Jaeger-LeCoultre is a brand that calls to mind a host of iconic, or at least iconic-adjacent, designs. There is the Reverso, the Master Control line, and the Polaris, just to name a few. Drawing on that heritage, JLC is introducing the new Polaris Mariner – a more sport-oriented tandem of dive watches – comprised of the Polaris Mariner Date and Polaris Mariner Memovox (featuring the signature alarm function). Both watches sport a 42mm-wide case design, in a blue and orange color scheme, that is decidedly modern in appearance while still maintaining the classic core design language of the Polaris as we have come to know it.
Initial Thoughts
Having been originally unveiled around 1950, the Memovox has become one of the staples of alarm-bearing watches, if not the most well-known (for more on the Memovox, check out this A Week on the Wrist). Likewise, the Polaris, originally released in 1968, is one of those late mid-century watch designs that has been re-contextualized for modern day. It sports a look markedly different from the more ubiquitous rotating bezel diver design (think Blancpain Fifty Fathoms, Rolex Submariner, and almost every dive watch that has followed). The Polaris is one part funky, two parts retro, with a splash of futuristic – staple traits of similarly styled Super Compressor dive watches from the 1960s.
The difference between the new Polaris Mariner Date and the new Polaris Mariner Memovox is, effectively: alarm or no alarm – that's pretty much it (save for a difference in thickness, and the number of crowns, which again are products of the alarm function). You might be hard-pressed to even see anything different at all between them at a quick glance, but if you look closely, you will notice the tiny "Memovox" word mark and triangle on one model – with corresponding third crown – and the absence of each of those things on the other.
Despite the core design language, you won't find a heritage aesthetic, or fauxtina anywhere here. Instead, you are left with a bold set of blue and orange colors, inside of a 42mm case on a steel bracelet. Whereas the Polaris line of watches, at large, has been considered more of a "sport gentleman" watch, this new collection presents a sport and tool watch design – and build – that is fit for its intended purpose. How so? Well, the Polaris Mariner is ISO 6425-compliant, which makes it something of a proper dive watch with a 300-meter depth rating. If you had any doubt as to its bona fides, you need only look to the text on the lower portion of the dial, which quite literally reads, "diving."
The lume glows both in a blue and orange color. The orange lume is reserved for the minute hand, which matches the orange accents on the dial – something I would love to see in the metal. There also appears to be an orange accentuation on the base of the crowns, when unscrewed. The Polaris Mariner Date features two crowns, one to work the movement and the other for the internal dive time bezel. The Polaris Mariner Memovox sports a third crown, which operates the alarm function. The dial boasts the usual three textured approach with a mix of grain, gloss, and sunray finishing. Of course, there are the large, distinctive, and legible numerals in the signature retro typeface.
Both of the new Polaris Mariner watches evoke a certain modern-leaning, ready-to-dive attitude while simultaneously serving as representations of the heritage of Polaris models of years past. The movements inside each watch are the JLC Caliber 899 in the Polaris Mariner Date and the JLC Caliber 956 in the Polaris Mariner Memovox. Both watches feature sapphire exhibition casebacks showcasing the aforementioned calibers. Overall, the Polaris Mariner collection presents an unabashedly sporty watch, on a steel bracelet to boot – and while the summer season may technically be in our rearview, "Hot Dive Watch Summer" endures.
An exceptional horologist, Ferdinand Berthoud left behind a work of immense scope in the fields of marine chronometers, decorative watches and clocks, specialist tools, and scientific measuring instruments. In addition, Berthoud authored many books on horology, comprising over 4,000 pages with engraved plates.
Chronométrie Ferdinand Berthoud draws inspiration from the remarkable heritage of the Swiss master watchmaker while giving his work a contemporary twist. Celebrating the 250th anniversary of the accession in 1770 of Ferdinand Berthoud to the title of "Clockmaker and Mechanic by appointment to the French King and Navy," Chronométrie Ferdinand Berthoud recently unveiled a new collection of watches – the Chronomètre FB 2RE. At the October 2020 lecture of the Horological Society of New York, Karl-Friedrich Scheufele and Vincent Lapaire will discuss the history of this pioneer of marine chronometry, and explain in detail the innovation seen in the new Chronomètre FB 2RE.
Chronomètre FB 2RE
About Karl-Friedrich Scheufele
Karl-Friedrich Scheufele
Profoundly fascinated by the history of art and watchmaking, Karl-Friedrich Scheufele is the driving force behind the Chronométrie Ferdinand Berthoud, of which he is President.
Born in Germany in 1958, he was raised in Pforzheim until the age of 15. In 1963, when his family took over the Chopard watch Manufacture in Geneva, he enrolled at Geneva International School. He later served an apprenticeship with a Geneva jeweler before continuing his studies at the University of Lausanne Business and Economics Faculty and preparing to join the family firm.
In 1996, Karl-Friedrich Scheufele founded Chopard Manufacture and opted to focus on the production of finely crafted mechanical movements. The company is based in Fleurier, in the Val-de-Travers.
In 2006, when inaugurating a watchmaking museum in Fleurier named "L.U.CEUM – Trace of Time," he also acquired the rights to the name Ferdinand Berthoud, which he subsequently registered in 2013 as the Chronométrie Ferdinand Berthoud. His goal is to offer incomparable and resolutely contemporary watches reflecting the spirit of excellence cultivated by Ferdinand Berthoud.
About Vincent Lapaire
Vincent Lapaire
Vincent Lapaire was born in 1964 in Zurich, Switzerland. He started his career in the Swiss watch industry in 1990 in the field of supply chain and project management. Passionate with arts and history and benefitting from proven experience in the watch development field, he joined the Chronométrie Ferdinand Berthoud in Fleurier (Switzerland) in 2011 as General Manager. He is currently in charge of the development of the brand under the leadership of Karl-Friedrich Scheufele, President and Co-President of the Chopard group, that is at the origin of the rebirth of the illustrious name of Ferdinand Berthoud, watchmaker-mechanic to the French King Louis XV and under the Empire.
HSNY lectures will be streamed live via Zoom for the foreseeable future, with no in-person gatherings. Webinar registration is required. All HSNY lectures are free and open to the public, and all are recorded. Recorded lectures are made available to HSNY members immediately, and the general public with a two-month delay.
Before his ascendancy to the top spot at Rolex, watch executive Jean-Frederic Dufour was the CEO of Zenith, a highly regarded if decidedly smaller manufacture with its own track record of innovation and watchmaking achievements.
The company’s most famous movement was then and remains the El Primero, among the first automatic chronograph calibers ever. In fact, it had been called upon by no less than Rolex itself, in 1988, when the Crown transitioned from the manually wound Daytona to the automatic version.
In his capacity as Zenith CEO, Dufour had a reputation for his focus on the product, and that is where his touch was most visible to those of us covering the watch industry back then. In relatively short order, he revamped and refocused Zenith on products that resonated with watch enthusiasts. There were some major hits from this time, and I was inspired enough by Dufour's leadership that I myself purchased Zenith's Captain Winsor, the company's annual calendar chronograph. Dufour's success reinvigorating Zenith can be seen as a factor that helped propel him into the top job at Rolex.
