Well, well, well, here's the latest new addition into Tudor's Black Bay family, a fully blue version dubbed the Black Bay Fifty-Eight "Navy Blue." While this will come as little surprise to anyone who frequents any of the Tudor enthusiast bases online, the original black/gilt BB58 ranks among the hottest watches on the market today (even more so at its price point), so a new addition – especially one that doubles down on the vintage inspiration – is huge news (even if some of you saw it coming).
The Tudor Black Bay Fifty-Eight "Navy Blue" with its available fabric strap (left), steel bracelet (center), and synthetic "soft touch" strap (right).
So, it's a Black Bay Fifty-Eight with a lovely, rich blue used for both the dial and the bezel. Like the original Fifty-Eight that was launched at Baselworld 2018 (pour one out) and which got a very close look in Stephen Pulvirent's A Week On The Wrist, this new reference 79030B is 39mm wide, 11.9mm thick, and employs Tudor's in-house MT5402 in the same date-free format. You'll probably recall that the MT5402 features a balance bridge for better shock resistance and stability, as well as a silicon balance spring and Rolex Microstella-style free-sprung, adjustable mass balance – very much a Rolex technology movement. As a small departure from the 2018 Fifty-Eight, this new colorway is available on a bracelet, one of Tudor's lovely fabric straps in blue with a silver stripe (now celebrating 10 years of production), or a blue synthetic strap made of a tactile material that Tudor says resembles flannel.
Initial Thoughts
So, why navy blue? Or more specifically, why blue for the bezel and the dial, when so many past Black Bay models have only shown color on their bezels? For that, you can thank the French Navy, aka the Marine Nationale. So prolific was the Marine Nationale's preference for using Tudor Subs as issued watches that an entire range of the brand's iconic "Snowflake" Submariner is commonly referred to as the "MN." While MN Tudors came in both black and blue, Tudor picked the blue variant as inspiration for this 2020 model, and that is why we see a blue dial and bezel for the new 79030B.
The eventual MN Tudors were born of earlier models that saw time on the battlefield, like Moki Martin's ref. 7928. Progressing through the '60s and into the '70s, Tudor's involvement with the Marine Nationale not only helped shape the development of their Submariner as a true military-issued dive watch, but legit signed examples of references like the late-60s 7016/0 and the mid-70s 9041/0 are seriously collectible and thus offer an ideal reference for a vintage-inspired watch like the Black Bay Fifty-Eight.
Jumping back to today, I think this is a predictable hat trick for Tudor as they (1) get a really distinctive play on the exceedingly popular Black Bay Fifty-Eight; (2) link back to the brand's storied and well-documented history as a military supplier, in this case specifically with the Marine Nationale; and (3) they get to bridge both (1) and (2) in terms of leveraging raw collectability with the continued appeal of the Black Bay lineup.
More to come once we get to see this blue beauty in the metal. Until then, get your credit card ready for the waitlist and hit the comments to let us know if you prefer your Fifty-Eight in navy blue or the original black with gilt accents.
The Basics
Brand: Tudor Model: Black Bay 58 Blue Reference Number: 79030B
Diameter: 39mm Thickness: 11.9mm Case Material: Steel Dial Color: Blue Indexes: Applied Lume: Yes, markers and hands Water Resistance: 200 meters Strap/Bracelet: Steel bracelet, blue "soft touch" synthetic strap, or blue/silver fabric strap.
Earlier this year, we covered the release of the new Pasha de Cartier collection. Now, Cartier has announced a stable of ambassadors who will join the brand in the launch of the newly redesigned watch. The celebrities taking part are Rami Malek, Willow Smith, Troye Sivan, Maisie Williams, and Jackson Wang. Each one of them comes from a different artistic background, ranging from cinema to television to music. They each bring an independent, non-conformist spirit, which the brand says fits with the intended design code of the Pasha de Cartier as a watch "for those who take a wider view of the world."
Speaking of the newly formed group of ambassadors, Cartier said, "Since its creation in the 1980s, the Pasha watch has embodied a certain idea of success directly linked to its extroverted design, power and graphic nonconformism. It is as edgy as ever and in tune with today's new generation of creators. These new Pasha ambassadors owe their success to their differences, creativity, connection, multidisciplinary talents and generosity."
In 2019, Rami Malek took home the Academy Award for his performance in Bohemian Rhapsody, in which he embodied the character of Freddie Mercury. If you haven't seen the film, I recommend you give it a watch for his performance alone. I, for one, cannot wait to see him take the mantle as the latest villain in the forthcoming James Bond: No Time to Die. Similarly, Maisie William, through her series-long run on Game of Thrones as Arya Stark, showed a diverse range of both dramatic and physical acting, earning her great acclaim. Willow Smith, daughter of the iconic Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith, has been performing music since she was a child, releasing the hit song "Whip My Hair" at only 10 years old. Those three, along with Jackson Wang, a hip-hop artist and singer from China, and Troye Sivan, an Australian singer-songwriter, will be the new faces behind the Pasha. Cartier describes their work and accomplishments as "changing the codes of success by forging exceptional, new and diverse paths of creativity."
Now, while ambassadorships can often seem a bit tenuous, I do see the connecting threads that make this a good fit with the new Pasha De Cartier. Each of the ambassadors represents a unique and fresh take with respect to their particular craft – a good fit for the Pasha, which is one of Cartier's most highly idiosyncratic models. Even though the new design signals more of a harkening back to the original Pasha watch circa 1985, it still represents a fresh approach. Having a group of dynamic young artists represent the new watch at launch can certainly bring about some excitement for the model, and underscores the fact that the Pasha makes as distinctive a design statement as it did when it was first released.
The newly revamped Cartier Pasha de Cartier will come in both 35mm and 41mm sizes, with steel, gold, and diamond-set options, as well as skeletonized movement variants. With the new ambassadors on board, the new Pasha Launches today in China, and worldwide on September 4. Be sure to check out our Introducing article on the watch here for more information on the Pasha de Cartier.
We are back today with a pre-Fourth of July round-up of vintage watches to help get you through to the holiday weekend. Today's selection comprises all white-metal watches of either the chronograph or time-only variety. Whether you prefer manual to automatic, we've got options in both, all in an assortment of case shapes and sizes.
Sit back and relax, it's vintage time.
1964 Patek Philippe Calatrava Ref. 3498 In 18k White Gold
There is just something about a vintage ultra-thin watch with a manually wound movement that is extremely satisfying on the wrist. It's also a reminder that horological innovation can be found in all eras. How impressive is it that Patek Philippe was able to craft a movement approximately 5mm thick, all the way back in the 1960s? This Calatrava ref. 3498 features ultra-thin caliber 175, allowing the watch to sit extremely flat on the wrist and perfectly under any shirt cuff. Further, this example is cased in 18k white gold, adding to its understated appeal.
1971 Heuer Autavia Ref. 1163T 'Jo Siffert'
The Autavia ref. 1163T with "Jo Siffert" colors, known as such due to the watch's presence on the legendary driver's wrist, differs from all other vintage Autavia models because of its crisp white dial and striking blue accents. The use of these two, eye-catching colors on the dial allows the ref. 1163T to stick out from the crowd of similar black-dialed sport watches and chronographs from the same era. This watch has a remarkably clean overall look that is perfect for the summer months. The ref. 1163T "Jo Siffert" is one of the most desirable vintage automatic Autavia models. Heuer produced this reference from 1969 to around 1972, where it then partnered with Viceroy cigarettes to sell the ref. 1163 Viceroy (more on that here). The Autavia ref. 1163T "Jo Siffert" holds a special place in the watch collecting community and remains highly sought-after. Comedian and car enthusiast Jerry Seinfeld is known to wear a ref. 1163T on occasion, which you can sometimes spot on his show, Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee.
1971 Bulova Deep Sea 'B' Chronograph
This Bulova Deep Sea Chronograph is full of character and neat details. First, the watch features a nicely sized 37.5mm case with visible bevels on its edges – always a welcome attribute. The dial itself is glossy black with two white registers, providing it with a "reverse-panda" look. For extra legibility, the dial has a highlighter-orange central seconds hand, which you won't be able to miss. The bezel is executed in a "Coke"-style colorway, with the first 15 minutes in red and the rest in black, something that was also selected to improve legibility. The lack of text on the dial provides the watch with a nice, minimalist look. All the dial says is "Bulova" near 12 o'clock, with a depth rating reading "666 Feet" directly underneath it. The last bit of text at the very bottom is "T Swiss Made T," which indicates where the watch was built and that the dial contains tritium lume. Overall, this is a very handsome example of a diving chronograph from the 1970s.
The Full Set
In addition to the three highlights above, we also have a beautiful IWC with caliber 852 in steel from the 1950s, a strikingly simple 1959 Rolex Oyster ref. 6426, and a sporty Waltham chronograph from the 1970s. Head on over to the HODINKEE Shop for a closer look!
Each and every Wednesday, we present a fresh installment of "My Watch Story," a video series starring HODINKEE readers and their most prized watches. The submissions continue to stream in, and we couldn't be happier to share them with the watch community. Today, we have five new stories submitted by Noor Rizvi, Steve Holness, Thabo Chiloane, Mark Rawlins, and Richard Pickup.
Feeling inspired, or just discovering this project? Please scroll down to the bottom of the page to learn how to submit your own video. But first, we hope you enjoy this installment of My Watch Story.
Noor Rizvi And His F.P. Journe Elegante 48
Noor, who is from Islamabad, Pakistan, bought this titanium F.P. Journe a few years ago in Los Angeles while reuniting with an old friend. He's always been fascinated by the brand – and this is the one watch that mesmerizes his son, who he hopes will one day share his passion for watches.
Steve is a pianist from London who's played with the likes of Adele and Amy Winehouse. His Anordain is one of eight of the limited edition "Run Out" model from the independent Glasgow-based watchmaker. When he found it difficult to tell the time on stage, he considered sending it back – but Anordain offered to lume the hands for him, creating a truly unique piece.
As a high schooler in South Africa, Thabo dreamt of owning a Rolex one day. After university, he was able to do just that, and this Datejust ref. 1601 has been his everyday watch ever since. He appreciates its lightness, robustness, and accuracy.
Mark Rawlins And His Atelier De Chronométrie
Mark first read about Atelier de Chronométrie on HODINKEE and became fascinated by their watches. The Barcelona-based independent watchmaker produces a handful of pieces a year, utilizing Omega 266 movements. Mark has also always wanted to design his own watch – and working with Atelier de Chronométrie, he's created four watches, each with a different dial color, for himself and his three brothers, complete with engraved dates that honor their parents.
Richard, a final year student at the University of Cambridge, went on a family trip to Japan during last year's Rugby World Cup. At the time, he was just getting into watches and found this Seiko at a vintage shop in Osaka. Every time he looks at it, he's reminded of that family trip.
Ready To Submit Your Own Watch Story? Here's How It Works
1. Pick one watch that is very special to you, and get your camera phone ready.
2. Record a video telling us your most interesting or meaningful story about your watch. Let's say 2-3 minutes is the sweet spot – if you go longer, that's okay. (And please remember to introduce yourself: your name and where you are from.)
3. Get creative, keep it clean, and have fun!
4. Take some photos on the wrist and a few shots of the watch so that we can proudly display them on our site. Horizontal, please.
5. To share your video and photos, you can either A) upload here; or B) upload to your preferred large file transfer service and send a link to mywatchstory@hodinkee.com.
Breguet has just announced a new version of one of its most appealing watches. The Breguet Tradition watches have been with us for some 15 years now (they were first introduced in 2005), and the ref. 7097 combines the going train layout of Breguet's souscription watches from the early 19th century with a self-winding system derived from his perpetuelle watches. The new 7097 has a blue guilloché dial and will be available only through Breguet's boutiques (as of this writing, I'm told that all the firm's U.S. boutiques are open).
The Tradition family of watches, and the 7097, have been around for long enough that they are a bit easy to take for granted, but it has always amazed me that they exist at all. To take the train of the souscription watches and make it visible on the dial side of a wristwatch was, I think, an inspired move. The Breguet souscription timepieces were fascinating things – because they were sold on the subscription system (pay 25% up front and the rest on delivery, with a guarantee that there would not be delays and that orders would be filled in the order they came in), they are sometimes thought of as lesser watches, but on closer examination, they show just as much beauty as the master's garde temps tourbillons. They are large, sturdy timepieces at 61mm in diameter and have a single hour hand, with a dial marked in five-minute increments (the large dial size meant that reading the time to the nearest minute could be done fairly easily).
Breguet souscription pocket watch.
