including the pivots – which is why the Aqua Terra not only ran fine after exposure to such a strong field, but during exposure as well.

As a side note, if a magnetic field gets strong enough it will have visible effects even on materials not usually thought of as susceptible to magnetism. Diamagnetism is one such effect; the term refers to a situation where a strong magnetic field, applied to a certain material, will generate an opposing magnetic field in that material. This means that some substances are actually repelled by magnetic fields, rather than attracted. Bismuth and antimony are both repelled by magnetic fields, and if you have enough juice you can do things like levitate frogs, as was done in a research lab in 2000, at the Nijmegen High Field Magnet Laboratory.

The frog was unharmed, although undoubtedly a little disoriented.

For a very in-depth look at magnetism in watchmaking, check out that time we bought a 4,500 gauss neodymium magnet and stuck an Omega Aqua Terra and a Milgauss on it.

This week we’ve narrowed our focus a bit, shining a light on the formal and functional watches of the 1960s and 70s. Each watch was manufactured with a specific purpose in mind, whether to add a touch of mature class to your wrist, to let you easily read the time under water, or to pioneer a quartz movement in a distinctly 70s case. As an added bonus, there's a Rolex Oyster Perpetual reference 1002 from 1966 that has retained its papers (and good looks) for half a century – no small feat. Read on for more details.

1960s Leonidas Reference CP-2

Though this watch likely never saw combat duty, its military-inspired looks and excellent condition are what sets it apart. A trusty Valjoux 222 movement sits inside, there's an extremely balanced dial, and the watch has real presence on the wrist at 43mm (!), making this example a keeper. Find all the details here.  

1960s Zenith Chronograph Reference A278

This 37mm chrono comes with the manually-wound caliber 146-DP that immediately preceded the much more renowned El Primero, and it doesn’t disappoint. Sporting its original Gay Frères hollow-link bracelet and a well-preserved reverse panda dial, this Zenith looks absolutely fantastic on the wrist. Read more here. 

1960s Zodiac Sea Wolf

Though it's little, this watch is fierce and funky. This brightly colored little diver pairs well with the tropical fish it may have once encountered, though it's at home on land too. Best of all, it comes with a rotating grey bakelite bezel to complement those neon orange accents.  Read more here.

Wait, There's More

Additionally, we have a 1960s Lip Nautic-Ski reference 42554, a 1966 Rolex Oyster Perpetual reference 1002 with papers, and a 1970s Jaeger-LeCoultre Master-Quartz. 

This week's issue of the New Yorker magazine features one of the best pieces of horological writing we've seen in a very long time. Novelist and all-around man of letters Gary Shteyngart penned an extensive tale of his falling in love with watches against the background of current political turmoil – and it's an excellent look at why and how we love these little antiquated machines. HODINKEE gets more than a passing nod, along with many of our friends in the watch community.

After introducing us to his passion for watches through an anecdote about a Junghans-assuaged panic attack on the New York City subway, Shteyngart launches into his horological origin story (it involves a singing Casio), his mounting obsession, his first Rolex, and even a trip to Glashütte to visit a few manufactures. Ben, Jack, and Cara are all quoted along the way, and RedBar, Contrapante, and Timezone all receive mentions as well.

The story is touching, unnerving, and artfully crafted. Honestly, if you only read one story about watches this week, it should be this one.

Click here to read the full story online – or pick up a copy of this week's issue in print, dated March 20, 2017, with the headline “Time Out.”

We don't do this often – make a public call to arms for the watch collecting community – but when there is a wrong that needs to be righted, we must use the voice that you've given us to help. So, I deeply encourage you to read on and share this story with as many people as you can.

The name Carl Spencer may not be familiar to you unless you happen to follow the careers of working divers, but I assure you, the name rings loudly to those who know. Spencer was among the most talented professional divers of the modern era, and completed both scientific and filming missions to the likes of the Titanic aboard the mission led and financed by James Cameron, the Carpathia, and the Britannic, among others. He helped film documentaries for the Discovery and History channels, as well as National Geographic. He co-led joint military expeditions between the Royal Navy and British Army.