One of the early Zenith watches to come out under the Dufour banner was the Retrotimer, a continuously running monopusher flyback version of the El Primero that features a little red hash mark at eight minutes on its lone sub-dial, as can be seen in the image below. When the watch came out, I remember hearing that the Retrotimer's red mark was there for use in the kitchen. At first, I was told this by a fellow journalist, and I recall that some digging at the time turned up a press release that offered confirmation. I recall it saying something to the effect that a designer at Zenith had put it there because of his love of pasta, though I no longer have this press release.
Nonetheless, I’ve always thought the Retrotimer, particularly the version with the carbon-fiber-like, patterned dial seen here, was a good-looking chronograph and an unusual take on the El Primero – a movement that I think every watch lover ought to experience owning in one guise or another.
I’d been giving some recent thought to this watch and found myself searching for examples and information online. This, in turn, revived my memory that the Retrotimer was designed for cooking pasta. I reached out to Zenith to see if they had images of the watch (they did) and if they still had that old release handy (they did not), though I was told the red mark is for cooking pasta. In my research, I came across a Europa Star article, "Zenith Returns To The Workbench," by the eminent Swiss watch journalist Pierre Maillard. Within it is the following quote:
For fun, this calibre is also found in the El Primero Retrotimer, priced at 6,900 CHF, that includes 8 minutes in red in its small counter. Why 8 minutes in red? Dufour answers with a smile: “It is because I love Italian cuisine and the al dente pasta cooks for 8 minutes.” Europa Star, March 2010
Not only was the Retrotimer designed with gastronomic intent, but it seems it was Dufour's idea. If that's not an horological chef's kiss, I don’t know what is.
There is something undeniably fun about a bronze dive watch, and over the past few years, Oris has applied the alloy in the creation of a range of special models, many of which fall within its Divers Sixty-Five range of vintage-inspired dive watches. Recently, all of that warmly-toned timekeeping came to its zenith with a watch announced in June. Complete with what might be the friendliest caseback ever fitted to a watch, this is the Oris Divers Sixty-Five Chronograph Holstein Edition 2020. Essentially, it's a small, bronze, wrist-borne statue created in celebration of the brand’s roots in the small agricultural Swiss village of Holstein. While Oris has done bronze before, here we get the full monty – case, bezel, and bracelet.
The Holstein 2020 limited edition follows in the footsteps of 2016’s Carl Brashear Limited Edition – the brand’s first bronze watch – and the 2018 Oris Carl Brashear Chronograph, which was also a limited edition piece and featured a gorgeous blue dial and a leather strap. Both of those models were limited to 2,000 pieces. This latest bronze limited edition? Just 250. So you may be wondering, why even bother reviewing such a watch, when so few are being made and it was released months ago? Well... curiosity, mostly.
I asked Oris to loan me an example with the hopes of getting a better understanding of what the full bronze package felt like in person, and I wanted to see what it would look like with some patina. Thankfully, Oris had a loaner, and it had not been cleaned up, so what you see here is an example of the early patina that develops as the watch interacts with the atmosphere around it.
Before I go much further, let's talk bronze (I promise I will be brief). To keep this at a Wikipedia education level, bronze is an alloy that is mostly copper along with some tin and any combination of other metals, which could include aluminum, nickel, or otherwise. The specific alloy composition would depend on the application for the metal. Like many watchmakers, when Oris uses bronze they opt for CuSn6, which is a strong and corrosion-resistant bronze alloy with copper making up the third component. CuSn6 is used for all of the brand's bronze applications.
Aside from its warm and often red gold-adjacent coloring, bronze is typically heavier and a bit harder than stainless steel. When it comes to watches, the main fun of a bronze watch is that the alloy will form surface oxidation, which often forms a sort of semi-permanent patina. The patina will vary based on several conditions, including the properties of the base alloy and the specifics of the environment in which the watch is worn. The look is always unique, and some environments will produce much more dramatic results than others (if you’re interested, check out this fascinating post from Fratello Watches in which Bert uses artificial processes to achieve various outcomes in minutes).
Outside of a home-brew scenario such as Bert's, the oxidization process takes time and requires exposure to the elements. That said, the results span from what you see here to expressions with added color and even more texture, like this wrist shot from Oris' co-CEO Rolf Studer (shown left).
When you take the eventual patina, the added weight, and how bronze has an entirely different character than steel, you get a watch that feels entirely distinct from watches that are otherwise vastly similar. With the Oris Holstein Edition 2020, the added bronze of the bracelet ups the ante.
Measuring 43mm wide with a lug-to-lug of 51mm and a thickness of 16mm (including its very domed sapphire crystal), the Holstein Edition 2020 is not svelte, or thin, or small. It's actually pretty big. But the size is nicely matched by the added heft of the bronze and, once sized for my 7-inch wrist, the whole package weighs in at 163 grams. For a guy that commonly wears smaller dive watches on NATOs, it's a big jump in size and weight. For me, while I prefer a smaller case most of the time, the charm of the bronze and the early development of the patina more than sells the larger sizing. Some watches are big watches, others are too big. This Oris is the former.
While the initial press images, which you can see here in Cole's original Introducing post, show a watch that is smooth and golden-toned with a bright finish, time and the elements have created a considerable contrast between the surface of the exposed bronze and the Holstein Edition 2020's bright gold dial. After just a few hours on wrist, this contrast between the slowly darkening bronze and the untouched brightness of the dial became the core appeal of the Holstein Edition 2020.
With the patina growing darker without losing any of the alloy's warmth, the Holstein Edition 2020 feels nautical, and the bubble domed crystal coving its airtight core is a fitting amalgam for a watch meant to capture the material legacy of something like early bronze helmet diving (like that of the US Navy's Mark V diving helmet, which can be seen in 2000's Men Of Honor, a film based on the life and Navy diving career of one Carl Brashear).
Compared to past bronze Oris watches, and indeed almost any other bronze dive watch on the market, it's hard to overstate the effect of the full bronze bracelet (well, mostly full, the hinge elements in the folding clasp are steel and can be seen above). Much like the difference between a gold watch on a bracelet and a gold watch on a strap, the bracelet adds a special gravitas. It's the completion of the desired effect; it comes together with the bracelet. With solid end links, screwed construction, a pushbutton clasp, and five micro-adjust points, the bracelet is typical Oris quality, though with the noteworthy omission of the studs common to the Divers Sixty-Five bracelets.
It's nicely made, not too thick, and suits the watch to a point that makes other bronze watches without bronze bracelets feel almost incomplete. This is of extra consideration as the Holstein Edition 2020 has 21mm lug widths, so your choice of secondary straps is a bit more complicated than it might be with a 20 or 22mm lug size.
Despite being bronze, the bezel action is light, clicky, and accurate, just like that of my own Divers Sixty-Five HODINKEE LE. The crown is screw-down, but the chronograph pushers are passive, and the water resistance is a totally acceptable 100 meters. The caseback is solid steel and, where you might expect to find the visage of a vintage diving helmet, we find a smiling portrait of the Oris Bear. A much-loved mascot within the brand's collector community, seeing the bear on the caseback of such a limited and specific sort of creation certainly suggests who Oris felt this model was meant for – Oris devotees.