The simplicity and association with relative economy makes it easy to miss, but the souscription watches were made with all the attention to detail and craftsmanship to be found in Breguet's more expensive watches. Steelwork is mirror-bright and contrasts wonderfully with the heat-blued components and gilt plate. The souscription watches were also designed and made to keep very accurate time. Breguet used the cylinder escapement for these watches (there were about 700 made, mostly between 1798 and 1805), and while the cylinder is generally considered inferior in any form to the lever, Breguet's ruby cylinder escapements were a technological miracle for the time and were capable of impressive accuracy – George Daniels, in The Art Of Breguet, notes that Breguet's ruby escapements represent the apex of technical sophistication for the escapement.
Movement, Breguet souscription no. 383.
They were so well designed that temperature effects on the balance spring, which could be ignored in earlier and less sophisticated versions of the escapement, had to be taken into account, and the souscription watches feature temperature compensation for the balance spring, as well as Breguet's pare-chute anti-shock system, and Maltese Cross stopwork to ensure that only the most efficient part of the mainspring's power curve was employed (over a 36-hour power reserve). If you have ever thought that the souscription watches are mere also-rans, I can recommend a superb tear-down and analysis over at The Naked Watchmaker. Daniels remarked that Breguet's souscription watches were so well made that they were capable of easily keeping time to within a minute a day, "without attention for many years" if properly lubricated and set up. This may not sound terribly impressive in today's terms, when a high-grade wristwatch can keep time to within a couple of seconds per day, but it was unprecedented for a cylinder escapement in the early 19th century.
The 7097 brings all of the charm and symmetry of the original souscription movement to a self-winding wristwatch, and it is a fascinating combination of both old and new watchmaking techniques and technology. The grained finish on the gilt bridges and plate of the original has been retained, as has the use of a separate stepped cock for each of the train wheels. As in the original souscription, the mainspring barrel is in the center of the movement, and the starfish-like five armed design for the train wheels is present as well. Breguet even goes so far as to reproduce the pare-shock anti-shock system; it is remarkable that Breguet's invention is as effective today as it was more than two centuries ago.
The 7097 is essentially an inverted souscription movement. Therefore, rather than the single large hour hand of the original, it uses a smaller dial, on which is superimposed the sector for the retrograde seconds. Modern technology is represented by the use of a silicon balance spring and, while the original souscription used a regulator with index, the 7097 uses a freesprung adjustable mass balance. Unusually, Breguet makes their silicon balance spring with a Breguet overcoil, the only company I am aware of that does so. Two of the most attractive elements on the dial side are the pare-chute shock system and the balance spring stud, which are both in black-polished steel and which, in fit, finish, and placement, very much echo the original souscription watches.
One other major technical difference between the souscription watches and the 7097 is that the 7097 is self-winding. Breguet used platinum for the winding weights of his perpetuelle watches (if you ever want to get yourself a mighty hunk of platinum, buy an original perpetuelle watch), and his system had a number of interesting features. The oscillating weight was designed in such a way that when the watch was in a pocket, as it moved up and down while the owner walked, the inertia of the weight would tend to make it remain stationary relative to the ground – the watch, more or less, moves around the weight. The weight oscillated through only a small arc, and the curves on either side of the weight represented the arc of the case interior as the weight reached the limit of its movement. This very distinctive shape has been reproduced in the 7097, although in the case of the wristwatch, the winding mass rotates through a full 360 degrees and is made of white gold rather than platinum.
I find the Tradition watches among the most intellectually interesting and physically beautiful in Breguet's modern production. They are not a direct reproduction of anything Breguet made during his lifetime, but they incorporate some of the most intriguing aspects of his workshop's production. In connecting with the souscription watches, they connect to some of the purest watches that the workshop made. In their reduction to essentials, they show very clearly why Breguet's watches set the standard for aesthetics and mechanical genius.
The Breguet Tradition Automatique Seconde Rétrograde 7097 Boutique Edition With Blue Guilloché Dial: Case, 18k white gold with fluted caseband; sapphire front and back; diameter 40mm. Water resistance 12 bar; welded lugs with screw bars. Blue dial in gold, engine turned; retrograde small seconds at 10:00; Breguet hands in rhodium-plated steel. Movement, Breguet caliber 5051RI, 14 1/2 lignes, running in 38 jewels with 50-hour power reserve. Lever escapement with silicon pallets; freesprung balance; silicon balance spring with Breguet overcoil. Adjusted in six positions. Price, $36,100; available now at Breguet boutiques. Find out more about the Tradition collection at Breguet.com.
It's interesting to consider what Laurent Ferrier has accomplished in terms of establishing itself as a highly desirable marque for collectors, and then to consider how it happened in the space of the last ten years. When you look closely at the watches, it seems pretty obvious why they have garnered a following. They blend a high-level horological craft with a design sensibility that pays respect to classic watch design without copying; this is an incredibly difficult thing to do. One can look at an LF watch on a distant wrist and know exactly what it is, and one can also venture reasonable guesses about the collector it's strapped to: where their tastes lie, and what other watches might interest them. All of which is to say that Laurent Ferrier has earned a highly developed and recognizable identity in a relatively short period of time, and this in the slow-moving world of watches.
To celebrate its tenth year, Laurent Ferrier is going back a bit to its roots and to the Classic case shape that earned the young company its first major accolades at the 2010 Geneva Grand Prix with the Galet Classic Tourbillon Double Spiral. The new Classic Origin Opaline has the same smooth contours as that award-winning watch, but it comes in a lightweight grade-5 titanium package housing a comparatively simpler hand-wound movement. In typical LF fashion, it has an elegantly proportioned dial and the classic "Assegai"-shaped hands that have long graced the wristwatches from the independent Geneva watchmaker.
An almost textbook picture of balance and symmetry, the silvered opaline dial is evenly divided into quadrants from its center, with hour markers converging inward from the minute track. Great contrast comes via Burgundy-colored markings for the sub-seconds as well as for the numerals of the hours 13 through 24, should one desire the time on a 24-hour scale. The sense for shape, color, and symmetry that have always been the calling cards of Laurent Ferrier is there.
Under that dial, we have a new manually wound movement in the form of the LF 116.01. It's equipped with a free-sprung balance and a Breguet overcoil, and it also has Laurent Ferrier's long-blade ratchet system, which is responsible for the rich click and tactile feel one experiences when winding it up. (If you have to wind your watch, it might as well feel and sound as good as possible.) Like the dial, the movement isn't the least bit loud or ostentatious, but it exudes an unmistakable air of quality. Its bridges have a discreet microblasted black rhodium finish and hand-polished edges.
Initial Thoughts
At this point, Laurent Ferrier has, by my count, five distinct case designs in its collection. But it feels natural to me that it would draw on the Classic case shape for a watch celebrating such a major milestone. This is the essential shape that, to many collectors, still represents what a Laurent Ferrier watch is and that manages somehow, despite its ostensibly simple roundness, to have such a palpable and distinct identity. And that beautiful opaline dial with Burgundy printing recalls something out of an horological vintage fever dream that I cannot quite place. This watch is sick.
Yet somehow, it's also a relatively low-key watch, albeit in a very high-end way. That's kind of how I've come to think of Laurent Ferrier. The watches really do speak for themselves. Reverence and respect for them run deep among people who really care about watches and likely already know that Mr. Laurent Ferrier spent his prior career at Patek Philippe or that he also happened to podium at Le Mans.
Today is an exciting day for the HODINKEE Shop, and we hope you'll appreciate it just as much as you have the thousands of watches, straps, books, and accessories we've sold over the years. Since the earliest days of the HODINKEE Shop, we've made it clear we would only ever stock products that we personally believe in – products that matter and that we would own ourselves. We know as well as you do that fantastic watches come in all shapes and sizes, and all we've ever wanted with HODINKEE is to share our genuine enthusiasm for those watches and to introduce them to as many people as possible. In our opinion, Apple Watch is one of the best ways to do that.
We're extremely proud to announce the HODINKEE Shop is now an Authorized Retailer for Apple Watch, as well as for a curated selection of Apple Watch accessories, which you can discover right here. This is big news, and we're thrilled to share it with you today.
What Apple Watch Means To Us
Apple Watch changed the narrative of what a watch can be, and it has had a greater impact on the perception of watches as personal possessions than any other watch in history. Because of Apple Watch, more people than ever before are using watches as tools for work and for pleasure, for travel and for communication. It's something we think is – and will continue to be – truly amazing for watches as a whole, which is an opinion we've shared with you many times.
HODINKEE had an early glimpse of Apple Watch – our founder and CEO, Ben Clymer, was the only member of a watch-focused publication invited to Apple's keynote presentation in September 2014, when Apple Watch was unveiled to the world for the first time. As the sole representative of traditional mechanical watchmaking in that audience, Ben was able to apply an individual and original perspective to our initial coverage that was unlike any other outlet covering the event. That article remains one of the most popular stories ever published on HODINKEE: Apple Watch not only struck a chord with us, but clearly with many of you as well.
There is nothing that comes close to the fluidity, attention to detail, or simple build quality found on Apple Watch in this price bracket.
Benjamin Clymer, A Watch Guy's Thoughts On The Apple Watch After Seeing It In The Metal, HODINKEE, 2014
Since then, Apple Watch, in its subsequent generations, has found a home on the wrists of many HODINKEE staffers. We wear it in tandem with our mechanical watches. We've examined the beauty of its various complications that are born out of respect for its mechanical forebears. We even interviewed Sir Jonathan Ive, then the Chief Design Officer of Apple, for the cover story of the HODINKEE Magazine, Volume 2. We think – quite sincerely – that Apple Watch is one of the most significant technological contributions of the 21st century. And we're not alone.
Seriously, how fantastic is that? That a watch, a device developed centuries ago as an object of necessity, born to give physical representation to something as conceptual as the passage of time, is able to continue to impact our daily lives. Apple inserted the wristwatch into the global conversation in a way it has never been before, beginning an unexpected, but entirely essential, new chapter in the history of watchmaking. It's the latest expression of what a watch can be and what it can do on the wrist, and it's only getting better with time.
Introducing Apple Watch Series 5
We're launching our inaugural assortment of Apple Watch products today with the latest edition of Apple Watch, the Series 5.
We've witnessed Apple Watch evolve throughout the years, and it's become apparent that this is the watch the future promised us. It's a technological marvel that will not only live with you unlike any other device, but also will make your life better. With each successive generation, Apple has refined and improved the ownership experience, and with Apple Watch Series 5, you now have the whole package, including best-in-class health monitoring, unparalleled communication capabilities, and, of course, hundreds of different options for indicating the time.
Most importantly, Apple Watch Series 5 is customizable in nearly an infinite amount of ways; it all depends on how you formulate the watch for yourself. If you want to use it solely as a fitness and health tracker – go right ahead. If you want to filter the amount of notifications you receive to a single app, you have that option, too. If you just want to use your Apple Watch as a passive weather monitor – more power to you. There is a nearly unprecedented amount of functionality and complications at your fingertips that allow you to personalize your Apple Watch in a way only you know how.
If we can help make some people realize that it's cool to wear something on your wrist again, that's a win for us and for every watch lover.
Sir Jonathan Ive, former Chief Design Officer of Apple, In the HODINKEE Magazine, Volume 2
If you recall back to HODINKEE's coverage of Series 5 when it was first announced, the discussion was largely driven by the addition of an "always-on" screen. This was a game-changer. No longer would Apple Watch exist as a blank black screen on your wrist; it instead lives concurrently with you during your day-to-day for at-a-glance use. Whether you prefer an analog or digital screen, a health tracking display, or one that combines all this information and more into a one-of-a-kind personal dashboard, Apple Watch Series 5 broke new ground and helped reach a larger audience than ever before.
We've spent time with every iteration of Apple Watch so far, and we've put the know-how we've gained to good use by curating a special selection of our favorite Apple Watch Series 5 models for your consideration. We've only selected what we believe to be the best of the current line, meaning all the options in the HODINKEE Shop feature GPS and cellular connectivity. You'll be able to choose from options in aluminum or stainless steel, in a number of different colorways, including Gold and Space Black, and a wide variety of band options too, from the fan-favorite Milanese Loop to one of Apple's colorful Sport Bands or Sport Loops. We also gathered an assortment of all the accessories you might need to best use your Apple Watch, from charging cables and docks to AirPods. We have to have AirPods, right?
Discover Apple Watch In The HODINKEE Shop
With Apple Watch, a whole new world of possibilities has opened for how we appreciate the watches on our wrists. It's the perfect illustration of why we've dedicated our lives to learning and talking about watches and watchmaking, and we believe Apple Watch to be the ideal complement to any well-considered watch collection.
There is room and appreciation for all kinds of watches on our wrists and in our lives, and we invite you to learn more about Apple Watch today in the HODINKEE Shop.
If you're wondering what time it is, don't look down at your wrist for the answer: It's time for the weekly round-up once again. This week's lot is a varied bunch with obscurities aplenty, including a Zodiac Autographic in excellent condition along with an early Mido which uses small spheres to tell the time. Closer to the realm of normalcy is a clean and complete Omega Constellation, and that's complemented by a more dressy Patek Philippe Calatrava in rare stainless steel. Since five is the magic number, there's also a Breitling-manufactured chronograph retailed by a little-known name, which ought to rouse some emotions. Let's find out.