On May 24, 2009, while diving on the Brittanic, he suffered equipment failure and was forced to surface quickly. As a result, Carl Spencer died that day due to the bends (acute decompression sickness). While Spencer was known the world over for his heroic diving, he led a relatively quiet life in suburban England while above ground – he was a heating and air-conditioning engineer. When Spencer died, he was survived by his wife and young son who, without the income from Carl's business, fell on hard times. As a result, his wife sold the Rolex Sea-Dweller that accompanied Carl on so many of his dives at a Fellows auction in 2012. It sold for just over 4000 pounds.

What's more, Carl was a watch nut! He loved his Doxas (how could he not as a diver?) but his pride and joy was the Sea-Dweller we see above. His friend and co-diver on several of Spencer's exhibitions was David Concannon, who reached out to us via Facebook about this whole matter. He said "Carl and I were both huge Rolex fans and collectors, and we both felt strongly about giving our watches to our sons. Carl and I had lengthy discussions about this. I had been in a motorcycle accident the year before we went to Titanic together in 2003, and my then 6-year-old son had asked me to please take care of my Rolex Submariner, which had already dived to Titanic and was beaten up in the accident, because he would like to have it some day. Carl was adamant that his new Rolex Sea-Dweller, which he had graduated to after collecting Doxas (thanks to Clive Cussler’s Dirk Pitt character), would go to his young son Ben when he was old enough to appreciate it."

His son Ben is now 16 years old, and the loss of his father and indeed the Rolex his father had intended to give him haunts him to this day, and nothing would make him happier than to purchase back the watch that was sold that day. A representative of the Spencer family reached out to Fellows in December of 2016 and they went ahead and contacted the seller explaining the situation. Unfortunately, the winner of the watch in 2012 had already sold the piece and would not divulge to whom the watch was sold – all Fellows could do was pass on the contact information of the Spencer family, which they did. So the trail of the watch ran cold, but that doesn't mean we can't help here.

We know what this watch looks like. We even know the reference number and the serial number. And that is why we are here to ask all of you to share this story in hopes it makes it to the new owner of Carl Spencer's Rolex Sea-Dweller.

The watch we are looking for is a Rolex Sea-Dweller reference 16600, with serial number Y882641. You can see it above, and as we stated earlier, it was sold via Fellows on January 23, 2012 as lot 225. You can see the lot here. If you have any information on this watch or know anyone that might, please feel free to leave a comment below or contact us at Contact@hodinkee.com. Now let's see if we can't get this Rolex back to where it belongs, on the wrist of Ben Spencer.

For more on Carl Spencer and what he meant to his friends at colleagues, watch this short film on the crew's return to Brittanic for the first time after his passing.

Update & Correction

This morning we received a correction from Fellows Auction House director Adrian Hailwood. He stated and validated that in fact someone close to the Spencer family had reached out to Fellows in December of 2016 about this matter. At the time, Fellows in fact chose not to enact their own privacy policy and reached out privately to the winner of the watch in 2012 on behalf of the family – a noble gesture indeed. Unfortunately, the winner of the sale in 2012 has since sold the watch and was unwilling to divulge to whom it was sold – something he is well within his or her rights to do, and the representative of the family was informed. The representative of the Spencer family expressed their sincerest gratitude to Fellows, as should all of us for doing the right thing in this case. Apologies to Fellows for the oversight and thanks for doing the right thing in this unusual situation.

MCT is a watchmaker known for thinking outside the box. Sometimes far outside the box. The new Dodekal One D110 presents a completely new take on a hybrid mechanical/digital display for the hours while drawing on the aesthetic codes of previous MCT watches too. This is one that definitely begs for a closer look.