With applied markers, a fine vertical brushing, limited text, and strong legibility, the Holstein Edition 2020's dial glows a bright tone of gold while housing a pair of dark grey sub-dials. Thankfully free of a date display, this is one of the more balanced takes on a dive chronograph dial layout, and, with a 30-minute max register and central seconds, legibility is excellent, even for the chronograph measure. The minutes hand is long, easy to read, and impossible to lose among the other displays.
Similarly, while the blue-effect lume is not massively bright, the contrast of the hands and the markers against the warmth of the dial ensures strong legibility in all but the darkest of scenarios, and I really like how they opted for sub-dial hands that are also lumed (see above).
Ticking beneath that dial we find an Oris-decorated version of Sellita's SW510 automatic chronograph movement, which ticks at 4 Hz while offering a 48-hour power reserve. As you would expect, the action is crisp and snappy, and the Sellita is a fitting choice for a watch like the Holstein Edition 2020.
All of the above comes together in what I believe is a very good example of a big and heavy watch that doesn't feel overstated or needlessly bulked up. The bronze feels special, almost extra romantic, especially when matched with the uncommon bracelet. On wrist, especially with fall colors in the air, I think it's a great looking watch with a unique wrist presence.
With production limited to just 250 pieces, pricing for the Holstein Edition 2020 sits at $5,200 which, for reference, is just $250 more than the list price of the Carl Brashear Chronograph – which doesn't feature a bracelet and is limited to 2,000 units. As much as I love the blue dial of the Brashear LE, the full bronze look of the Holstein Edition 2020 is definitely where I'd put my money.
Given the popularity of bronze in sports watches over the past five years, the Holstein Edition 2020 is not without competition. Those looking to cross-shop should be aware of bronze options like IWC's Spitfire chronograph in bronze ($6,500), Montblanc's 1858 Monopusher Chrono ($5,600), and even Tudor's Black Bay Bronze ($4,150). While those strong options are just a sample around the price point, they all have something in common, which is the lack of a matching bronze bracelet (though, to be fair, all three offer a more exclusive movement than you'll find in the Oris).
Big, distinctive, and matched by a fun and uncommon bronze bracelet option, the Oris Divers Sixty-Five Holstein Edition 2020 is yet another example of the design flexibility that Oris has found in its vintage-effect Divers Sixty-Five line and a reminder that bronze has a charm of its own and isn't always a third-place option.
The Oris Divers Sixty-Five Holstein Edition 2020 is a bronze dive chronograph with a case that measures 43 x 51 x 16mm. Using a Sellita SW510, the Holstein Edition 2020 is an automatic chronograph with a 30-minute total register, small seconds, and no date. Water-resistance is 100m and the case back is made of stainless steel. Price: $5,200. Find out moreOris.ch.
Not too many moons ago, we took a brief look at some of the most commonly used escapements in mechanical watches. (I actually, and characteristically, went on a bit in that story, but given how much more could have been said on the subject, it felt brief to me!) One of the comments, from H. Community Member Chronos2, raised an interesting point, which was that I had not discussed Spring Drive at all. I had indeed not, having chosen to focus on Grand Seiko's new Hi-Beat escapement, but the more I thought about the observation, the more I thought I might indeed have missed something – and also, the more I wondered, based on a precise definition of an escapement, if you could consider the Spring Drive to have one.
More specifically, I wondered about the Tri-synchro regulator, as Seiko calls it – this is the group of components which actually function as the regulating system in any and all Spring Drive watches. It had seemed fairly cut-and-dried to me to exclude Spring Drive from a discussion of modern escapements – which, after all, are generally thought of as mechanical devices – but the more I thought about it, the less black-and-white the question seemed.
What Makes An Escapement An Escapement?
The escapement, in a mechanical watch or clock, takes the one-way rotational movement of the wheels of the going train, and uses it to power the back-and-forth, two-way movement of an oscillator. The oscillator is, almost invariably, a balance wheel or pendulum (with some exotic exceptions). An essential part of most mechanical escapements is the escape wheel, which has specially shaped teeth designed to interact with some component (the lever, in a lever watch) which releases one tooth of the escape wheel every time the oscillator swings. The tooth "escapes," and the escape wheel rotates. As it does so, it pushes on the lever (in a lever watch) which in turn gives the balance wheel a push, just like someone pushing a child on a swing. As you can see, the basic characteristics of a mechanical escapement are that it both provides energy from the going train to the balance, while at the same time controlling the rate at which the train wheels rotate, all the way back to the mainspring barrel.
Spring Drive: What It Isn't And What It Is.
Now, among the several interesting things about Spring Drive is the fact that the power source is not a battery or capacitor; rather, it is the mainspring. This is in sharp contrast to pretty much every other watch with a quartz tuning fork oscillator, in which the battery supplies the juice necessary to keep the quartz oscillator vibrating back and forth (generally at a frequency of 32,768 Hz).
The hand-wound Spring Drive calibers 9R02 (left) and 9R31.
The crystal vibrates because quartz is what's called a piezoelectric material – that is, it changes shape when an electrical current is applied. In a conventional quartz watch, it's a replaceable battery – this can be kept topped up by a solar cell, as in Citizen's Eco-Drive watches, or the Tough Solar G-Shocks (everyone's favorite watch to have if you fall through a one-way wormhole and end up with nothing but your watch, a Swiss army knife, and your trusty Zippo, back in the time of the dinosaurs). Another way of keeping the battery charged is used by the Seiko Kinetic watches. Here, there is a rotor just like the one you'd find in an automatic watch, except instead of winding a mainspring, it's connected to gears that turn a miniature electrical generator; the current supplied is used to keep the battery from running too far down.
The Seiko 7R68A hand-wound Spring Drive caliber, launched in 1999.
Spring Drive, on the other hand, uses a standard watch mainspring to generate power. The mainspring may be kept wound by an automatic winding system – Grand Seiko uses a variation in its Spring Drive watches of the classic Magic Lever automatic winding system, which the company first introduced in 1959 – or it can be hand-wound, as is the case in the Grand Seiko 8-Day watches (as well as, of course, the fan-favorite Credor Eichi timepieces). In either case, the gear train of a Spring Drive watch from the mainspring barrel, all the way down the line to where you would find an escape wheel in a mechanical watch, is entirely mechanical. The exact gear ratios, number of gears, and other specifics are different from a standard mechanical watch, but the basic principle of wheels engaging with pinions, with torque decreasing and rotational speed increasing as you progress towards the regulating organs, is the same in both Spring Drive and a completely mechanical watch with a mechanical escapement.
At the point where, in a mechanical watch, you would find the escape wheel, lever, and balance, you find instead in a Spring Drive watch what Seiko calls the Tri-synchro regulator, which performs the same function in a Spring Drive movement that's performed by the escapement and balance in a mechanical watch. The Tri-synchro regulator consists of a small wheel which rotates in between the jaws of two wire-wrapped components, generating electricity, as well as an integrated circuit and a quartz timing module.
Parts of the caliber 9R86; mainplate left, main bridge upper right, mainspring barrel bottom center, and upper right, the wire-wound stator which encloses the glide wheel.