Zodiac Autographic Ref. 666
For a name in watchmaking without top-tier status, Zodiac has a ridiculously long list of achievements and accomplishments within the industry and history of the craft. In addition to pioneering techniques and carving out new subcategories, it mastered mass-marketing in its heyday, explaining the success that characterized the company's original sales and the availability of vintage examples in today's market. I'm generally down with most Zodiacs of the '50s, '60s, and '70s, but it wouldn't feel right to break out just any old piece with the name on its dial. With this in mind, let's kick off the week with a look at a heavy hitter of another time, so to speak.
Our example shown here dates to the 1950s. Breaking out onto the scene with one of the first power-reserve complications in a wristwatch – plus a self-winding caliber and luminous applications – the Autographic made serious waves, quickly becoming one of Zodiac's most popular offerings. This watch is proof of the Autographic's genius, through its symmetrical design that offers intrigue in the form of its several hands. Black dials may be tempting, but I'd argue that this watch in this condition beats a black dial example in average condition every day. After all, condition is everything.
Powered by the Cal. 11A, which is based on A. Schild's Cal. 1250, the watch is capable of running for up to 36 hours at 18,000 vph when fully wound. That's not nothing, but my obsession with this watch stems from its appearance. Possibly shallow, yes, but there's no denying the beauty of the ornate lugs on the waterproof case, especially when paired with the luminous dial. Should you be after an impossibly clean watch, but still aren't looking to break the bank, I'd definitely take a look in this direction.
Justin Vrakas of Watch Steez is selling this Zodiac. The price on this one has been set at $1,300, which sounds pretty good if you ask me.
1966 Omega Constellation Ref. 168.017
The watches you see featured every week in this column become known to me in a number of ways: First, there are those which I personally seek out or am regularly on the hunt for, which make up the bulk of weekly roundups. Then you've got the watches that are purposely brought to my attention by their owners – some more directly than others – who are usually watch dealers I'm already familiar with. In rare and exciting instances, collectors introduce me to compelling pieces from sellers I don't already know of after asking for opinions concerning potential acquisitions. After not one, but three different collectors forwarded links to pieces from a Canadian dealer's inventory, I couldn't help but poke around in search of something of note.
Should you not have already figured it out, you're looking at a Constellation. This particularly spartan example of the reference dates back to 1966, putting it somewhat later in the storied lineage of precision-focused Constellations. Despite not being the earliest piece to bear the name, it's still got a Cal. 561 beneath the caseback and a Genta silhouette, ensuring both timing and styling capable of living up to the collection's reputation. Omegas of this vintage and price bracket simply can't be beat, and they are what I'll almost always suggest to non-watch-crazed friends after a respectable everyday piece.
Normally, I wouldn't be quick to jump at featuring one of these in that they don't exactly bring much wow factor to the table, but this is a bit of a different animal. The initial indication of excellence was the presence of the original boxes and papers, including its serial-matching chronometer certification. That alone would've been enough to pique my interest, but matters were made more interesting after noting the original crystal, unpolished case, and fitted Omega bracelet in matching stainless steel. While the full set isn't necessary, it sure is nice to have, and at the seller's asking price, your dollar goes quite a long way.
Bill Le Boeuf Jewellers of Barrie, Ontario, is offering this Omega on its site with an asking price of $2,695 CAD, which equates roughly to $1,985 USD. Additional photos and contact information can be found by accessing the link.
Patek Philippe Ref. 3509
If owning an example of a Patek Philippe is an honor bestowed upon a lucky few, acquiring a significant piece in stainless steel represents a unique pinnacle within that particular realm of collecting. For those that can't wrap their heads around the appeal and don't see what's the big fuss about steel dress watches, allow me to break it down for you. It all comes back to the unexpected nature of a delicately designed timepiece cased in such a hard-wearing material, which only gets more unexpected as the reference itself gets more complicated.
You're looking at a steel ref. 3509. Patek Philippe introduced the reference back in the 1960s, and it's remained relevant to this day as a result of its timeless styling and to-the-pointness. A number of dial variants were indeed produced, but the white dial with applied indices is without question the most elegant of the bunch, in my eyes. This combined with the steel case, you've got quite the stealthy little heavy hitter of sorts. It's sure to be the coolest piece in the room, and all without turning heads.
Collectors are sure to appreciate this one for the presence of its original boxes, papers, and hangtags, but eyes really light up upon noting its unpolished case and evenly aged white dial, which has now achieved a light cream color. The only big thing to consider is that the case size is actually somewhat small at roughly 33mm across, but if you've got the wrist to pull it off, I see no reason not to splurge. Whether you've already got a stable of watches this one can complement, or you're ready to go all-in on one great watch, this Calatrava is definitely worthy of consideration.
Miami's Menta Watches has this Patek Philippe listed for an even $10,000. For the perfect entry point into the world of stainless steel Calatrava collecting, hit that link and add some subtle heat to your collection.
Melik-Mido Rolling Hours
For me, coming across something the likes of which you've never seen before is the peak of watch collecting, as it's a reminder that there's still much to be discovered. It's not a common occurrence, but it's always a special occasion when I'm lucky enough to encounter one such curiosity. Earlier this week, I got lucky.
Though they're best known for more conventionally laid out pieces like those of the Multifort collection, Mido has a long history of taking the road less traveled in an effort to differentiate their designs. This early Melik-Mido is no exception, with two small balls indicating the hours and minutes. To this day, the ball and track system remains exceedingly avant-garde looking, but one is reminded of the watch's age after getting a look at the chrome-plated case. Usually, that'd be a dealbreaker for me, but in the case of a piece this unusual, we can make probably make an exception.
My one gripe with this example is the current condition of its dial and case, which while not entirely trashed, still isn't exactly clean. As many will know, chrome platings begin to wear off with the passing of time, just as dial colors change if not preserved properly, and while the two of these factors together would usually be enough to make me avoid a watch, this Melik-Mido might just slip through the cracks. It's just such a radical approach to time-telling (especially considering its release in the 1930s) that's hard not to fall in love with, which I'm sure you will too.
Boule Auctions of Monaco has this piece going up for sale on July 18, when it'll be offered with an estimate of €1,000 — €1,500. Find the full scoop here.
A weekly round-up wouldn't be complete without a chronograph of some sort, and if chronographs are what you're about, this week's is sure to get you going. As the widespread horological lexicon has come to accept, stopwatch-equipped timepieces like these are known as "clamshell chronographs" as a result of their case construction. As we've discussed before, this case design was impressive at the time of its release and remains so to this day, but this specific watch's design is simply on another level. Also, in an effort to make sure Tiffany dials aren't the only ones receiving retailer-signed fanfare, let's take a closer look at the history and outfit behind this one.
As you've likely already noticed, the dial on this Breitling-manufactured watch is signed Southwest Instrument. The Southwest Instrument Co. of San Pedro, California was founded in 1926 to supply sailors and aviators with necessary tools, including but not limited to chronometers for timekeeping en route. Southwest not only sold timepieces like this one, but also serviced them for clients, shedding light on their commitment to service way back when, even if not a textbook watch retailer. These two lines of text are the cherry on top of an already attractive, 36mm piece — complete with an inner blue snail scale on its dial and blued steel hands.
For a watch of this age and construction, its condition is quite good, indicating decades of either careful ownership or dormancy. Despite having developed a layer of patina, the white dial has aged evenly, and its two-tone, foil applications still reflect light in that indescribably epic way such dials do. The stainless steel case is in similarly stunning shape, with thick and well-defined lugs. Evidence of its unpolished case can also be found on the caseback, where deep engravings can still be found. All in all, it's a terrific piece for the money, regardless of whether the obscure retail association does anything for you
An individual on the ChronoTrader sales forum has this chronograph listed with an asking price of €3,750. Check out the full listing for some great photos at minimum.
For the past two years, the collective appetite for watches featuring integrated bracelets has been larger than ever. The emergence of the Big Bang Integral isn't necessarily a surprise, as there has never been a better time to release a Hublot with an integrated bracelet, but it does represent an interesting departure from one of the core tenets of the Big Bang design. It ditches rubber in favor of a bracelet.
In 2005, after a short leave of absence from the watch world, Jean-Claude Biver launched the Hublot Big Bang to an industry that was watching his every move. The Big Bang wasn't universally accepted right when it came out, but one thing was for sure: It bolstered the identity of the brand and ushered in a new era of popularity and interest. It was imbued with the classic Biver magic that had earned him legendary status in the industry during his time at Blancpain and Omega.
Rubber straps had been a pillar of Hublot's identity since the beginning, and Biver knew this. In fact, it was this "fusion" of rubber and precious metal that was part of the Big Bang creation story. In a conversation with our own Joe Thompson, Biver explained how the Big Bang came to be through the fusion of two elements, "One comes from a tree in Malaysia: natural rubber. The other comes from under the earth in South Africa: gold. Only through a Big Bang can those two elements come together."
The Big Bang has been a tremendous success and spawned more than a few crowd-pleasing iterations over the years. But if nothing gold can stay, then nothing gold and rubber can stay, either.
Given the context of the contrarian beginnings of the Big Bang, the inclusion of an integrated bracelet seemingly goes against the guiding principles of the initial design. This modern era of horology is marked by the championing of the integrated bracelet. One might make the argument that jumping on the bandwagon is giving in to the current trends, but I would make the argument that Hublot was capable of making a watch like the Integral the whole time, and it would have been a hit no matter what; they just waited for the right time. Creating an integrated bracelet for the Big Bang in a precious metal isn't anything entirely groundbreaking. Making a precious metal watch look good on rubber is, and they've been doing that with the Big Bang for the past fifteen years. The way I see it, it's Hublot saying, "been there, done that, and now the time has finally come to give the people what they want."
Hublot has historically been quite unconventional in the way it markets watches, with strong celebrity endorsements, highly targeted brand positioning, and a very distinct, bold position on watchmaking. Perhaps a small part of what may have created a situation where many horological enthusiasts turn their noses up at watches like the Big Bang is the idea that a luxury watch shouldn't dare come on a lowly rubber strap, although that notion has faded in recent times. It's 2020. We've certainly moved beyond those stodgy rules of watch enthusiasm. There are no rules anymore. And to the contrarian side of Hublot, it's the perfect time to have released a watch that calls out the lunacy of the idea that there were ever any rules at all, because they never played by them anyway.
More than a few collectors I've spoken to in the watch world have been quietly curious about Hublot for a long time. I certainly have been. Although I'm not taken by some of the ancillary aspects of the perceived Hublot lifestyle, I'm absolutely fascinated by the way Hublot plays with materials. The Big Bang Integral comes in three materials: titanium, black ceramic, and King Gold. All three feature the same beveled and chamfered case and bracelet architecture, but all wear completely differently, as one would expect.
The King Gold bracelet wraps around the wrist much like I imagine gold bangles hung off the wrist of royalty ruling over the kingdoms of yore. King Gold is formed using a higher percentage of copper as well as platinum, lending a red hue to it that, to my eye, is even more lavish and signaling of opulence than yellow gold. The titanium and ceramic are light and breezy on the wrist. They easily fade into the background in exactly the way the gold does not. The bridges behind each openworked dial are matched appropriately to the material they're ensconced in. The ceramic watch features black bridges, and the titanium features bridges finished in a similar fashion to the rest of the watch, but again, the King Gold sticks out for the immediately noticeable contrast between the case and the raw finish on the bridges. On all three models, the screws adorning the bezel are left unfinished as well. And of course, they're not aligned.
A key part of the Big Bang Integral design is the way the lugs seamlessly transition to the bracelet. This single detail is executed with purposefulness and intent. The angle formed by the solid end links meeting the case is uniform, and no gimmicky visual engineering is needed to conceal an unsightly seam. Things simply line up like they're supposed to. It's clean.
Speaking of clean, the Integral dial has shed the Arabic numerals in favor of simple markers that put the visual emphasis on the case shape and eventually lead the eye to the technical bits that the openworked dial reveals, like the column wheel of the HUB1280 movement. High-tech hypercars made from cutting-edge materials often feature a pane of glass that allows a glimpse of the engine, and the Integral follows the same philosophy. All those technical advancements aren't lost on people seeking visual appreciation.
Depending on the model, the range of case materials each offers a distinct feel, but the rubber molding on the crown and the resin bumpers flanking the bezel give the entire line a sort of mid-Aughts tactile sensation when winding the watch or cycling through the date wheel. That's partially intentional: The pushers are directly lifted from the early designs of the Big Bang.