At SIHH we showed you the MCT Sequential One 110 Evo Vantablack, a watch that used the blackest pigment on Earth to create an otherworldly effect. This watch takes a more mechanically-focused approach to getting your attention, but does so to great effect.

The Dodekal D110 is inspired by early digital watches from the 1970s, but it's fully mechanical. The time display is pretty simple, with the hours shown in a faux-digital window at the center of the dial and the minutes counted out on a typical circular ring around that opening with a hand mounted to a central disc. The case is the familiar square MCT case, which here is 43mm on each side and comes in both an all titanium configuration and a combination black titanium and pink gold configuration.

One of the things that makes this new display so interesting though is that it doesn't change instantaneously. It actually takes 2.5 seconds for the numerals to change, supposedly creating a smooth, beautiful animation in the process. The carts that support each numeral components are guided by a circular cam to make this possible and the movement has 62 jewels and a 50-hour power reserve (wound up automatically via a micro-rotor). 

This is one of those watches that's intriguing enough right now, but that I'm sure will end up being far more impressive once we can see it (and film it) in person. Luckily, with Baselworld right around the corner, we won't have to wait long.

The MCT Dodekal One D110 is a limited edition, with just 25 pieces being made in each of the titanium and black titanium/pink gold versions. They're priced at 55,000 CHF (approximately $54,450 at time of publishing) and 61,000 CHF (approximately $60,390), respectively. 

For more, visit MCT watches online.

When Lotus test driver John Parramint was promoted and asked to test drive the Elan and the Europa, two of the British manufacturer’s most emblematic sports cars, his reaction was to go out and pick up a chronograph with a tachymeter bezel – not as a reward to himself, but to help him test the cars' speedometers. He purchased a Heuer Autavia Ref. 2446C, then a budget-friendly option – now, almost 50 years later, he's selling it at auction and might get back more than 100 times what he paid for it.

But let's start at the beginning. Checking the accuracy of speedometers – which were made by independent suppliers and connected by car manufacturers to gear boxes – was just one of John’s new responsibilities. Tests like these were required of all manufacturers who wanted to sell cars to the public, with tolerances of ±10% imposed on speedometers.  An accurate chronograph would just about do the trick.

What the driver needs to do for such a test is to get the test car up to a given speed and then press the start and stop buttons on his chronograph exactly when the test vehicle crosses two points one mile apart. If the driver is testing for, say, 90 miles per hour, the chronograph hand should be pointing to 90 on the tachymeter scale on the bezel, since basic math would dictate that it takes 40 seconds to cover one mile at 90 miles per hour. The car needs to be driven at a constant speed throughout the test, hence the need for a driver that is both experienced and familiar with the car.

"It was rudimentary, but it’s effective," said John in a telephone interview, pointing out that Lotus was a small manufacturer who made only 10 to 15 cars per week, and that more elaborate tests may have taken place for larger manufacturers.

After briefly considering an Omega Speedmaster – another chronograph introduced to market shortly before the Autavia – John says he decided to settle on the less expensive Heuer Autavia Ref. 2446C. One or two of the guys on the Lotus F1 team wore these and if it was good enough for them, he figured it was good enough for him.

John says he bought the watch for £57. "My father thought I was crazy," he says. This was a lot of money for a general inspector to spend – in today's currency that would be somewhere around $1,500. But it was an important everyday tool for John, who now stands to make 100 times back what he paid for the watch in 1968.

John left Lotus in 1969, but continued to wear the watch exclusively until the late 1980s when he decided to pick up a Rolex Datejust. By then the watch had been to Monza, Nürburgring, Silverstone and other legendary circuits around Europe, and the mileage really started to show. John eventually had the original leather strap changed for a later Heuer bracelet.

Today, the watch presents some light scratches on the bezel and the bezel insert, with deeper cuts on the lugs and a large crack on the sapphire crystal. However, the overall condition is impressive considering how often and under what circumstances it was worn, and John credits that to the role the watch played for so many years.