The first Spring Drive prototype was completed in 1982, and the first production Spring Drive wasn't released until 1999 – the development process focused very much on the challenges involved in both miniaturizing the system and reducing the amount of electrical energy consumed by the IC and quartz oscillator, as well as maximizing the amount of energy produced by the Tri-synchro regulator. In the 1982 prototype, what would become the glide wheel is visible on the left, rotating over three quite large stationary elements. In an electrical generator, the rotating element is called a rotor and the static element, the stator; the glide wheel acts as a rotor and the wire-wound elements act as the stator.
Original, prototype Spring Drive movement, 1982.
Electrical energy flows from the generator system to the integrated circuit and quartz crystal. The crystal vibrates at 32,768 Hz, which produces a time reference signal. This signal is checked by IC against the speed of rotation of the glide wheel, and if necessary, an electromagnetic field is generated to brake the motion of the glide wheel and hold its rotational speed to exactly eight revolutions per second.
Second Spring Drive prototype movement, 1993.
The Tri-synchro regulator itself consists of the glide wheel, coil-wound stators, and the IC and quartz oscillator that constitute the actual regulating system. In a Spring Drive movement, the glide wheel, stators, and IC fulfill the functions of the escape wheel and lever in a conventional mechanical watch, while the role of the balance wheel is fulfilled by the quartz crystal.
The Tri-synchro regulator, in an automatic Spring Drive movement. To the left; the generator/brake coils; center, the glide wheel (which is the last train wheel) and lower right, the IC and quartz tuning fork.
Mechanical Escapements And Spring Drive
Now, if we ask ourselves, "does Spring Drive contain an escapement," we can turn to the various definitions of "escapement" out there. It's worth noting at this point that pretty much every dictionary definition of the word which is related to horology (there are non-horological uses of the word – the device in a mechanical typewriter which advances the carriage automatically when a key is pressed and released is also called an escapement, for instance) assumes that escapements are mechanical rather than, potentially, electromechanical devices as well. However, the basic functionality of an escapement is captured very well, I think, by the Oxford English Dictionary, which says an escapement is, "A mechanism in a clock or watch that alternately checks and releases the train by a fixed amount and transmits a periodic impulse from the spring or weight to the balance wheel or pendulum."
On this score, I think you can certainly make an argument that the Tri-synchro regulator is an escapement – an oscillator and escapement since it includes the quartz crystal. It certainly fulfills the definition of an escapement from a function perspective – it provides motive power to the oscillator (via an electrical current), and it also controls the going train, albeit not in fixed amounts, but rather through a continuous braking process, which gives the Spring Drive watches their characteristic, smoothly gliding seconds hand (and smoothly gliding hour and minute hands as well, as the hour and minute hands are driven, as is the seconds hand, by gears of the going train, rather than by stepper motors, as in a conventional quartz watch).
One interesting point, which was raised by Chronos2, is that there is no electrical storage system in Spring Drive watches. The power source is purely mechanical, and if the mainspring winds down, the watch will stop immediately as there is no battery or capacitor and, indeed, nothing for them to drive, even if they were present in the movement.
A final question is whether or not a conventional quartz watch has an escapement in the sense we have been discussing them. I would say no, at least on initial consideration. A quartz watch has a battery that drives an oscillator, but the mechanism that drives the oscillator does not have a rate of "unwinding," so to speak, that corresponds to the mechanical train in Spring Drive or a mechanical watch. Instead, the IC in a standard quartz watch counts the number of oscillations of the crystal, and when an equivalent to one second is reached, it sends a signal to the stepper motor to advance the second hand. If the motion of the seconds hand were determined by the rate of depletion of the battery, we would have a much closer analogy to a true mechanical (or electro-mechanical) escapement, but this is not the case.
Assembly of the glide wheel into the 9R65 Spring Drive caliber.
There are a number of respects in which Spring Drive is unique in comparison to other quartz-controlled wristwatches, but to me, this is one of the most significant, and it seems to me that it makes Spring Drive a closer relative to standard mechanical watches than one might think. However, as is always the case with Spring Drive, I think ultimately it's best understood as its own thing – a timekeeping and regulating system with no really close relative anywhere else in horology. Hope you have enjoyed this little thought experiment and, as always, I look forward to, and even hope to be, violently disagreed with in the comments!
The NBA Finals have arrived – in October, of all months – with the Los Angeles Lakers taking on the surprise Eastern Conference Champion Miami Heat. Now, if anybody out there has been watching the games, maybe you have seen some of the coaches on the sidelines sporting a host of cool pieces, ranging from G-Shock to Rolex. Heck, some coaches (I won't name names) have forgone watches entirely, in favor of the Walt Disney World NBA-branded bracelet, used to access their hotel rooms – an iconic look unto itself.
But I am not here to talk about coaches, but rather a player. This is not just any player, but the "Brow" himself – Anthony Davis. The same Anthony Davis who, in Game 1, joined the pantheon of Laker greats with his 34-point output in his NBA Finals debut – in a Lakers victory. In addition to all of those things, Davis also appears to wear a watch when he warms up – and an Apple Watch, no less.
We don't often see basketball players wearing watches on the court – and never during an official game – which is why it is so interesting to see the superstar sporting one on the court inside the Walt Disney World bubble. Davis appears to be wearing an Apple Watch on a Nike Edition Sport Band.
Without a clear view of the dial, I can't be sure if he is utilizing one of the litany of fitness and health-based features the Apple Watch provides, or if he just likes to know the time while on the hardwood. In the age of analytics, there is no shortage of information that can be used by an athlete to gain a competitive edge, and the Apple Watch is more than capable of providing such data.
Davis is no stranger to the Apple ecosystem either. Last year (just prior to this – the longest NBA season in history), he posted a photo on his Instagram of himself and Apple CEO Tim Cook at an Apple Keynote event. To be fair, in that same Instagram, Davis also posted a wrist shot of him rocking a solid gold AP Royal Oak Chronograph. Getting back to the Apple Watch though, it is very cool to see an elite athlete, at the prime of his career, wearing one on his wrist while working on his craft. For those who appreciate the idea of a tool watch, this looks to be the modern personification of one in action.
It's certainly worth noting that HODINKEE Talking Watches alum Andre Iguodala is on the Heat in this year's Finals – in his sixth consecutive appearance, so there is no shortage of watch-related intrigue at play here. As things stand, the Lakers lead the Miami Heat, 1-0, in the best-of-seven series, with the next game scheduled for October 2. You can catch Davis, and Iguodala, as they face off for the Larry O'Brien Trophy on ABC for the next couple of weeks. Let us know in the comments if you have spotted any other watches in the NBA bubble.
Lead photo: (also appearing in the article) Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images
As with, say, vintage race cars, when it comes to collector value in watches, the "who" is often just as crucial as the "what." Sure, there is always appeal for a great piece of vintage track weaponry, but if you add in a notable driver, some race wins, or even a legendary racing team ... baby, you got a stew going. In this case, the stew is being offered by Christie's and their Watches Online: Discovering Time, and its headline lot – aka. the broth and potatoes – is a Rolex Daytona ref. 6265 that was owned and worn by racing legend Carroll Smith.