So how does the Integral compete with the new wave of models featuring integrated bracelets that have recently appeared on the scene like the Bell & Ross BR-05 or the Chopard Alpine Eagle? I'm not sure it does. Hublot claims their guiding philosophy is being "unique & different," and the Integral does indeed back that up. It doesn't come in stainless steel, and that alone puts the Hublot in a different category. Where stainless steel honors tradition, a trio of gold, titanium, and ceramic flies in its face. In that sense, it continues the tradition of being unique and different.
The Big Bang Integral may be timely, but it's hard to say it's of its time. It's still a watch that feels like it's been in production since the very beginning. Maybe this was all part of the master plan that Mr. Biver had crafted 15 years ago.
The Hublot Big Bang Integral comes in three materials: titanium: $20,900, King Gold: $52,500, and black ceramic: $23,100. All three watches are 42mm, with a thickness of 13.45mm. 500 examples of the Black Ceramic watch will be produced, the titanium and gold are not limited. The watches are available at Hublot boutiques. They are powered by the HUB1280 caliber with a power reserve of 72 hours. The reference numbers of the series are as follows: 451.NX.1170.NX (titanium), 451.OX.1180.OX (King Gold), 451.CX.1140.CX (black ceramic). To learn more, visit Hublot.
Bovet has recently debuted the latest Récital model – the Récital 26 Brainstorm Chapter Two (the Brainstorm Chapter One having debuted in 2019). The Récital 26 is similar in broad outline to the Récital 22 Grand Récital, which launched in 2018 and which would go on to win the Aiguille d'Or (grand prize) at the 2018 GPHG. There is the same basic layout, in terms of the positioning of the various complications, but where the Récital 22 concentrated on astronomical complications (the watch is a tellurium, which displays the positions of the Sun, Moon, and Earth relative to each other) the new Récital 26 Brainstorm Chapter Two focuses on time-zone displays and a slightly more open architecture than its prize-winning relative.
The Récital 26 Brainstorm Chapter Two carries on a long tradition at Bovet of building highly complicated watches in equally complex cases. The case, in this instance, is made of synthetic sapphire, with the exception of the lugs and caseback, which are in titanium. Bovet points out that sapphire is actually lighter than titanium, so the watch despite its considerable diameter – 47.80mm (and 15.50mm high at the thickest point of the case) – should be quite light on the wrist. The case is not only unusual in terms of materials, but also in configuration, with a distinct slope from top to bottom; according to Bovet, this slanted surface was inspired by the slanted top of a classic writing desk.
The Récital 26 Brainstorm Chapter Two is, by the numbers, a somewhat simpler watch than the award-winning Récital 22, although it by no means gives the impression of being a simple watch. Rather than the very large rotating terrestrial hemisphere and astronomical moon of the Récital 22, there is a very eye-catching translucent blue dial at 12:00 to show the time, and directly below it, to the left and right, a rotating dome which shows the moon-phase in both the northern and southern hemispheres, and a rotating dome showing the time in a second time zone. The time zone dome rotates once every 24 hours and it functions as a true world time indicator, albeit one that is a bit of a hybrid – the time in your preferred second time zone can be selected by indexing the gold-colored forked needle that outlines your chosen city, but you can still read off the local time in any of the other 24 reference cities as well.
The moon-phase disk also rotates, once per lunar month, and a new moon is indicated when the circles showing the night sky are completely within the openings of the figure-8 aperture; the moon-phase indication is accurate to one days' error in 127 years. These two rotating domes are held in place by three ruby rollers, visible at their peripheries; the engagement of the rollers with the edge of each disk can be controlled with micrometric adjustment screws.
Finally, at 6:00, there's the flying tourbillon. This is a one-minute tourbillon which also functions as the seconds hand of the watch, and it has the same stylized Sun design as the tourbillon used on the Récital 22 Grand Récital. Some changes in the type of complications, and in the layout of the mechanism, give the Récital 26 a greater sense of transparency, and although I miss the really impressive glow-in-the-dark pyrotechnics of the luminous terrestrial hemisphere from the Récital 22 (which used colored Super-LumiNova on the dome, making it seem as if you had a miniature glowing Earth on your wrist at night), the general sense of transparency and translucency in the Brainstorm more than make up for it. There is still a good amount of lume on the Récital 26, though – the moon-phase display in particular has lume applied both to the stars in the new-moon circles, and to the parts of the dome that represent the lunar surface. This is, more than most, a watch that one would need to see in person to evaluate properly, I think. So much of its effect has to do with the play of light and the optical properties of the various materials and components, and still images can only convey so much.
Power reserve indicator in the case flank.
The 39mm Bovet caliber 17DM06-DT .
This is a limited-edition release – a total of sixty movements will be made, but with a total of thirty with sapphire cases, in limited series of 10 each, with either a blue quartz, green quartz, or blue aventurine dial. As is generally the case with Bovet's high complications, bespoke and custom orders will be considered as well (for which I presume the thirty movements not part of the 10-piece series production will be reserved). The price is unsurprisingly high at $383,000, but this is not an unusual price point for this sort of watchmaking, in which a combination of low production numbers, and expensive manufacturing and manual craft techniques, tend to dictate a relatively stratospheric price point.
This is a very particular kind of watchmaking, of course. Aside from the question of price (which is, for most of us, the least relevant point when considering such a watch from a design perspective), it will tend to appeal to a person with a certain kind of philosophical disposition towards horology. The Récital watches are timepieces in the most general sense of the word, but they are also instantiations of the classical perspective of the so-called "clockwork universe" – one in which events happen each in their due time, and the mechanical relationships between celestial bodies and terrestrial time is an expression of a deeper and profoundly rational universal order. If you like this sort of thing (and I do; there is something irresistibly Borgesian and a bit poignant about it), these are very appealing timepieces indeed.
The Bovet Récital 26 Brainstorm Chapter Two: case, sapphire slanted "writing desk" case with titanium lugs and caseback; sloped upper surface 15.50mm at thickest point; diameter 47.80mm. Movement, Bovet caliber 17DM06-DT , 39mm/17 1/4 ‴, five day power reserve. One minute tourbillon; frequency, 21,600 vph. Hours, minutes, seconds on the tourbillon, three-dimensional double-hemisphere moon-phase indicator, world time with indexable second time zone. Dial, convex in blue or green quartz, or aventurine glass. Price, $383,000 (bespoke configurations available upon request). For more, visit Bovet.com.
Each week, our editors gather their favorite finds from around the internet and recommend them to you right here. These are not articles about watches, but rather outstanding examples of journalism and storytelling covering topics from fashion and art to technology and travel. So go ahead, pour yourself a cup of coffee, put your feet up, and settle in.
While for many of us, a pizza box might serve as just another obstacle in the way of consuming a delicious pie, it's something more to Scott Weiner, who spent his 2010s gathering a collection of over 1,500 pizza boxes. While I've never been one to judge another person's passion (we're no strangers to the collecting bug at HODINKEE), pizza boxes never struck me as particularly noteworthy – but boy, was I wrong. This fascinating Atlas Obscura profile takes a close look at Weiner's one-of-a-kind interest, how it's influenced his career in a positive way, and some of the more artistically interesting boxes in his collection. It's a fun, pepperoni cup-laced read that reminds me that a genuine enthusiasm for any topic is something worth cherishing, and that the most collectible objects might just be hidden in plain sight. Now excuse me while I go grab a slice.
You ever get one of those now-cliche spam emails trying to steal your credit card or personal information and wonder, "does this ever work?" In short, yes, like to the tune of $430 million. Some of you may be familiar with the flashy Instagram presence of Raymond "Hushpuppi" Abbas, which often features expensive cars, high-end clothing, and, of course, luxury watches. Well, as it turns out, not all of these items were paid for via Hushpuppi's day job as a property developer. To wit, Abbas was arrested last week for his involvement in a series of crimes that appear to be worth $430 million. More impressively, the cops found more than $37 million in cash at Hushpuppi's home (that's a lot of bones) and seized more a dozen luxury cars during the arrest. It's often said that Instagram isn't real life, but this is a big step further – the story of a public persona supported by a deeply seedy and hidden lifestyle.
The recently released Wind of Change podcast by Pineapple Street Studios and Crooked Media probably wouldn't have gained as much traction had it been released several years ago. But now, we're more open to the idea that there's always more than meets the eye. This podcast explores how the CIA has used media to influence public thought throughout history and asks a larger question about how it may have been used in the falling of the Berlin Wall. It's an absolutely fascinating story, and it's well-researched to boot. I listened to it in one entire session while cruising through backroads late at night and can't stop wondering if there's more to the stories I thought I knew.
Weekends are a great time to kick back, unwind, and listen to good music, putting the stresses of the week behind you. I discovered Phoebe Bridgers through a side project she was involved in with Conor Oberst called Better Oblivion Community Center. I started listening to her solo work a few months ago and was immediately struck by her songwriting, her voice, and the overall vibe she creates. As a bit of background, I grew up on Elliott Smith, so her quite literal ties to the late, great singer-songwriter (the titular song on her newest album is about him) definitely drew me in. Her newest album, Punisher was released about two weeks ago, and I have probably had it – and the track titled "Kyoto" – on repeat since that time. It is quite a sprawling work, equal parts pop-rock and somber-acoustic. If you find yourself in need of some new tunes, I definitely recommend throwing this album on over the long weekend.
It's probably not the most important invention of the 20th century, but the Sony Walkman changed our relationship to music for good. Sure, music has always been an intimate art form, but it was never quite so personal as when you strapped on a pair of headphones for the first time and scored your own journey through the world around you. Modern urban life owes a great deal to the Walkman, and this piece in The New Yorker follows that path through to the iPod and our current musical landscape. The next time I put my headphones on to go for a walk, I'll be sure to say thanks to this humble little box of music.
For some context on these results (and a closer look at what makes F.P. Journe watches so special), we thought it might be fun to rewind the clocks to September 2016 when Ben published a Reference Points on the history of Journe Tourbillons as told by the man himself, F.P. Journe. It is a story as distinctive and detailed as the watches he makes, and it's interesting to look back less than 30 years and find a watch collecting world that pre-dates our own by several fast-paced and dynamic generations.
It was only last summer that the HODINKEE Shop celebrated its first-ever Dive Month with some classic, reference-worthy guides on dive watch basics, NATO straps, and a few of our favorite vintage dive watch brands. While this year, summer may look and feel different than any other in recent memory, dive watches remain front of mind in the HODINKEE Shop. Regardless of what you're doing or where you're going, a dive watch will help carry you through the season with ease.
We've gathered a few of our favorite dive watches that are currently available in the HODINKEE Shop, so you can make sure you're celebrating summer the right way: with a dive watch on your wrist.
Your New Summer Go-Tos (AKA Dive Watches That Won't Break The Bank)
Although they follow a relatively simple formula (legibility, water resistance, and the ability to measure elapsed time being key – more on that, here), dive watches are one of the most diverse and popular genres of watchmaking. The benefit of the category's ubiquity means that there are more than enough quality dive watches available at all price points – so if you're looking for a fun, new watch that won't blow your budget, we've got you covered.
Just consider the Seiko Prospex "Monster" SRPD27. Seiko dive watches hold a special place in the collections of countless watch lovers thanks to their wearability and accessibility, and the "Monster" is one of the most famous. This beloved Seiko dive watch first breached the surface in the early 2000s, and it quickly developed a cult following due to its aggressive shark-tooth bezel and impressive technical specs. In 2019, Seiko updated its classic dive watch with a number of notable features, including a more streamlined and wearable case profile, a magnifying lens over the day/date aperture, and a new automatic movement. And the best part? It's still priced under $500.
If you're looking for something even more fun and approachable, try out the Timex Navi XL Quartz. While it doesn't meet the requirements of a dive watch exactly, it carries over the aesthetic cues of some of Timex's most memorable mid-century dive-style watches. The clean white dial and dark green bezel are offset by an attractive and slim gunmetal IP-coated case. The $129 price tag only brings it home.
If you're after something a bit more unconventional this summer, the recently updated G-SHOCK Frogman collection might fit the bill. These two divers are the latest release in the function-rich Master of G collection, and they're actually the first Frogman dive watches to feature a fully analog display. Unlike every other watch on this list, the Frogman is interesting in that although it is a fully ISO-certified dive watch, it does away with the unidirectional bezel – something that is perhaps the most emblematic of all dive watch features. G-SHOCK worked around this by developing a specialty "Dive Mode" for the watch that needs to be engaged prior to use. When Dive Mode is enabled, the hour and minute hands change position until the minute hand rests directly on top of the hour hand, and both are aligned at 12 o'clock. This new display functions visually as a single minute hand, which can then be easily used to track elapsed time underwater and during decompression stops. It's an incredibly cool take on the classic conventions of a dive watch, and it's a perfect tool watch for the long summer days.
Everyday Divers, For Summer And Beyond
If you're looking for a sporty and stylish dive watch that will work just as well during the lazy days of summer as it does during the short, cold days of winter, one of these watches from Oris, Longines, or NORQAIN might just do the trick.