"The one thing you look after are your tools," said John. "Like all workmen who value their profession, I valued the tools I was working with."

John says he started thinking about selling the watch a couple of years ago, when he noticed the re-sale value of vintage Heuer chronographs go up. He currently wears a Rolex Submariner and has decided his Heuer is "surplus to requirements" these days.

The watch is Lot 106 in the upcoming Watches Of Knightsbridge sale, and it comes full set, with its original box and papers. Here is the listing for it in the auctioneer’s online catalog, where it carries an estimate of £5,000 - 7,000 (approximately $6,150 - 8,600 at time of publishing). The sale will take place in London on Saturday, March 18 and you can already preview the watch in person.

For more information, visit Watches Of Knightsbridge online.

In anticipation of Baselworld this year, Hamilton has released a new automatic chronograph, the Intra-Matic 68. It's a throwback to the vintage chronographs produced by the maker in the 1960s, specifically the Chrono-Matic, that are so popular with collectors today. With a few modern updates, the Intra-Matic 68 is a fresh new take on an old standby.

First things first, where did this watch design come from? Well, back in 1968, Hamilton released the Chronograph A and the Chronograph B. The former featured a panda dial, with white background and black subsidiary dials, while the latter had the reverse configuration. These two watches were both powered by the Valjoux 7730 at launch, and later they'd switch to the Valjoux 7734. Hamilton eventually released the Chrono-Matic with the caliber 11 movement featuring a left-hand crown. It is safe to say that the new Intra-Matic 68 is aesthetically a combination of all three of these watches. 

The new release comes in a 42mm steel case with basic pump-style pushers for the chronograph. The dial is a reverse panda dial with a black base and white subsidiary dials, and you'll notice right away that the sub-registers are a little oversized. The tachymeter scale is a silvered ring that matches the sub-registers and the date display at six o'clock uses a black disc to keep it from being too contrasty. The dial layout is almost identical to that of the Chronograph B, with the exception of that date window (which can be seen on the original Chrono-Matic). The movement is the caliber H-31, which is an automatic chrono movement with a 60-hour power reserve, based on the ETA 7753. 

Overall, this is a really great watch, however I am sure there will be some case-size and date window complaints. If those things don't bother you, it presents good value and is a nice nod to some historic chronographs. The price is set at $2,195 and you can visit Hamilton online for more. This watch will be produced in a limited number of 1,968.

Be sure to check back for live photos during Baselworld next week. 

Earlier today, we received some fresh details concerning Phillips’ next themed sale - the fourth since the auction house formed a partnership with consulting firm Bacs & Russo. The first themed sale, which took place in 2015, centered around the Day-Date. This time, Phillips will concentrate on Heuer.

It was inevitable, really. Heuer has enjoyed a significant increase in collectability in recent years, the Autavia recently setting the auction world alight when it officially became a six-figure watch. In total, Phillips will be offering 49 vintage Heuer chronographs, all of them rare and all of them produced between 1962 and 1982 - otherwise know as the Jack Heuer era - before the company was purchased by Technique d’Avant Garde and rebranded as TAG Heuer.

The collection, which Aurel Bacs has already dubbed "the finest collection of vintage Heuer watches to come to market in recent years," is comprised of watches owned by two of the most well-known figures of the Heuer community, Richard Crosthwaite and Paul Gavin.

Their books "Heuer Monaco, Design Classic" and "Heuer Autavia Chronographs 1962-85" have the definitive say on two of Heuer’s most iconic models, and a few of the models photographed in these books will show up in the sale. Highlights of the collection include a complete, ref. 1133B ‘Steve McQueen’ Monaco and a superb example of the ‘Dark Lord’ ref. 74033N made in 1975, which many consider a grail. We've come across one of these on three separate occasions, when viewing the collections of Eric Ku, Jeff Stein and Morgan King. 