Those of you not up on your American racing history might think I got the last name wrong, but I meant Smith and not Shelby, though Carroll Smith did work with Carroll Shelby as part of the team that prepped the winning GT40s for the 24 Hours of Le Mans in both 1966 and 1967. Those of you who have seen the recent Ford vs. Ferrari (or have read A.J Baime's simply superb Go Like Hell) will know that the GT40 program of the late 1960s has become one of the most hallowed stories in the history of American road racing, especially in Europe, and most specifically against Ford's then-bitter rival, Ferrari.
While Shelby would eventually become something of a household name for anyone even remotely into cars and racing, Carroll Smith was undoubtedly cut from a similar cloth. His career started in racing as a driver, and then, he worked with Ford and Shelby in developing the cars that would eventually win four years in a row at Le Mans. The watch in question was a gift from the Cuddy Racing Team in 1973 following the L&M F5000 Championship Series, and the caseback reads "Carroll Smith, 1973, L & M Series, Cuddy Racing."
Smith, who passed in 2003, would continue to support various racing teams with his extensive engineering knowledge (including Ferrari's F1 team in the late '70s), become a published author, and even return to vintage racing. He was the real deal, and this is some fortunate bidder's chance at owning his Rolex Daytona.
With a panda dial, a steel tachymeter bezel, and what looks to be worn but cared for condition, this 6265 represents a racing watch icon (the Daytona) that was owned and worn by a racing legend of the same era (Smith). The time in which the Daytona became part of the iconography of motorsports is the same "golden years" era of racing in which Carroll Smith played a considerable role.
Carroll Smith (easily identified via his signature hat) next to the open door of the Ford GT40 race car that would go on to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1967.
Those interested in a vintage Daytona with legit racing provenance can find more details in lot 115 of Christie's sale, which is online and running until October 13. With an estimate of $150,000 – $200,000, the lot includes two of Smith's books and, for the qualified racing-obsessed collector, one hell of a story.
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.
Time travel is potentially a ton of fun but also, possibly incredibly hazardous (to quote Hermione Granger, "Awful things happen to wizards who meddle with time." This is in the context of her having access to time travel technology and using it to pull a double course load, but that's another rant.). You may think time travel completely impossible, even theoretically, but it turns out that, at least according to General Relativity, it is not. There are valid solutions to the relativistic field equations that allow for what are called "closed time-like curves," in which any event is in both the past, present, and future of an observer on the curve. The problem is that if you can travel into the past, you can create paradoxes which should not be allowed – the classic example is the Grandfather paradox. You go back in time and murder your grandfather, but without your grandfather, you should not exist and therefore would not be able to murder him in the first place. It turns out, however, that if you run the numbers, it seems as if the timeline would automatically correct itself in order to produce the same general outcome anyway. This is via researchers at the University of Queensland, one of whom is, depressingly, a fourth-year BS undergraduate (I don't want to go into details on what I was up to my senior year in college, but it was not proving time travel plausible, I can tell you that).
If I've learned anything doing this job, it's that if people can collect something, they will collect that thing. As far as collectible obsessions go, very old bottles of liquor aren't particularly strange or surprising. This story from The New York Times adds an additional twist to the mix, though: Old bottles of sauce owned by famous Hollywood icons. If that doesn't have you interested, I don't know what will, but if nothing else, the story inspired me to pour myself a few fingers of the best my home bar had to offer when I finished reading it. In 2020, that's something.
– Stephen Pulvirent, Manager of Editorial Products
For the adventure-obsessed, this story has it all: a trusty Land Rover 4-cylinder Series 2A, a few scrappy fellows, and a search for The Lost City of the Kalahari in the wilds southwest of Botswana. In 1885, Gilarmi A. Farini reported discovering the ruins of the city. So, 100 years later, a few folks decided to try to find them again. Even if you don't read the whole thing, it's worth skimming through the story for fantastic period photos of the group traversing an incredible African landscape with a Land Rover in the '80s.
Prior to joining HODINKEE, I clerked for a judge (a common path for law school graduates). I learned a lot during that time of my life about the justice system, the application of the law, and how to write a lot on tight deadlines – something that has surely served me well here. But something else I learned is that the law, in any country, and in any context, is largely based on semantics and interpretation. It is on that basis that I found this article so fascinating. This piece from the AP, which has since been picked up by news outlets worldwide, details an interesting court case that was heard in Ireland. The premise is, as the title suggests, that Subway bread is not bread – at least, that is the position of the Irish courts. In response, Subway had this to say, "Subway's Bread is, of course, bread." If these two anecdotes from the article don't pique your interest, I don't know what to tell you.
I don't know about you, but I am definitely feeling tense this week. Thankfully, photographer Jana Rogers and Powder Magazine are here to help us out with some incredibly serene winter images from points near and far. If you're a skier, winter will always have a prominent place in your heart (it certainly warms my frozen cockles every year), but even if you despise the sport and the temperatures that typically accompany it, it's hard to deny the jaw-dropping beauty of a snowy mountain scene – whether it's in the high peaks of Austria, the far north of Japan, or the mountain west of the U.S. Brew a nice warm cup of coffee, throw on a cardigan, and let it snow, baby.
About two years ago, Jack pulled the trigger on a $25 Casio digital world timer, a watch he'd long admired, and penned a stirring Value Proposition article about the experience.
Before long, one could see this watch on the wrists of quite a few staff around the HODINKEE offices. Some went for the version pictured here, while others channeled more of a luxury vibe with a similar gold-tone watch costing a hair under $50. It was one of those moments when something that had, perhaps, flown under the radar became exceedingly popular, and led to some good old-fashioned low-stakes horological fun.
Fair warning: If you click the link below and read Jack's thoughts on the AE1200WH-1A, there's a decent chance you'll find yourself this Sunday on the Casio web site, credit card in hand.
The NOMOS Lambda collection has, until now, been all about the precious metals – namely gold. It has certainly been on the higher end of, if not one of the most expensive, watches the brand makes. Today that all changes – well, sort of.
In celebration of 175 years of Glashütte watchmaking, NOMOS has announced the new Lambda collection, in stainless steel. There are three color variants in total that comprise these new releases, and they are a white dial, a black dial, and a blue dial – each being limited to 175 pieces, consistent with the anniversary. I have said before that this is the year of the dial swap. Well, with this new release NOMOS has gone one step further, to the case swap
Initial Thoughts
NOMOS is a brand that has, in many ways, been built on the Bauhaus design ideal, and the Lambda line has been one of the better manifestations of that very concept. It has been interesting, however, that for so long, the Lambda models were priced in a manner that was a far cry from the normal value-packed pricing that NOMOS is known for. These new models – however limited – bring the value back. These roughly 40mm variants are mere iterations of the original 42mm Lambda (there is also a 39mm model), and aside from the change in case material, the dials are effectively – if not identically – the same.
In terms of product positioning, NOMOS considers these watches to be more in the haute horology vein. A lot of that has to do with the movement (more on that later), but it also has to do with the overall aesthetics of these watches and the materials used to make them. Each dial is made of enamel, in a high gloss. When I say high gloss, I mean it. There is no mistaking these watches for anything rugged, toolish, or sporty. This design is, and has been, a full lean into the Bauhaus design motif whereas other NOMOS models merely evoke that look. With these stainless steel Lambda variants, the brand is offering another avenue into the more "high watchmaking" side of things at a lower price.