If you appreciate dive watches with a more contemporary design, the Aquis GMT Carysfort Reef Limited Edition is worth a look. Oris is well known for using its platform as a Swiss watchmaker to support various causes related to marine conservation, and this watch does just that by raising awareness for Florida's Coral Restoration Foundation. With a triple time-zone display, 300 meters of water resistance, and your choice of a stainless steel bracelet or an orange rubber strap, the Aquis GMT Carysfort Reef Limited Edition is a versatile dive watch that will function beautifully whether on land, at sea, or in the air. On a similar note, the Oris Aquis Clean Ocean is also a limited edition of 2,000 pieces that supports the goal of ridding the ocean of plastic and features a unique caseback medallion made from PET plastic collected from the ocean.
Other dive watches in the HODINKEE Shop that feature unique contemporary-focused designs include the Longines Hydroconquest USA Exclusive, a black-PVD deep diver with 300 meters water resistance that is exclusive to the U.S. market, and NORQAIN's Adventure Sport series. The Adventure Sport collection is one of the most diverse we carry, with over 15 variants in either time-and-date or chronograph format, along with a large selection of dial colors, case finishes, and strap options to choose from. The distinguishing feature of the line is the unique, weave-like texture on the dial that resembles herringbone and adds real visual depth to the watch's look. While executed in the style of a dive watch, the Adventure Sport models offer a maximum depth rating of 100 meters, so these watches are firmly in the "desk diving" camp.
If you prefer the timeless aesthetics of vintage dive watches, then either a Longines Heritage Skin Diver or Oris Divers Sixty-Five is the direction to go in. The Longines Heritage Skin Diver reflects the brand's very first dive watch, the original 1959 Skin Diver, and features the casual but capable dive watch design that followed the birth of recreational scuba diving. With a granular dial finish, a serrated bezel, and a classic shovel-shaped hour hand, the Heritage Skin Diver is a great option for everyday wear. It's distinctive, full of character, and offers a winning nod to Longines' rich history.
The Divers Sixty-Five, on the other hand, is a successful modern interpretation of a 1965 dive watch from Oris. We're such a fan of the watch that we even created our own take on it with Oris last June. The Divers Sixty-Five recalls an era when dive watches were unequivocally cool, but it doesn't lean on the "tool" aspect too much. These watches are simple and well-built, comfortable and capable – they're just well-balanced all around. There are 13 different iterations of the Divers Sixty-Five available in the HODINKEE Shop today, ranging from dials in green, blue, and black, to other models that utilize materials like bronze in compelling ways. You can check them all out for yourself, right here.
Dive Like You Mean It: Professional-Grade, Luxury Dive Watches
Some of the most complete expressions of dive watch design today can be found in the collections of OMEGA and Blancpain. With the Seamaster and Fifty Fathoms lines, respectively, each brand can claim different landmarks in dive watch history, and each offers a number of sub-collections within these lines to appeal to anybody and everybody – all that's left is picking your favorite.
For OMEGA, the Seamaster collection has been a highlight in recent years. With the redesign of the Seamaster Diver 300M family in 2018, OMEGA created what might be one of the best-value Swiss watches on the market. For $5,000 and change (under that benchmark in some rubber strap variations), you're getting a legitimate dive watch tested to 300 meters and fitted with a true in-house movement that is a certified Master Chronometer. It's good looking too, with a laser-engraved dial and bezel made of ceramic.
In addition to the Diver 300M, the Seamaster line also includes the Seamaster 300 and Planet Ocean families. The Seamaster 300 is OMEGA's vintage-inspired dive watch, with a design that is an authentic interpretation of the very first dive watch to be a part of the Seamaster family, originally released in 1957. The Planet Ocean family, however, is completely modern, first released by OMEGA in 2005. Despite being born just 15 years ago, the Planet Ocean collection has left an indelible impact on OMEGA's rich catalog of sport watches, and it's nearly impossible to imagine the Seamaster line today without the Planet Ocean's presence. The latest Planet Ocean added to the HODINKEE Shop commemorates OMEGA's recently announced status as Official Timekeeper of the 36th America's Cup, and it features a red, white, and blue design and a unique regatta countdown bezel.
While OMEGA has been releasing dive watches in the Seamaster line since 1957, its Swatch Group stablemate Blancpain is one of the few brands with an even longer history of dive watch creation, thanks to the release of the original Fifty Fathoms dive watch in 1953. Blancpain was one of the pioneers in developing what modern dive watches look like, and the Fifty Fathoms line continues today with more diverse offerings than ever before.
The contemporary Fifty Fathoms line is separated into two different families: the standard Fifty Fathoms and the Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe. While the Fifty Fathoms – with its rounded, sapphire crystal bezel and curved lugs – has an imposing wrist presence that helped define the dive watch genre, the Bathyscaphe is its more accessible sibling, with a smaller size and more accessible price, both tied to the model's historical roots of reaching the civilian, recreational dive market.
Blancpain has grown its entire Fifty Fathoms collection in various directions over the past decade, with releases in red gold and black ceramic complementing the well-known steel and titanium versions. There are even some more complicated variants, including chronographs (which feature the F385 caliber, one of our favorite modern, high-beat movements), big dates, and complete calendars. You can learn more about the history of the Fifty Fathoms and peruse out entire selection of Blancpain watches in this article.
Discover Your New Summer Dive Watch In The HODINKEE Shop
There are very few absolutes in the watch industry, but one unconditional truth is the overwhelming popularity of the dive watch. As a result, the number of dive watch options available today is almost unlimited, and the above are some of our favorites that we've gathered just for you this summer. You can check them all out for yourself on our special dive watch page, right here.
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While most of us here in the U.S. are taking the day off from work, celebrating the long July 4th weekend, we've got an awesome episode of HODINKEE Radio for you. This is one that I've wanted to do for a long time, and one that, judging by all of your Instagram DMs, comments on HODINKEE, and random emails, you all have wanted to do for a long time too. This is our first-ever call-in episode. A few weeks back, we gave you a phone number to call, and we asked you to please leave voicemails with questions for your favorite HODINKEE editors. Response was amazing (thank you!), and we've been spending a ton of time listening to your questions, figuring out who should answer them, and then packaging everything up into the show you'll hear today.
To kick things off, I grabbed Jack and James to help field your questions. With Jack, we get into some excellent technical questions about how to properly care for your watches and even some theoretical questions about the nature of time measurement and how it's evolved over the centuries. I threw in a question about tropical dials and another about vintage Cartier for good measure. Why not, right? Then, James and I dig into the relationships between modern and vintage watches, the lessons that all collectors learn eventually, and how you can turn your passion for watches into a career.
Still want to ask us a question? You're in luck. The phone line is still open at +1 401-307-DINK (3465), and we'd love to hear from you. We'll be doing these episodes from time to time, so leave us a voicemail and you might be featured. As a reminder, please try to keep the voicemail under 60 seconds and be sure to give us your first name and last initial (and/or your HODINKEE Community username) so we can shout you out on air.
We hope you enjoy Episode 95 of HODINKEE Radio. Check out the show notes below, and let us know what you think in the comments.
As we enter the second half of what has been an unusual year for watch releases, Jaeger-LeCoultre's refreshed Master Control line stands out as one of my favorites thus far. These modestly sized, affordably priced automatic watches tend toward the dressy, but I also think they have undeniable daily wear potential. They strike me as the kind of conservatively styled, high-quality wristwatches that can be cornerstones for a solid watch collection. The designs here feel well-executed with the potential for timelessness. And of course, because we're talking about JLC, everything is in-house. I've already raved about the full calendar chronograph version.
Today, we're going to take a look at another version of the Master Control that may have flown under the radar a bit. But that's only because it debuted alongside the limited-edition Master Control Memovox Timer with a striking blue dial. The Memovox is a long-tenured watch at Jaeger-LeCoultre, with the first examples dating back to the early 1950s. What's interesting about alarm watches more broadly is that they are fairly rare. Off the top of my head, I can't think of many watchmakers at all that have made alarm watches a significant part of their catalogs. Even still, because JLC is so big and has legitimately mastered so many different types of complications, the Memovox, as great as it is, doesn't necessarily spring to mind when my thoughts turn to the Grande Maison. I've yet to own a Memovox, but it's a watch that I've long been interested in and have come close to buying on a couple of occasions and might yet. I do have a related item in the form of an 8-day LeCoultre desk alarm clock that gives me lots of satisfaction. But I digress.
The standard, non-limited Master Control Memovox without timer that we see here has a comparatively austere silver dial with applied numerals, luminous markers, and a framed date window at 3 o'clock. The dauphine hands for the hour and minutes have a narrow cut-out with an application of Super-LumiNova. It's hardly the kind of application of luminous material that one might expect of, say, a sport watch, but the lume is nonetheless appreciated. The Memovox's central feature is, after all, an alarm; and this is a watch that one would likely keep on the nightstand and rely on to be woken up. This watch's sole touch of color comes from its blued steel seconds hand. The dial has balanced proportions, a clean design, and scores well in my book for legibility. Few areas of watch design inflame opposing passions quite like the date window, and this watch of course has a quite prominent one. It's even framed, drawing greater attention to it. This is something I generally applaud as an act leaning in. If you're going to have a date window, I've come to realize, there's no need to hide it.
Following the traditional Memovox design template, the new Master Control Memovox features two offset crowns, one for winding and setting the watch and the other for winding and setting the alarm. These large, eccentric crowns are very much part of the Memovox design language and can be found on examples of this watch going back to the early days in the 1950s, and the same can be said of the inner dial with its pointer. This is used for setting the alarm. When the hour hand aligns with it, you hear the tell-tale sound of the Memovox alarm. (Sorry that this Hands-On story lacks audio.)
As a whole, the refreshed Master Control range has a charming form factor as a result of their 40mm diameter cases with elegantly curved and beveled lugs. From there, they diverge a bit in terms of thickness, but none feel the least bit bloated. That's the case in the Master Control Memovox, which packs automatic winding, a date window, and a namesake alarm feature into a 50-meter-water-resistant 12.39mm stainless steel case. That case design has a mid-century vintage vibe to it, but the actual proportions are squarely within what I would call the modest sweet spot of modern watch size.
Whereas previous Memovox models have come with closed casebacks with the gong affixed to the back to aid in the transmission of sound, this new model has an open caseback, which allows the wearer to view the hammer as it strikes the gong. Doing this necessitated a redesign of the striking mechanism, and now the gong is attached to the side of case.
On the wrist, the newest Memovox strikes a fairly conservative look, but I think that this opens it up to greater versatility. The color of the dial and its hands and markers is similar as you can see, but the subtle contrast in finishes makes for a watch that is both legible and, I think, pretty beautiful. It works as a dress watch, as you can see below, but the choice of the supplied strap anticipates this watch being looked to for lots of more casual wear too.
The Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Control Memovox Reference: Q4118420: 40mm x 12.39mm stainless steel case with water resistance to 50 meters, sapphire crystals on front and back. Automatic in-house caliber 956 with 45 hours of power reserve running at28,800 vph in 24 jewels. Hour, minutes, seconds, date, alarm. Silver sunray dial. Price: $11,600. For more, visit Jaeger-LeCoultre.
Derek Pratt (1938-2009) was one of the greatest watchmakers of the modern era. His extraordinary horological talent is evident through his novel escapements and intricate engine-turned dials featured in his pocket watches. He worked with his friend Peter Baumberger to revive Urban Jürgensen & Sønner, a famous 18th-century watch brand. He took on the massive project of recreating John Harrison's H4 marine chronometer. And he helped his friend George Daniels in both the development and promotion of his co-axial escapement. Near the end of his life in 2009, Pratt was involved in a project with friends to make a wristwatch. Pratt passed away before seeing the finished wristwatch, but now that it is complete, I think it is fair to say that he would be pleased with the finished product.
Movement of DPW 01
Derek Pratt (1938-2009)
Derek Pratt Watches is a new company based in Florida, operated by Tom Bales and Ron DeCorte. Both were close friends with Pratt who are now working to carry on his legacy. The idea for the wristwatch came about near the end of Pratt's life. Pratt had expressed a desire to place the Reuleaux triangle rementoire he had previously used in a pocket watch into a wristwatch. DeCorte and Stuart Lesemann worked with Pratt on the initial design, and by June 2009, they had completed a prototype straight-line movement. Pratt passed away from prostate cancer later that year. In 2011 the British Horological Institute held a retrospective on Pratt where the wristwatch prototype was exhibited. Afterwards, DeCorte, Lesemann, and Luca Soprana (Studio 7h38) worked to improve the movement, resulting in the finished wristwatch we see today, referred to as DPW 01.
Pratt examining the initial straight-line prototype in 2009.
The initial straight-line prototype.