Also up for grabs will be a 1163T ‘Siffert Chromatic’ made in 1969 with its original box and original caseback striker still in place, as well as one of three first execution Autavia reference 2446 ‘Seafarer’ chronographs retailed by Abercrombie & Fitch Co.

The sale will be completed by a 50th model, this one recently made. Indeed, TAG Heuer will be offering a limited edition of its yet-to-released Autavia, number 1 of 1932 to be precise, to commemorate the model’s 55th anniversary. The proceeds from that particular sale will be donated to the Save The Children charity.

The Crosthwaite & Gavin Collection: Exceptional Heuer Chronographs From The Jack Heuer Era will take place in Geneva, in November 2017. The full catalogue isn't available on the Phillips website yet, but I would bookmark it right now because it's going to be very special.

Today in London, Montblanc has unveiled its latest horological creation, the Summit Smartwatch. You might remember Montblanc dipping its toe into the digital waters a few years ago with an "e-strap," but now the watch and pen company is diving in head-first. We've got all the details on the new line-up, along with a ton of live photos and some perspective from Montblanc CEO (and now Richemont board member) Jérome Lambert.

It's worth noting up front that this is the first smartwatch to come from one of Richemont's portfolio brands. It comes hot on the heels of TAG Heuer's second smartwatch and just a few months after Frederique Constant spun off MMT as a separate company. The Swiss are clearly serious about getting into the still-developing smartwatch market and specifically about creating a space for luxury smartwatches.

"This project goes all the way back to 2013, just around the time I was to join Montblanc," said Lambert when asked about the origins of the Summit. "I was practicing mountaineering in Switzerland and experimenting showed me my traditional running watch wasn't capable of what I needed and my fine watches wouldn't either. I was frustrated that after 11 years in fine watchmaking I couldn't fine a proper tool." So he went out and made one.

The Summit Smartwatch uses Montblanc's sporty, vintage-inspired 1858 collection as a jumping off point. The case is 46mm across and 12.5mm thick. It very much looks and feels like a Montblanc watch, despite the fact that there's no physical dial or hands to speak of. It certainly wears big, as you'd expect from those specs, but it's relatively lightweight, since there's not a hefty mechanical movement inside and the construction is either steel or titanium.

There are four different color variants of the Montblanc Summit: black PVD stainless steel, stainless steel with a black PVD bezel, stainless steel with a satin finish, and grade five titanium with a satin finish. You'll notice there are no photos of the titanium version here, as prototypes were not yet available to shoot. To complement these cases, there are eight strap options: black, blue, green, and red rubber NATOs, black calfskin, brown or navy blue Sfumato calfskin, and alligator. Montblanc quotes "more than 300 different configurations" but that does include the different watch faces as well, not just hardware set-ups.

The Summit's crystal is curved and made of sapphire, something Montblanc is emphasizing as a connection to more traditional watchmaking. We're very used to tapping and swiping on flat glass, and sapphire tends to fingerprint pretty badly, so I was a little skeptical here. But, the curve is barely noticeable (I honestly think most people won't even realize). Fingerprints, on the other hand, are definitely an issue, though that's not unique to this smartwatch by any means.

As far as the technical specs go, the Summit has a Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 2100 processor inside and a 1.39 inch AMOLED display outside. There are sensors for measuring steps and movement, a compass and gyroscope for orientation, a barometer, an ambient light sensor, and a heart rate monitor. There's also a microphone for voice commands and both wi-fi and Bluetooth connectivity (no cellular though). On board you've got 4GB of storage for synching music and other data offline. The two things you've probably noticed missing are a speaker and an NFC payment chip, so you won't be making phone calls (GOOD!) or utilizing Android Pay with the Summit.

Battery life is about one day, so you're going to need to charge the Summit while you're sleeping each night. You can do this via micro USB on an included magnetic dock. The whole thing is IP68 water resistant, which is the same standard Samsung has used for its latest crop of phones (and one standard above the iPhone 7).