I hesitate to call these dress watches, but they are certainly at home with a somewhat elevated – let's say professional – attire. The styling of these pieces is so minimal in affectation that it brings new meaning to the adage "the whole is greater than the sum of its parts." The Gangreserve 84 Stunden on the right side of the dial looks like text that could have been pulled directly off of a vintage Bauhaus design poster. The simplicity of the subsidiary seconds dial, nestled in the shadow of the imposing, and prominent, power reserve sub-dial, adds great contrast to the overall design – and has become a staple trait of the Lambda collection at large.
As I talked about earlier, NOMOS watches are synonymous with value. Now, while the Lambda is something of an aberration in the larger NOMOS landscape of watches, it is, as Jack once put it, the manifestation of the brand simply wanting to make a nice watch. And that they did. I remember opening these pieces from their respective boxes and immediately seeing the "nice watch" charm.
Nowadays, a nice watch can mean a lot of things. A nice watch can be a dive watch, a pilot's watch, or a racing chronograph. The Lambda, however, has more of a classic nice watch appeal. Its function is to tell the time, but to do so cooler than the other guy's watch does. That's the byproduct of that minimalist approach to the dial. That design also allows the Lambda to be somewhat versatile in terms of wearability. That being said, I would not necessarily strap it on with shorts and head to the beach – in fact, I most definitely would not do that.
The three dial variants are all quite conservative, especially when you consider that this is a year in which we have seen a slew of watches in bright colorways – case in point, the recent Cool Hunting x NOMOS LEs. I found the white variant to be the most legible of the bunch. The black text against the white dial was just easier to see in a variety of lighting conditions. The high gloss of the blue and the black dial variants results in a lot of reflectivity, and when you pair that with the thin design of the hands, sub-dials, and dial text, it just accentuates what makes the white dial so readable. To that point, however, the white dial wears larger than the blue and black – an effect white dials tend to have.
Beating away inside of these watches is the same movement that powers the regular production gold-cased Lambda models. That is the DUW 1001, a hand-wound, in-house caliber, that is regulated to chronometer standards. This caliber boasts a power reserve of 84 hours which, for a manually wound watch, is very good. But remember, this is an haute horology movement we are talking about here. It features a swan neck fine adjustment, rhodium-plated three-quarter plate with sunburst polishing, hand beveled and polished edges, six gold chatons, a screw balance, and a hand-engraved balance cock which reads “mit Liebe in Glashütte gefertigt,” which translates to "lovingly produced in Glashütte."
According to NOMOS, this release came about when the brand CEO was asked how he wanted to celebrate the 175th anniversary of watchmaking in Glashütte, and he opted – in lieu of a party – to create these three watches. That was very nice, as I think this is a design that really works in this steel casing, although I do love gold. If you ever had an intellectual interest in the NOMOS Lambda before, these limited edition pieces give you the same value in terms of design and movement construction, but place all of that inside of a case which brings the price down from around $20,000 to $7,500. As mentioned, these new NOMOS Lambda models are limited to 175 pieces each, and I imagine they will not be around for long.
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A few weeks ago, Apple unveiled its latest smartwatches – the Apple Watch Series 6 and Apple Watch SE – and plenty of digital ink was spilled analyzing every little detail, both here on HODINKEE and elsewhere. If you haven't seen my first look video for the Series 6, it's a pretty good primer for getting you up to speed. But we wanted to go deeper. We wanted to go beyond the spec sheet and offer up some behind-the-scenes info on the latest batch of watch faces, explore the ways in which the Apple Watch has become a lynchpin of Apple's broader strategy, and, of course, answer that all important question: Should I buy one?
For that, I decided to enlist the help of some friends and experts.
First up on this week's episode, I go straight to the source and speak with Alan Dye, Apple's Vice President of Human Interface Design. We had Alan on the show last year, and I recommend you give that conversation a listen too, since most of what we spoke about is still very much relevant to our conversation about the Series 6. This go-around, we talk about why Apple continues to look to old-school, analog horology for watch face inspiration, the challenges of designing flexible watch face platforms instead of set-in-stone faces, and how Alan's team responded quickly to some COVID-induced design needs. As always, Alan offers up extremely thoughtful answers along with that rare peek behind the curtain at Apple.
Do you have Solo Loop questions? John Gruber's got answers.
After that, I sit down with two other HODINKEE Radio alums, John Gruber and Om Malik. In addition to being lovers of mechanical watches, these guys are two of the brightest minds on the planet when it comes to all things Apple. John covers the company extensively on both Daring Fireball and The Talk Show, and Om has been on the Apple beat for over two decades. That they're both thoughtful guys with great senses of humor only makes conversations like this even more fun. Whenever I'm in Cupertino for one of Apple's big events, I always make sure to get a coffee with John and Om before heading back to my hotel to get their takes on the latest announcements. I consider it my personal gut-check. Since we couldn't do it a few weeks ago during the virtual event, I'm glad we could make it happen on air for all of you to hear.
We hope you enjoy Episode 107 of HODINKEE Radio. Check out the show notes below, and let us know what you think in the comments.
The world's fastest motorsport doesn't take place at the famous race tracks in Daytona or Le Mans; in fact, it doesn't occur on the ground at all. Instead, it's air racing, a competition that happens hundreds of feet in the air and comprises planes that can reach over 500 miles per hour. Every year since 1964, the top air racing pilots have descended on Reno, Nevada, to compete in the National Championship Air Races.
Unfortunately, 2020's race – like so many other events in this unpredictable year – was canceled. It would have been the 57th edition of the Reno Air Races, and it would have taken place over a week in September. Although the event itself was called off, Oris – the official timing partner of the Reno Air Races since 2018 – decided to go ahead and release the watch it had planned for the event: The Oris ProPilot GMT 57th Reno Air Races Limited Edition.
It's a sleek and sporty take on the GMT category that will have you reaching for your aviator shades.
The Oris ProPilot GMT 57th Reno Air Races Limited Edition
The watch is an excellent new addition to the ProPilot family, with the user-friendly combination of a pointer date and GMT, all in a highly wearable 41mm × 12.2mm grey PVD-coated steel case. It's both complicated and comfortable on the wrist, while retaining the same approachable price tag for which Oris is known, at $2,850.
Oris' strategy in sport-watch production is to produce two collections, side-by-side – one filled with vintage designs inspired by the Swiss brand's 116 years of history and another with a more contemporary aesthetic approach. This is seen most clearly in the brand's dive watch pairing of the old-school Divers Sixty-Five with the modern appearance and build of the popular Aquis. When it comes to pilot's watches, the brand matches up the fan-favorite Big Crown Pointer Date lineup alongside the contemporary attributes of the Big Crown ProPilot, as clearly seen in today's HODINKEE Shop update.