The movement has a number of attractive features that work together to increase openness and visibility. First, the barrels. Normally, a large bridge would secure the barrels to the mainplate and hide much of the movement from view. These barrels are flying, meaning they are attached on only one side of their axis. The result is a clear look at the movement. The gear train is almost entirely hidden from view, as it has been placed on the dial side of the movement. This accentuates the escapement, rementoire, and balance wheel. Finally, the mainplate has a frosted finish. It is common to see perlage finishing on mainplates, but the dazzling effect of perlage can sometimes distract the eye from the mechanics of the movement. The frosted finished works perfectly for this movement, keeping the focus on the most technical parts.
Movement of DPW 01
With the escapement, rementoire, and balance wheel in clear view, it is easy to discuss how this intricate mechanism functions. Looking at the escapement, we see a familiar 15 tooth Swiss lever escape wheel mounted co-axially with a 3 tooth escape wheel. Coupling them is a hairspring. The 15 tooth escape wheel also has a Releaux triangle cam attached to it which is followed by the rementoire fork. The rementoire fork interacts with the 3 tooth escape wheel. The effect of this extraordinarily complex escape wheel is two-fold. First, the rementoire ensures an even delivery of energy to the balance wheel, resulting in exceptional timekeeping. Second, dead-beat seconds are achieved through some simple mathematics. The balance wheel oscillates at 2.5 Hz, or 18,000 beats per hour. That translates to 5 vibrations per second. Remembering the tooth count of the two escape wheels: 15 divided by 3 equals 5. So, once per second, the rementoire releases its energy and allows the second hand to move forward at a one-second increment. In the meantime, the balance will vibrate 5 times. (One vibration is half of an oscillation.) A fantastic animated video on the Derek Pratt Watches website does a great job of visually demonstrating the mechanism.
First prototype wristwatch movement.
The first wristwatch prototype, with porcelain dial.
The Reuleaux triangle rementoire mechanism was seen in Pratt's 1973 pocket watch. Bales explained, "Although the Reuleaux remontoire is not Derek’s original idea, it has become known, within the watchmaking community, as 'Derek's Remontoire' due to his inventive use and refinement of the principal." Wikipedia describes the Releaux triangle as follows: "A Reuleaux triangle is a shape formed from the intersection of three circular disks, each having its center on the boundary of the other two. Its boundary is a curve of constant width, the simplest and best known such curve other than the circle itself." They are named after Franz Reuleaux, a 19th-century German engineer.
DPW 01, by Derek Pratt Watches
The wristwatch has gone through several dial iterations over the years of its development. The wristwatch prototype (shown at the Pratt retrospective in 2011) featured a porcelain dial. The second version originally featured a grained silver dial, which was made by Studio 7h38. Recently, Joshua Shapiro made a new engine-turned dial for the second version, which is now featured on the Derek Pratt Watches website. (Pratt was well-known for his engine-turning.) Finally, Kees Engelbarts produced a silver dial that is engraved with the same design found on the balance cock of Harrison's H4 marine chronometer. (Pratt was working on a recreation of H4 when he passed away.) The H4 tribute dial is intended to be used on the first production wristwatch, DPW 01.
Dial by Kees Engelbarts.
I asked Bales about his experience in developing DPW 01. "The most challenging part of developing this watch was engaging and maintaining a team with the required skills and with respect for Derek Pratt to create this watch as a memorial to him. Everyone on the team was a personal friend of Derek." Challenging projects like this are often the most rewarding, explained Bales. "The most rewarding aspect of developing this watch is seeing Derek's final dream of a wristwatch of his own design, under his own name. I think Derek would be very pleased with the watch." I agree with Bales. This wristwatch is the culmination of years of work from a team determined to see Pratt's name live on.
Ressence is ten years old this year, and despite the tendency for anything successful in the watch industry to spawn a raft of imitators, there's still no other company doing what Ressence does (and given how well Ressence founder Benoît Mintiens has staked out the territory Ressence occupies, I doubt there ever will be). The basic idea behind the company's watches hasn't really changed all that much since the first Ressence debuted, but the mechanisms and designs have continued to evolve in a fashion that has put to rest any doubts one might have had at the outset that Ressence was a one-trick pony, and the latest Ressence – the new Type 1 Slim X – shows yet again just how versatile the basic Ressence concept really is. "X," of course, is the Latin character for ten, and the Type 1 Slim X is a limited edition intended to celebrate the company's 10th anniversary.
The Ressence Type 1 Slim X.
Generally, Ressence watches have had a form factor somewhat reminiscent of a pebble worn flat, smooth, and round by the passage of water – and they have offered the same pleasant feel in the hand as a water-worn pebble as well. The smooth, rounded surfaces are both a tactile companion to, and a natural outcome of, the Ressence display system, which the company calls ROCS – the Ressence Orbital Convex System. The ROCS is a highly complex mechanism which consists of a series of nested convex disks, mounted on satellite gears, which rotate around a central axis. The disks, thanks to the convex surface in which they are mounted, are angled slightly with respect to a horizontal plane – the hour disk, for instance, is inclined about three degrees.
The primary carrier disk for the ROCS display, which rotates once per hour and carries the minutes indicator. The disk is German silver (maillechort) and has a matte finish on one half and a brushed circular finish on the other.
One has the feeling, looking at a Ressence watch, of seeing an animated drawing – the effect is perhaps at its most extreme in the oil-filled Ressence models, in which the ROCS chamber is filled with oil and physically isolated from the going train. The refractive indexes of the oil and the sapphire crystal are the same, so the time satellites appear to float on the crystal's surface. However, Ressence has also played with depth in some models, openworking the dial so as to make the ROCS visible (as in the limited edition for Dubai Watch Week, as well as the HODINKEE Ressence Type 1H Limited Edition).
The Ressence Type 1DXB Dubai Edition
The classic Ressence pebble-like case offers the same pleasing feel as a pocket watch case (one of the advantages the late George Daniels felt pocket watches had over wristwatches) but the visual and cognitive experience one has when wearing a Ressence watch is unlike that produced by any other watch. To wear a Ressence watch is to understand just how fundamentally similar most experiences of telling the time actually are – there are, after all, very few watches indeed which depart from the basic formula of an hour and minute hand on the same axis at, more or less, the center of the watch, with some exceptions that fall under the broad classification of regulator dials (and, of course, mechanical or electronic watches that use a digital display). Wearing a Ressence for the first time can be an unsettling experience – the orientation of the satellites changes continuously throughout the hours and days (the entire ROCS carrier rotates once per hour, driven by the minutes pinion of the going train), and the kinetics of the display system seem to emphasize the transitory nature of the experience of time, in a way that a conventional watch display does not.
Ressence occasionally comes under fire for its use of ETA movements as the basis for its watches. The subject of when and if in-house movements are essential to an haute horlogerie watch is a complicated one, but it bears repeating that in-house is not, per se, a guarantee of interest, or quality, or reliability. It's also worth noting that the degree to which supplied movements are further modified should weigh very heavily in evaluating whether they are appropriate or not. The ROCS is not, to put it mildly, on the same level as using (for instance) a 2824 with a custom rotor, and as with many things horological, what you do with the movement is at least as important, if not more so, than whether or not it is in-house (the Lemania 2310 in its haute horlogerie manifestations is one example; the Valjoux 7750 in the IWC Grand Complication Il Destriero Scafusia is another).
Some of the components of the ROCS.
The simplest version of the ROCS, the ROCS 1, adds over a hundred additional components to the parts count. Complexity, of course, is not an end in itself, nor is greater complexity necessarily synonymous with better watchmaking, but I bring the number up to show just how much further Ressence has gone in adding watchmaking interest to the base caliber. It is perhaps easier to appreciate how much additional watchmaking value is present when looking at an exploded diagram of the movement. In the image below, the base caliber is the small disk to the far right; everything else is from Ressence, including, of course, the two rings with ruby rollers which support the rotation of the ROCS. The version of the ROCS 1 used in the Type 1 Slim X uses the 2892-A2 as a base, and the fact that this is a fairly flat caliber (25.60mm x 3.60mm) means that, even with the addition of the ROCS, the watch is relatively thin at 42mm x 11mm. One of the challenges in designing the ROCS was of course getting a reasonable power reserve out of the movement despite the additional load, and the running time on a full wind for the Type 1 Slim X is 36 hours. As the automatic winding system has been retained, this should be a non-issue if the watch is worn daily.
As with all current production Ressence watches, the Type 1 Slim X has no conventional crown to interrupt the contours of the cases. Instead, there's a folding lever set flush with the caseback.
The case of the Type 1 Slim was a bit of a departure for Ressence. As we've seen, Ressence watches typically have smoothly convex case profiles; the Type 1 Slim cases, on the other hand, are concave along their flanks, as well as elongated slightly at the lugs, and the result, thanks to the location of the lugs along the lower edge of the case, is a watch that sits very flat on the wrist and which is very comfortable to wear. This is aided in the case of the Type 1 Slim X by the fact that the case is in titanium, and despite the considerable additional parts count thanks to the ROCS, the watch is quite light – just 67 grams (as opposed to our standard reference for watch weight, the SKX007, which comes in at 180 grams as seen in our weigh-off from 2016).
The new feature of the Ressence Type 1 Slim X seems somewhat minor at first. The main minutes satellite and the hour satellite have been given two finishes, divided along the vertical axis of each satellite (as defined by the hour and minute indicators). On one side, there's a matte finish and on the other, a brushed circular finish. The two halves match up just twice a day, at noon and midnight, at which moment – and just for a moment – the dial is completely symmetrical.
This may appear a relatively trivial addition to the design, but in practice, it very much changes the experience of telling the time with the watch. The cycling in and out of synchronization of the two halves of each satellite seems to act as a kind of counter to the constantly changing appearance of the dial, and provides a counterpoint to the hourly transformation of the appearance of the watch on the wrist. The slow frequency of the cycle has led Ressence to compare the watch to an hourglass, and while I think the simile is apt, an hourglass inevitably reminds us of the forward trajectory of time's arrow – not for nothing is the running out of the sand in a glass a metaphor for death, and the hourglass a symbol of mortality. The Type 1 Slim X, on the other hand, does not so much seem to arrest the flow of time, as to act as a reminder of its circularity as well – the design grounds the rotation of the ROCS in the slower, more leisurely pulse of day to night and back again. (One rather subtle element of the design is that the number 10 on the hours satellite is both a stylized letter X and a representation of an hourglass.)
The new finish on the ROCS satellites changes the experience of the watch much more dramatically than you'd expect – certainly quite a lot more than you usually see from a change in dial finish.
Ressence watches are, in certain respects, genuinely revolutionary, but I think they also succeed in one aspect with which groundbreaking horological design struggles, and that is versatility. The ROCS is a most unusual mechanism in horology, but in its relative spareness, it also appeals in spirit, if not in form, to classical watchmaking values. It is there, I think, that Ressence has a very strong connection to traditional horology, and it's also the reason the watches are as versatile as they are. The Type 1 Slim X is a watch that, thanks to the synchronization of the finishes on the satellites, asks to be experienced every day, and its harmonious proportions very much lend themselves to daily wear.
The Type 1 Slim X is a limited edition of 40 pieces, and the price is €19,500. The question will be raised, "Is it worth it?" To simply say, "It is if you can afford it and you think it is," may be factually correct, but I think there is more to it than that. How much is good design worth? How much is exclusivity worth, bearing in mind that here exclusivity doesn't mean so much restriction in numbers (although 40 watches certainly aren't a lot) but rather a horological and cognitive experience found nowhere else in modern watchmaking? Certainly, this is not a watch that appeals to conventional watchmaking values, but I think Ressence at its best succeeds in articulating other values which are fresh and interesting exactly because they do not appeal to hundreds of years of tradition, but rather to the power of the human imagination to excite and to rethink something that we take so much for granted – the conventional manner of telling the time – that we have ceased to notice that it is conventional at all.
The Ressence Type 1 Slim X: case, grade 5 titanium, 42mm x 11mm, double AR coated sapphire crystal; water resistance 10 meters. Ressence ROCS with satellites for the hours, minutes, seconds, and weekdays. Movement, Ressence ROCS 1, ETA 2892 A2 base, with 36-hour power reserve; lever in the caseback for winding and setting. Frequency, 28,800 vph running in 40 jewels; 27 additional gears in the ROCS system. Dark olive green convex German silver dial (125mm radius) with 3 eccentric biaxial satellites inclined at 3° (hours) and 4.75° (seconds and weekdays).Strap, olive green calfskin. Price, €19,500.
Editor's note: Watch companies sometimes announce new products to the HODINKEE editorial team and the HODINKEE Shop at the same time. Please note that the editorial team and the Shop team produce their content independently of each other.
"Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown." Not unlike the sentiment put forth by King Henry IV, there is an immense amount of pressure that comes with being considered a shining example for the masses. The stakes are often high, and the ability to please in a manner writ large may well be considered all but impossible. For the newly announced Black Bay Fifty-Eight "Navy Blue," this means living up to the expectations projected upon one of the most respected dynasties in watchmaking, the house of Rolex and Tudor. And, while each and every enthusiast that numbers among the unwashed masses (myself included) knows exactly what Tudor should make if he or she were king of the castle, few know the game as well as those currently in charge, and the new Blue follows a successful path that has been in place for decades.
In 2013, Tudor returned to the US market and brought along hot new watches like the Heritage Chronograph and what is arguably the Swiss sports watch of the 2010s, the Black Bay dive watch. So loved was this new-vintage diver that the GPHG awarded the Black Bay its Revival prize in 2013. Over the past seven years, the Black Bay has grown from a couple of ETA-powered 41mm dive watches to an entire range that spans numerous iterations of the original design, along with a series of branching designs that include sporty three-handers, chronographs, and a market-beating heavy-hitter in the Black Bay GMT.
Along the Black Bay path, we’ve seen a variety of colors used to great effect. The early models bore burgundy or dark-blue bezels, there were bronze, steel, green, blue, black, gradient dials, two-tones, and, of course, the red/blue bezel of the GMT. A pattern, it seems.
Then, in March of 2018, we saw the first true evolution of the original 41mm model – the new Black Bay Fifty-Eight. Sized at 39mm and considerably thinner on wrist, the Fifty-Eight was an instant hit. Waitlists and secondary markets sprung up to support the growing demand for a modern Tudor with a black dial and gilt accents that wore an awful lot like a vintage Submariner. Now, two years later, Tudor has announced this new "Navy Blue" model into the vacuum created by a world without Baselworld, forcing this new and historical colorway to stand alone.
While I know opinions have been mixed, after seeing it in person, I can't think of a better or more fitting addition to the Fifty-Eight lineup. Furthermore, with any product that makes active reference to the past, a quick history lesson may help to provide some context. As the only thing changed between the previous Black Bay Fifty-Eight 79030N (black/gilt) and the new "Navy Blue" 79030B is the blue coloring for the bezel and dial, that seems as good a place to start as any, and the first tip comes from the name of the color, a shade of blue that is most certainly not navy, but is similar to that once worn by a Navy.
I'm not sure why I'm being coy about it: Many of you know all about MN Tudor Submariners, and I touched on the lineage in my intro post for this new model. That said, these are achingly cool tool dive watches that are almost always seen on NATO straps, so please allow me to indulge in the past.
The new 79030B’s coloring is directly in reference to the blue dial and blue bezel found on the so-called "Blue Snowflake" Tudor Submariners from the mid-70s. While you can get a lovely breakdown of several examples in our video with Grahame Fowler and his many Milsubs, you can also see nine specific examples in this video from Watchistry (the same watches profiled in their lovely book Marine Nationale).
A 1975 issued Tudor 94010 (left, via Watchistry's book Marine Nationale) and the new Tudor Black Bay Fifty-Eight "Navy Blue" 79030B.
While Tudor Subs and Snowflakes certainly exist outside the specific purview of the Marine Nationale (aka the French Navy), MN Subs are massively collectible military-issued dive watches, and while the earlier black dial versions are the rarest of the lot, it's hard to argue with the beauty of the blue/blue variants.
Earlier Snowflake MNs include the reference 7016, which came in both black and blue versions, and dates from the late-'60s until the mid-'70s when Tudor updated the movement from the 7106's ETA 2483 to the 94010's ETA 2776. In examples like this MN75 94010 (seen above, dubbed as such for being issued to the MN in 1975), we see where the Fifty-Eight Navy Blue gets some of its inspiration. Measuring 39mm across with an Oyster case (with drilled lugs!), the blue dial and blue bezel are a lovely match for the now-classic Snowflake hands and the lovely square markers. To my eyes, within the world of Subs (MN or otherwise), these are some of the most darling evolutions of the form, and the blue allows a personality that is warmly distinct from other Subs, be they from Tudor or Rolex.
Looking at the new Blue, Tudor has incorporated the color – which I would describe as lighter and more grey than the bezel of the Black Bay "Midnight Blue" and somewhat less saturated than the blue used for the truly excellent Pelagos Blue – while opting to maintain the core Black Bay design language. So we have a coin-edge bezel, circular hour markers, no drilled lugs, and white lume that glows bright green.
Holding true to its gilt sibling, the case remains 39mm wide, 11.2mm thick (inclusive of the boxed sapphire crystal), and 47mm lug to lug. Water resistance is 200m with a very high-quality crown, and the lug width is a strap-change friendly 20mm. It’s literally the same watch beautifully covered by Stephen last year, but now in blue, and without the gilt accents.
To my eyes, this is the best of the pair, but I have to express a bias. I don't personally care for gilt accents, and I have trouble getting excited about another black-dial dive watch from Tudor (or Rolex, for that matter). While I wasn’t initially thrilled by the released images, the watch is simply incredible in person. The blue is warm but not cartoonish, and the bezel is much more matte than that of the Black Bay Blue (the 41mm version, that is). Additionally, I think it's extra fun to see a blue/blue colorway on a smaller steel dive watch from Tudor given that this specific vibe has long been reserved for those that could pony up for a white gold Sub.
Like the black/gilt BB58, the Navy Blue is simply perfect on wrist. It sits low and flat and feels great on anything from rubber to a NATO, leather, or the offered bracelet. My loaner was delivered on a lovely silver-striped blue fabric strap that looks good and feels great. That said, this watch screams for either a NATO or an MN-style sewn elastic parachute strap. Not to worry, I have both for just such occasions.
The bezel remains one of the best in the business with no slop, and a lovely 60-click action that never sounds cheap or tinny. Those of you who frequently wear a wide price range of dive watches know that the bezel and the crown are where you can feel your money being spent. In this case, there's no question that you're operating a very well made watch.
As we’ve come to expect from most Black Bay models, the Fifty-Eight Navy Blue is powered by a Tudor manufacture movement, the MT5402. COSC-certified and ticking at 4 Hz, this in-house automatic offers 70 hours of power reserve and is currently only used in the Fifty-Eight line, and it only exists in a no-date format.
After a couple of days wearing the Fifty-Eight Navy Blue on a variety of straps and in locales that included everything from my couch to the cool waters of an unnamed lake in Ontario for a bit of snorkeling, this new model manages to feel both special and toolish at the same time. It is almost as though Tudor has been able to take the hard-wearing dive-ready charm of the Snowflake, and add just a pinch of the appeal of the white gold Submariner I previously mentioned.
Everything Stephen said about the black/gilt model stands, and I've spent a few days with that watch on my wrist – it is a lovely thing – but make no mistake, the blue swings way harder than just a new color. On the surface, this is arguably a boring and absolutely predictable expansion of the Fifty-Eight line. Blue dial sport watches are popular, Tudor has plenty of great examples in their past, so what did you expect? A Black Bay Rainbow?
As an aside, last year they gave us something weird and fun and special in the P01, and people (some of you, certainly) went full-on with the gnashing of teeth. This year they offer a strong consumer-grade wide-market watch in the 79030B, and some still manage to complain. Is it all the same people? I wonder ... before I fall deeply asleep.
Let's not forget that the Black Bay is the brand's core, especially when it comes to the very desirable and often hard-to-buy Fifty-Eight. And where the 79030N is french fries, the 79030B is onion rings. Any menu should have both. And I’ll tell you what, I'd go for the rings.
Either way, fries or rings, you’re looking at $3,375 for either the fabric or the new "soft touch" synthetic strap, or $3,700 on the steel bracelet. At this price, the Black Bay Fifty-Eight remains a stellar value for those wanting a Submariner-like experience that is directly styled by Tudor's past, but the Fifty-Eight is not without competition.
We are in the throes of Hot Dive Watch Summer, and the new Fifty-Eight joins a growing rank of really incredible enthusiast-focused product within the form of dive watches around ~40mm. Among those ranks, the Tudor is arguably the top dog in terms of the price point, and should you have a smaller budget, the new 40.5mm Seiko SBP Prospex models are all-stars for less than $1,500. That said, the Seiko is not competition for the Tudor, especially within the perspective of the wider consumer market.
I love thinking about the competition for a given watch, and with the Tudor Fifty-Eight, there is internal and external competition. For internal, there are many other Black Bays, including the excellent Pelagos (which can also be had in blue), and I'd wager there is direct competition from Rolex, in that buyers who wouldn't describe themselves as price-sensitive might get their name on a list for both a modern Rolex Submariner and the Fifty-Eight and just buy whichever they can get first. The wrist clout of both options should not be dismissed when assessing how a given buyer might cross-shop a watch in a manner that prioritizes the "get factor" in a way that is inflated beyond a level market assessment of price-to-value.
Bellyache if you will, but lots of ADs filled orders for the new Tudor before mine could be delivered directly from the brand. If you want what is generally considered to be an "un-gettable" watch, you need to play the game or sit (quietly) and wait. Get to know your ADs, folks.
Taking a somewhat wider look, the Tudor has to square off with a spread that includes the in-house powered 42mm Breitling Superocean Heritage '57 at $4,380 (or maybe the $3,950 Superocean Automatic 42), the 42mm IWC Aquatimer ($5,400), the earlier (date at 3) 41mm Omega Seamaster Diver 300M Co-Axial ($4,400), or the ETA-powered Bremont S300 ($4,095). This is where we see that the Tudor sits at something of a hole in the market. Being priced above high-quality ETA-powered options like those from Sinn, Oris, and Doxa ensures the Tudor feels like a step up from what is generally considered "entry-level" from the Swiss market. And yet, being priced below several brands that actively avoid the Rolex domination of the $7,000-$15,000 range makes much of the Black Bay line feel like a steal, especially if what you want is specifically an everyday dive watch from a legacy brand.
And that's what you're getting. The smaller case and profile of the Fifty-Eight means it wears well on more wrists, accepts a wider range of straps, and could easily be a dive watch that does the 9-to-5 just as capably as it manages a 40-minute profile on a Caribbean wreck.
To speak on a more personal note about the relative power of a new color, I personally have not considered the black/gilt version as its coloring was not to my liking. For me, the Navy Blue not only puts the Fifty-Eight firmly on my radar, but it has also managed to put the Black Bay way up on my want list – a list that previously only had room for the Pelagos Blue and the Heritage Chrono Blue.
In many ways, all of the things that might make this a boring release from Tudor for a year like 2020 also make it a truly excellent second entry to the Fifty-Eight family, and a watch that I would very much like to own.
The Tudor Black Bay Fifty-Eight "Navy Blue" is a dive watch that measures 39 x 11.2 x 47mm and offers 200m water resistance. It is powered by a COSC-certified Tudor manufacture MT5402 and is a blue dial/blue bezel version of the 2018 black/gilt Black Bay Fifty-Eight. The Fifty-Eight "Navy Blue" retails from $3,375 and more information can be found on Tudor's website.
The very first Omega Constellation was launched in 1952, which is five years earlier than the debut of the Speedmaster. The Constellation collection is known for its long history, but it has also been a pioneering platform for Omega, incorporating new technologies and calibers before other models. In recent years, you might remember the Globemaster featuring an in-house caliber 8900, which has antimagnetic properties up to 15,000 gauss.
We reported this new collection when it was announced, and you might find the watch not really newsworthy with its integrated bracelet design, which is flooding the market recently. However, you will start seeing the details that other manufacturers can't easily replicate if you take a closer look.
The first things we should focus on are the new size options for this new collection. The entire lineup, which consists of stainless steel, steel and Sedna gold two-tone, steel and 18K yellow gold two-tone, fully Sedna gold, and fully yellow gold variations, is available in 39mm and 36mm case sizes. This translates to a grand total of thirty-nine references for this new collection. That's a highly strategic move by Omega as a watch manufacturer, and it is something only a few manufacturers could ever pull off. The fourth-generation Constellation came in 35mm and 38mm, and Omega increased the case sizes just a millimeter each to modernize the collection.
Although the collection technically got bigger while the whole industry is trending towards smaller case sizes in general, I personally think these new size options are spot-on. 39mm isn't too small or too large, and it is likely to appeal to many men with an average wrist size. If you actually look for a watch with an integrated bracelet in this particular size, you will find the selection to be quite limited. The 40mm to 42mm range is a lot more common, and that size could be a bit overpowering for some men. Those considering the Constellation are likely to be sporting a suit and tie a lot, and I think a watch that doesn't cooperate with tight cuffs wouldn't be the best choice for them. The Tudor Black Bay Fifty-Eight pops into my head when I think about a 39mm watch on a bracelet, but that is a much sportier diver with a very different personality from the Omega.
Now let's look at the 36mm variant, which is something of a rare sight in the men's watch category today. However, here in Japan, I think there are plenty of watch enthusiasts specifically hunting vintage pieces in this size range. I'm sure there are people thinking 36mm is the perfect size for skinny wrists, and Omega is here to serve their needs.