The Summit runs Android Wear 2.0, which is standard for new Android-based smartwatches at this point. Released just a few weeks ago, the latest iteration of Google's wearable operating system is the first major revamp of the platform and it adds support for things like contactless payments and cellular connectivity. There's the usual mix of Montblanc-themed watch faces, including those styled after 1858 collection watches as well as the new batch of Time Walkers, and each month, Montblanc will release a new face so the watch always stays fresh. 

One interesting new offering is the opportunity for customers to design their own digital watch dials with Montblanc's creative team. It won't be cheap – starting from €15,000 (approiximately $16,100 at time of publishing) – but if having your Summit look completely unique is a priority, or you have some very specific use case that needs to be accommodated, it's an option.

When asked about the high price, Lambert had a very simple response: "Of course, if I'm going to have my designers work exclusively on that [for a period of time]." He also emphasized that with this service comes a few Summit watches with the watch face loaded on them, and a one-on-one relationship with the creative team at Montblanc. "This gives us the opportunity to do things we cannot do in fine watchmaking, unless you go to Villeret and then we get a €200,000 watch."

Otherwise, most of the software experience is pretty standard for Android Wear 2.0, though with some aesthetic touches and integrations of apps into Montblanc designs. For example, you've got the Google Assistant, Uber, Google Play Music, and Foursquare city guides all right out of the box, plus an integration with Runtastic that includes special watch faces and a free three-month Premium membership. One noted exception is the new Worldtimer app that' a super cool digital take on a favorite complication.

After speaking with Lambert for half an hour or so earlier today, he mentioned the Summit being a "second watch" for people already interested in mechanical watches. I think he's right there. I don't know if I see people shopping for $350 Android Wear smartwatches springing for this instead. Rather, the person who wants a digital tool without having to give up everything he or she knows about watchmaking will see this an option that can scratch both itches.

Long term, Lambert also seems this as part of a larger digital ecosystem. For instance, integration with Montblanc's Augmented Paper will be coming soon and addition tie-ins are already in the works.

The Summit will be available beginning in May, with a starting retail price of €890 (approximately $955 at time of publishing). For two weeks it will be available exclusively on Mr. Porter, with general availability at Montblanc.com, Montblanc boutiques, and authorized Montblanc retailers starting after that. This prices it below TAG Heuer's options, but still well above most Android Wear smartwatches (and, for what it's worth, the Apple Watch).

For more, visit Montblanc online.

This week, the selected watches all share one common characteristic: they were made in the late 1960s-early 1970s, just before the quartz crisis. They were not marketed as luxury products, just solid wristwatches for everyday wear. You will discover the Zenith El Primero A3817, with its striking tri-color dial and automatic chronograph caliber – and we also have an unusual high-beat, chronometer-certified Ulysse Nardin. And of course, our roundup wouldn't be complete without a couple of dive watches, namely the Movado Super Sub Sea and the Bulova Oceanographer Automatic. This is your Bring A Loupe for March 17, 2017.

A Movado Super Sub Sea

The Movado Super Sub Sea displays a waterproof caseback to justify its name, but underwater use is not recommended – pump pushers are an eternal weakness of submerged chronographs. Note that this is why Rolex eventually went with the screw-down pushers for its Daytona. Except for the inner tachymeter scale, this Movado reference 206-704-501 looks almost identical to the Zenith A277, and there is a good reason for that, since the brands were under the same ownership at the time. 

The 40mm case size wears great on the wrist, especially when the case is in such a great condition. The black bezel here shows the expected light fading, and patina on its lume pip. The manual-winding caliber 146-HP (also used in the Zenith A277) is well regarded, as it stems from the same Martel ebauche used by Universal Genève. One small thing: the second hand shows a darker patina than the rest of the handset and the painted indexes, but its box shape is correct for this reference when it sports dauphine hands. 

The Italian dealer Andrea Foffi just listed this Movado Super Sub Sea for €7,500 (or around $8,080). 