The Oris ProPilot GMT 57th Reno Air Races Limited Edition has a clean, modern aesthetic that starts with its 41mm case profile in steel, coated in an attractive, matte slate-grey PVD. The bezel is bold, with a knurled finish that recalls the turbine of a jet. The large crown has a matching finish and screws down, helping the watch achieve its 100-meter water-resistance rating. The dial has a cool black background, with white numerals and neon-blue accents for ultimate legibility in flight.
There are four separate concentric tracks that indicate the watch's specific suite of functions. The innermost ring is a date wheel, with a bright blue marker that rotates around the dial once per month. The 12-hour numerals are made of molded white Super-LumiNova that is then applied to the dial, giving off a dynamic three-dimensional feel matching the large and luminous baton hands; as a result, the numerals and hands both glow an attractive blue color when in darkness. A simple 60-minute chapter ring follows the hour markers, while the final track lying on the periphery of the dial is the 24-hour second time-zone display that pairs nicely with the long, blue-arrow-tipped GMT hand.
The self-winding Oris 798 caliber is called on for duty in the ProPilot GMT 57th Reno Air Races Limited Edition. This is the same movement found in the Aquis GMT Carysfort Reef Limited Edition that was announced over the summer. It features the workhorse Sellita SW330-1 as a base, which grants the ProPilot a fourth hand with a blue-tipped arrow that can be set in independent, one-hour jumps to indicate a second time-zone. It offers 42 hours of running autonomy, courtesy of Oris' trademark red rotor. Unlike most Oris watches, however, the rotor is hidden behind a closed caseback that is here decorated with a relief engraving of a pair of planes in flight. This year's Reno Air Races may have been canceled, but the thrills and stunts carry on with the Oris ProPilot GMT 57th Reno Air Races Limited Edition.
Each watch is individually numbered out of 1,000 pieces and comes with a commemorative box and a black textile strap with a blue leather lining underneath and a grey PVD-coated stainless steel folding clasp. The Oris ProPilot GMT 57th Reno Air Races is priced at $2,850 and can be purchased right here.
Over the past week, there were whispers that Omega was going to release a new Speedmaster. Well, as the whispers turn to screams, we finally know what that watch is – the new Omega Speedmaster "Silver Snoopy Award" 50th Anniversary. Like the two limited editions that preceded it, this watch pays homage to NASA having presented the Silver Snoopy Award to Omega following the most successful, unsuccessful mission of all time: Apollo 13 (for more on that, check out Jack's In-Depth). This new release commemorates the 50th anniversary of that very award – presented on October 5, 1970 – and boy does this watch know how to celebrate.
The new 50th anniversary model is presented in the classic Speedmaster steel 42mm case, but with blue accents on the bezel, hands, markers, and Omega insignia – even the strap is blue. Oh, and of course it features the iconic Snoopy illustration in the small seconds sub-dial. The watch also features a decorated caseback, which I will get into momentarily. I would be remiss not to mention possibly the most interesting tidbit about this release, which is that – unlike previous Silver Snoopy models – this is not a limited edition. Yes, you read that correctly.
Initial Thoughts
The last Silver Snoopy LE was released in 2015 and featured a stark white dial, with a luminous snoopy in his signature "sleeping on top of the doghouse" position, with a thought bubble echoing the famous line from the 1995 film, Apollo 13, "Failure is not an option!" More than that, it contained text reading "What could you do in 14 seconds?" referencing the 14-second firing of the lunar module's rocket engine to get the Apollo 13 astronauts home – timed with an Omega Speedmaster.
That model and the 2003 LE (featuring the more jubilant, spacesuit-clad Snoopy) have become most desirable on the secondary market, fetching some pretty wild prices. This new 50th anniversary piece is actually quite reminiscent of the original Silver Snoopy in terms of the placement of snoopy and illustration used. You also might see a resemblance to the popular Blue Speedy (which you can see in Wei Koh's Collection in his episode of Talking Watches along with a white-dial Silver Snoopy), because – well – it is also blue. Look closely at this watch, and you will also see a Speedy Easter egg in the form of the "dot over ninety."
The dial of this watch is silver and laser-engraved with Ag925. It includes three more blue sub-dials – the sub-dial at nine o'clock featuring Snoopy appearing as an embossed silver medallion with the words "50th Anniversary" appearing overhead. This is the most direct homage the watch offers, as Snoopy is presented in the exact style of the silver pin that NASA astronauts present to award recipients. The watch also features blue PVD hour markers and hands. The caeback, however, is something completely new and completely cool. It features an animation of the moon, the earth, and Snoopy himself inside of a white Command and Service Module (CSM). As this is no ordinary caseback, there is some magic involved.
Omega has created what they are calling a "magic hand," which allows Snoopy's CSM to move. When the chronograph function is initiated, Snoopy and his ship travel around the far side of the moon – an homage to the trip taken by the Apollo 13 crew. The Earth disk rotates once per minute, in tandem with the watch's small seconds hand to symbolize – quite literally – the rotation of the Earth. There is also the quote, "Eyes on the Stars," included on the back.
The watch is powered by the METAS-certified OMEGA Co-Axial Master Chronometer Calibre 3861 and features a blue ceramic [ZrO2] bezel ring. Just like the preceding Silver Snoopy, this watch comes fitted to a nylon fabric strap, only this time in blue with white stitching. It has been 50 years since NASA presented Omega with the Silver Snoopy Award, and this release is not just a fitting tribute, but is as playful as the insignia which represents the award itself.
Every October 5th, fans of the most iconic fictional British spy come together in what has become known as James Bond Day, to honor the anniversary of the premiere of Dr. No in 1962. This year, we thought we'd mark the occasion by taking a trip through Q Branch's veritable stockpile of horological treasures to select our favorite James Bond gadget watches.
With everything from buzzsaws to Geiger counters, and detonators to magnets, James Bond's watches are rare in pop culture folklore in that they combine style and panache with showy but ultimately useful tools of the spy trade. Sure, some are a bit ridiculous, but so is James Bond – that's more than half the fun. Here are just some of our favorites.
Danny Milton: 'Live And Let Die,' Rolex Submariner (Magnet Buzzsaw)
When I was young (and my heart was an open book), James Bond marathons on cable television were an almost weekly occurrence. During those marathons, I found myself always drawn to Live and Let Die – the film that gives new meaning to the moniker "Red Submariner." Heck, Roger Moore himself is on record saying that of all of Q's gadgets, the magnetic Submariner (ref. 5513) was his favorite. The film is, in many ways, anchored to that watch, as in almost every act of the story, Bond utilizes it to his advantage. In the opening scene, when 007 receives the watch from Moneypenny, he showcases its magnetic power on a spoon, and then the zipper of a woman's dress (a practical effect that purportedly required some 29 takes to achieve).
Later, he uses the watch – albeit to no avail – to escape a swamp of hungry alligators. It isn't until the final act that we see the watch's full power: the buzzsaw, which Bond uses to avoid becoming dinner for sharks. The image of the white markers on the matte dial turning red is nothing short of iconic – plus, the watch gets its own closeups in the film, which automatically ratchets it up a few notches for me. This movie redefined the ideal of a "go anywhere, do anything" watch, which was something that the Submariner already represented. Lest we forget, this film also features an early version of a Hamilton Pulsar (referred to in the credits as "Pulsar, The Time Computer").