Ultimately, I think the 1mm upsizing from the predecessor was a mere fine-tuning for modern times. In general, mainstream convention today is to categorize watches at or below the 35mm mark as a ladies' model, and the new 35mm Navitimer that Breitling introduced recently was indeed mostly positioned as a women's model.
In any case, this 36mm Omega is indeed designed with men in mind, and its ever-subtle ruggedness — hidden within the gorgeous details such as the new bezel that was slimmed down from the predecessor — actually suits men's wrists just right.
Let's talk about this two-size lineup. There aren't too many brands that can pull it off. The real problem is the movement size, since you'd typically need a 26mm-ish movement for a watch at or below 39mm in diameter. An ETA 2892 base caliber (25.6mm) would fit the bill, but the lack of movement supplies from ETA could be an issue for many — there is a choice of using Sellita SW300, however. Watch brands are keeping a close eye on the Kenissi and Norqain collaboration ever since Kenissi announced in March that they've developed a new 26mm caliber.
Omega is making this size lineup possible by utilizing the in-house caliber 8800 (the gold models have the 8801 with gold rotor and bridge), which is used in women's watches and divers with thick cases. This movement from 2016 is quite compact at 26mm in diameter, and like the cal. 8900 that I mentioned earlier, it is an antimagnetic to 15,000 gauss and chronometer certified Master Co-Axial movement.
Both 36mm and 39mm variants use the cal. 8800, and that would mean you'd be choosing the watch purely by its case size. Although the 39mm would be more in line with today's market demand, I personally feel the 36mm hits the spot for me. It's likely due to the dressy nature of this watch.
In the realm of integrated bracelet watches, you'd probably want the presence of a 39mm case if you were looking for a sport watch, and that would also let you enjoy the design details just a little more. That would be even truer for watches with an interesting dial execution. However, I personally think the Constellation is the type of watch that should be just peeking out under the cuff. I can easily imagine the details like the four notches on the bezel and the bracelet links calmly expressing their elegance, and I definitely think the 36mm can handle that subtlety better.
Speaking of subtle expressions, the new bracelet links exhibit that quality prominently. The bracelet retains the same cylindrical link design from the last generation, which acts as a hinge between the larger links of the same width. For this iteration, however, each side of the cylindrical link steps down in diameter, giving you an interesting visual effect of a trapped cylinder between larger links. As far as the wearability goes, smooth and rounded flanks of the links provide an excellent fit.
With the size, the movement, and all the exterior design considerations, the retail price of $6,050 in stainless steel on bracelet is quite an achievement. I don't see many watches packing this much value for the money. In particular, the new bracelet punches way above its price bracket. I'd say this watch could well be the top pick in the integrated bracelet watch category under $10k.
As I stated earlier, this watch isn't exactly a sport watch. Instead, it is filled with a dressier appeal through and through. The watch sparkles wherever you look — quite fitting for its namesake.
Although I focused heavily on the bracelet models here, the leather strap equipped counterparts are absolutely perfect as a dress watch. Thanks to the vast variations in the lineup, I'm confident you'll find a model that tickles your fancy.
Price: Black dial in stainless steel on bracelet (36mm) — $6,050, in 18K yellow gold x steel on bracelet (36mm) — $10,500, gray dial in steel on leather strap (39mm) — $5,820 as shown in this article. Availability: Available now
To say that CODE 11.59 debuted to mixed reviews is to say nothing at all. While many enthusiasts were impressed by the technical firepower on display – the collection featured a host of new movements, including AP's first in-house self-winding chronograph movement – as well as the elaborate case construction and obviously high level of craftsmanship throughout, the dials, especially in the simpler models, were very divisive. However, the CODE 11.59 collection isn't going anywhere. Audemars Piguet has committed itself to the collection for the long haul, and both as a token of that commitment and as an indication that the collection will continue to evolve, AP has just released the latest versions of the CODE 11.59 Selfwinding and Selfwinding Chronograph models. These feature five new sunburst lacquer dials, as well as a quite striking new version of the case, in white gold, with a pink gold case middle.
The manufacture of two-tone cases using two gold alloys is a relative rarity at Audemars Piguet in terms of the historical production (although, of course, we have seen a more frequent use of two-tone construction in the Royal Oak and Royal Oak Offshore, including the reference 5402SA and the reference 15400). According to AP's archives, of the 550 complicated watches the firm produced between 1882 and 1969 (a number whose relative minuteness bears considering; the company's total number of employees did not exceed 30 until the year 1950, and did not exceed 100 until the 1970s), there are only eight which combined two types of gold. There were, of course, two-tone watches which combined gold and steel, including the ref. 1533 which was the basis for this year's [Re]Master chronograph, but using two different kinds of gold was much more unusual. In AP's entire production prior to 1970, there is only a single watch which combines white and pink gold.
I think one of the issues with the original CODE 11.59 time-only watches was that the dials suffered somewhat in comparison with the cases. Although the case architecture took some getting used to for long-time AP fans, and especially for AP enthusiasts who have come to the brand more recently and know it largely through the Royal Oak, the Offshore, and the various iterations of those models (and I think some AP fans will never get used to it), there was, especially if you had a chance to see the cases in person, no gainsaying the quality of construction and the extremely meticulously applied hand finishing on the cases. The dials, in contrast to the jewel-like shimmer of the cases, the robust architecture of the movements, and the rather mesmerizing visual effect created by the double-curved crystals, seemed rather plain. And although AP was at great pains to explain the complexity of the dial construction and the technical challenges that had to be overcome, there were still many – not a unanimously united front, not that AP fans are ever unanimously united on anything, but many – who felt that the original dial designs in the time-only models left something to be desired. (I ought to point out, by the way, that the typeface for the numerals isn't a newcomer to AP either; it can be seen in the reference 5528 minute repeater, which was completed in 1951).
The new models are not the first nor the only CODE 11.59 models to have dials with color gradients or more complicated dials. The minute repeater at launch had a blue gradient dial, as did the self-winding flying tourbillon; there is, of course, the openworked tourbillon model as well, and the perpetual calendar had a lovely blue aventurine dial. I think AP probably recognized that having a dial treatment which offered a greater sense of visual depth would probably create quite a different impression than the flat dials for the less complex launch models, and so the company released a watch which was a bit the shape of things to come – a limited edition for the Bolshoi Ballet, with a blue gradient grand feu enamel dial. That watch came at a considerable premium over the $26,800 price for the standard models, at $41,300, but the benefits of the more elaborate dial were immediately evident and very likely prompted the company to decide to produce visually similar, but considerably less costly, versions for the regular collection as well.
Case Design At Audemars Piguet
The CODE 11.59 case has a most unusual construction – the case middle, which is octagonal in shape (a visual link connecting the collection to, of course, the Genta heritage and the octagonal bezel of the Royal Oak), is a separate part, and the lugs attach only to the upper part of the case; there is a minute gap where the lugs lie against the caseback and overall, the watch seems to hang suspended from the lugs. The effect is extremely subtle thanks to the small size of the gap, but it's definitely noticeable if you look closely. I have had several opportunities to see these cases in person, and the degree to which the finish is finely executed is hard to overstate. Whether or not the design is your particular brand of vodka, the razor-sharp transitions between brushed and polished surfaces are immediately striking as are the very high quality of the various finishes overall.
These are manually applied and are similar in many respects to the hand-finishing techniques found on haute horlogerie calibers. The cases are rather thick, but that thickness is, I think, intentional, in that it provides a bigger canvas for the display of the different polishing methods. After all, if AP wishes to make an ultra-thin watch, it has that capability – its ultra-thin watches are an essential and interesting part of its heritage – but in this instance, something more overtly architectural was clearly the goal. The Royal Oak is rightly famed for its revolutionary treatment of stainless steel, but at least in terms of complexity and quality, the CODE 11.59 case can easily stand comparison with its stablemate from the 1970s.
While it is tempting and somewhat natural to think of unusual case design at AP as beginning and more or less ending with the Royal Oak, the company has been producing cases which very much fall outside the realm of the conventional for many, many years – indeed, for almost as long as they have been making wristwatches of any kind at all. The birth of the wristwatch is, in fact, directly linked to the invention of unusual case shapes, or what we today think of as unusual case sha
I have always thought that the most challenging part of a watch to design, particularly if the watch is round, are the lugs. The transition from case to lug affects everything – how it is handled affects not only the appearance of the watch, but also how it feels once it is on the wrist. The fact that wristwatches must be attached to the furthest end of the human upper extremity means that the connection must be a secure one, and for that reason, various geometrical cases became a part of the early history of the first true wristwatches, and the first wristwatches from Audemars Piguet, almost immediately. Beyond the strict geometry of rectilinear cases, there is also, once the technical problem of securing round or oval watches has been solved (and it was largely solved by the invention of the spring bar), the fact that rectilinear geometry in watch cases offers an opportunity to depart dramatically from the tyranny of the round case. AP has, for most of its history, done just that – not exclusively, perhaps, but consistently.
Crystals And Cases
The crystal of a watch is generally something that is expected to disappear – we generally judge the quality of a crystal by the degree to which it is invisible and lets us experience the dial unobstructed. The exceptions to this are generally watches in which the crystal is an extension of the case – watches with sapphire cases are the most obvious example. I can't think of another modern watch in which the creation of a specific optical effect, with what at first glance seems a conventional round crystal, is part of the design of the watch, and the double curved crystal in the CODE 11.59 collection is a bit disturbing at first. Its unusual geometry is invisible when you look at the watch straight on, but viewed from an angle you get a very striking tiered effect – one thinks of the rows of seating in a Roman or Greek amphitheater.
The effect is somewhat muted, in the entry-level models, by the flatness of the dials, but in the new lacquer gradient models, you get a much greater sense of depth and three-dimensionality. This, in turn, means that there is a better sense of continuity across all the various aspects of the watch – dial, case, and movement finishing all seem much more of a piece. This extends even to a greater sense of connection between the case finishing and movement finishing – in fact, of all the new models, the two-tone ones are, I think, the most compelling.
The new movements are very much, in their general visual effects, a good partner to the collection overall. I think they mate especially well with the white-gold and rose-gold combination cases – you have, of course, the rotors of both the chronograph and time only models, but you also have the combination of mirror polished and brushed surfaces in both the case and the mechanism, and they seem to connect with each other, and with other aspects of the design, much better with the new gradient dial models.
Small changes can make big differences. The new CODE 11.59 dials have, in my view, thrown the virtues of the designs into high relief, and they also create a bridge between case, movement, dial – and crystal, which is just as much a part of the design in its optical effects as any other part of the watch – which was perhaps a bit undermined by the understated dials of the launch models (again, in the Selfwinding and Selfwinding Chronograph models only; the high complications are another story and should be discussed separately).
Chronograph caliber 4401, the first in-house self-winding chronograph movement from AP.
Caliber 4302, with instantaneous jumping date.
It would be extremely premature to judge the CODE 11.59 collection a success. However, I think it would also be premature to judge it a failure. In the larger context of design at Audemars Piguet, the collection sits in a long and very complex tradition of innovation in cases; in the larger context of movement manufacturing, the collection also sits in a very long and complex tradition of both simple and complicated watchmaking. These latest versions of the CODE 11.59 collection have not done all that much in terms of design or technical innovation relative to the launch models, but the new lacquer gradient dials are like a plug pushed into a socket – the mechanisms on either side are where the real action is, but without the spark of connection, nothing comes to life. It will be most interesting to see where AP goes next with the collection – it obviously represents not only the expenditure of considerable capital resources, but also considerable creative energy as well. The simpler launch models may not have quite stuck the landing, but then, neither did the first SpaceX reusable boosters, and we all know that today they're pretty much not only hitting their marks, but exceeding expectations in every way. Sometimes big ideas take a while to deliver on their promise, especially if they're living their lives in public; it'll be intriguing to see where AP takes the collection next.
The CODE 11.59 Selfwinding 41mm and Selfwinding Chronograph 41mm models, with gradient lacquer dials: cases, 41mm across the board, in white gold, rose gold, or rose gold case middle with white gold top and bottom. Water resistance 30m for both the Selfwinding and the Selfwinding Chronograph models. Gradient lacquer dials in five colorways; double curved sapphire crystal in the front, with flat sapphire crystal display back. Movements: Selfwinding model, AP in house caliber 4302, balance bridge, freesprung adjustable mass balance, 14 lignes/32mm, 28,800 vph, running in 32 jewels with 70-hour power reserve; Selfwinding Chronograph model, AP in-house automatic chronograph caliber 4401, 14 lignes/32mm, column wheel controlled with balance bridge and freesprung adjustable mass balance, 28,800 vph, running in 40 jewels with 70-hour power reserve. All Selfwinding models, $26,800; all Selfwinding Chronograph models, $42,400. Find out more at AudemarsPiguet.com.