A Zenith El Primero Reference A3817, With Tricolor Dial

You may remember the Zenith El Primero A3817 from our dedicated article. If not, you might at least recognize its tri-color dial, which also found in the more frequently seen El Primero A386. The most obvious difference between those two watches is the case, which much more angular and tonneau-shaped for the reference A3817. One more thing going for the less traditional reference A3817: only 1,000 examples were ever made, while 2,500 A386 watches were produced. 

This Zenith comes with the original Gay-Frères bracelet that has hollow links, but only one of its endlinks (trying to find another should be an interesting hunt). A vintage Zenith-signed strap is also included, as is the signed buckle, so you won't be short of strap options. The seller correctly notes that crown is a replacement, and that there is very slight fading of the word "pulsations" in the tachymeter scale. Very importantly, the original handset remained, as the blue seconds hand is impossible to find. Lastly, the high-beat automatic caliber 3019PHC is said to be working well.

Watches With Patina offers this Zenith El Primero A3817 for $9,300.

A Bulova Oceanographer 333, With Automatic Movement

Bulova is not the brand most commonly associated with dive watches, yet the aptly named Oceangrapher and Snorkel should not be overlooked by vintage dive watch enthusiasts. The present watche is often called the Oceangrapher 333, in reference to its 333 feet water resistance, and as opposed to the bulkier Oceangrapher 666 with its bi-color bezel. In form, the Oceangrapher 333 is more of a desk diver, a versatile wristwatch much like the Rolex Datejust, which indeed might have been an inspiration, based on the fluted bezel and the date window.

The 36mm case size is also common with the Rolex Datejust, but the applied indexes are definitely not alike, and here the tritium lume has taken on a very nice dark patina. The inset placement of the indexes at 12, 6 and 9 is extremely interesting, as those balance better with the date window at 3 o'clock. The watch comes with the correct signed Bulova, crown and an unsigned vintage bracelet. Overall, the condition of this watch is great with a sharp case, and dark black dial without imperfection.

You can find this Bulova Oceanographer Automatic listed on Watchsteez for $550.

A Ulysse Nardin 36000 Chronometer Automatic, With COSC Certification

Another watch with a fluted bezel, this Ulysse Nardin offers many other indications on its dial. The logo would be hard to miss, but so are its chronometer certification, and the high-beat mention in the lower part of the dial. The NB 11 QU caliber is known as a tuned-up version of the more common caliber ETA 2826, and reported to have only been produced in 1,000 pieces in the 1970s. It achieved both a COSC certification, and a 36,000 beats per hour, while the base ETA was limited to 28,800 beat. 

The current example here shows an uncommon fluted bezel and a waterproof screwback case. The dial seems in outstanding condition, with no lume on the dial or hands. The crown is signed, and so is the bracelet, made by JB Champion in the 1970s, which matches with the timeline of its rare automatic high-beat caliber.

An Italian dealer placed this Ulysse Nardin Chronometer Automatic on Chrono24 for €3,400 (or around $3,660).  

A Breitling Sprint Reference 2010, With Black Dial

The Breitling Sprint is a bit in the shadow of the Top Time, but this reference 2010 has its own strong points. Produced in the late 1960s, it either comes in the current black dial version, or with a no-less attractive "bow-tie" dial. It also boasts a 40mm case size that still wears perfectly (bear in mind that many chronographs of the time were in the 35-36mm range). And there is nothing bad to say about its Valjoux caliber 7733, a workhorse chronograph movement.

This Sprint comes with the correct two-tone bezel, indicating nicely the hours and minutes. Its reddish chronograph seconds hand is correct, and matches the regatta countdown that can be seen on the right counter, which measures the elapsed minutes before the start of a yacht race. Note that the signed Breitling buckle is undoubtedly later than the watch, something it would be hard to say with certainty about the signed buckle.

This Breitling Sprint reference 2010 can be found on a Spanish forum for €1,850 (or around $1,990)