As far as James Bond gadget watches go, Live and Let Die just gets it right.
Jack Forster: 'The Spy Who Loved Me,' Seiko LCD 0674 5009 (Ticker Tape Watch)
There are any number of memorable moments in the 1977 Roger Moore outing The Spy Who Loved Me, although I will never be able to say the title, or even think of it, without also thinking of what Mike Meyers did to it in the first Austin Powers movie. Ah, the power of satire. In any case, one particularly memorable moment for me was right at the very beginning, when Moore's Bond is called away from one of his many pre-credit sequence dalliances by a message that arrives via, of all things, a printed-out tape that is extruded from the case of his Seiko 0674 5009 LCD-display watch. In 1977, this seemed the height of cleverness to me, combining as it did two of my favorite things: an LCD watch and what was apparently a miniaturized Dymo Label-Maker, both of which I found then (and kind of still do) irresistibly cool. The message was from the ever-laconic M and read, "007 TO REPORT TO HQ IMMEDIATE. M."
Of course, the whole thing is absurd from every standpoint – it is utterly implausible technically and probably unwise from an operational security perspective as well, but then again, two minutes later, Bond escapes from ski-borne assassins with the aid of a parachute in the shape of a British flag, so adjusted for what else goes on in the movie, it's probably perfectly reasonable. Unlike so many other Bond gadget watches, this one is hilariously useless even if you can suspend disbelief – but it's still a ton of fun.
Jon Bues: 'Thunderball,' Breitling Top Time (Geiger Counter)
The Breitling Top Time modified by Q to be a Geiger counter and worn by James Bond in Thunderball is among the more prominent gadget watches in the movie franchise's history. It figured in the film's plot, and then had a remarkable second life when it was purchased much later for 25 Pound sterling and auctioned off at Christie's in 2013 for £103,875. In the film, Q gives the watch to Bond so that he can use it to detect the emission of nuclear radiation.
It was not the only Geiger counter to appear in the Bond series. In 1962's Dr. No, Bond tests another Geiger counter by running it over the dial of his Rolex Submariner. But the Breitling was the first Q-modified watch to be given to Bond. The one seen here is a Top Time ref. 2002, and we wrote about it back when it came up for sale in 2013.
Stephen Pulvirent: 'On Her Majesty's Secret Service,' Rolex 6238 Chronograph (Compass)
Image: jamesbondlifestyle.com
This might not be Q's most exhilarating invention – the red chronograph seconds hand is meant to be a compass – but I do think it might be the coolest Bond watch after the famous Big Crown that appears in Dr. No. The sleek pre-Daytona chronograph is one of my all-time favorite Rolex references for its understated looks and modest size, and the red seconds hand really pops against the silver dial.
As far as the movie itself is concerned, the watch and the stunning Swiss scenery are basically the only reasons to watch. Despite On Her Majesty's Secret Service being one of the best Bond novels, Fleming's smart, sharp source text ended up a mess of a film, with hammy acting, a thin plot, and way too many ruffled shirt fronts for my taste.
James Stacey: 'The World Is Not Enough,' Omega Seamaster 300M (Grappling Hook)
Image: timepiecechronicle.com
In 1999's The World Is Not Enough, we are introduced to the latest and – in my opinion – best gadget-packed Omega from Q-branch. With a convoluted plot that sees the ever suave Brosnan fighting an international effort to destabilize the oil market by way of a wide range of high-action tomfoolery, this may be a Bond that few qualify as a must-watch entry from 007's past, but the watch is pure late '90s excess. Based on a Brosnan-era Seamaster 2531.80, this special creation sports not only a bright array of LEDs on the dial (which Bond uses like a flashlight), but also a rappel-ready, 50-foot microfilament line that features a handy grappling hook. While little more than spy-fantasy, this Omega does manage a useable and versatile feature set, which is something that can't be said for many of Bond's more explosive gadgetry.
Cole Pennington: 'Die Another Day,' Omega Seamaster 300M (Explosive Detonator)
Image: watchesinmovies.info
During my coming of age, it was the Seamaster 300M that was the Bond watch. Looking back, it fit Bond perfectly: it presents with an air of refinement, but it gets down and dirty when it needs to. And the particular example in Die Another Day certainly gets down and dirty – the watch houses a detonating pin used to ignite C-4 plastic explosive by placing the pin in the C-4 and turning the bezel to activate the detonation.
C-4, a British creation, is relatively stable and needs a strong shockwave from a detonation device to explode, so it's not entirely far-fetched to believe a device like this exists. Besides the inherent boyish fascination with explosives, I like this gadget for the fact that it's entirely pertinent to the job. It's a tool I would expect someone in the intelligence community out in the field to have in his or her arsenal. What's more Bond than stylish timepieces and large explosions?
Jason Heaton: 'On Her Majesty's Secret Service' (The Novel), Rolex Oyster Perpetual
Image: Goodreads
Buzzsaw bezels, detonators, and abseiling wires are all well and good, but in my mind, the best Bond watch gadget was… the watch itself. And for that, you have to go back to Ian Fleming's own writing:
"Bond surveyed his weapons. They were only his hands and feet, his Gillette razor and his wrist-watch, a heavy Rolex Oyster Perpetual on an expanding metal bracelet. Used properly, these could be turned into most effective knuckledusters." – Ian Fleming, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, 1963.
This was the practical, quick-thinking Bond, on his own in a villain's mountaintop lair, with none of Q Branch's wizardry at hand. He's a man who gets by on his wits and what's around him. And when it's time to make his escape on skis, in the middle of the night, he first needs to dispatch a henchman. Simple, brutal, effective, with little regard for his watch as anything but a useful tool. Leave the flashy stuff to the movie star Bonds.
"Bond's right flashed out and the face of the Rolex disintegrated against the man's jaw."
In the annals of complicated watchmaking, there are no complications more forbiddingly intricate than chiming complications. Chiming complications require a more complete mastery of watchmaking than any other complication, and their mechanisms don't just boast a high parts count – they also require a thorough grasp of some of the most counterintuitive mechanical relationships between the various parts to be found in high-end watchmaking. The late Donald de Carle, in his book Complicated Watches And Their Repair (first published in 1956), generally sticks with the detached attitude of a professional writing for other professionals, but he allows himself to adopt an almost Yoda-like tone when discussing the repair of chiming watches, saying among other things that no other complications more demand a "calm, cool, and collected" state of mind than those with hammers and gongs. He also sternly insists that no one should begin to work on a chiming watch unless they are capable of being handed a box of disassembled parts and assembling a perfectly functional watch from start to finish without needing to consult an instruction manual. (This seems like an almost impossibly high standard, but a look at the chiming works of any striking watch will instantly convince you of his point – you don't want to start working on one without knowing exactly what you are doing.)
Audemars Piguet has had a reputation as a maker of chiming complications almost from the beginning. Above, grande sonnerie with quarter repeater, made by Jules-Louis Audemars prior to his partnership with Edward-Auguste Piguet.
Of course, the complexity of a chiming watch is only the beginning; working on chiming watches demands not only a fine eye and steady hand, but also a good ear – the watchmaker is responsible for ensuring that the striking train chimes at a pleasing tempo (what that means can often vary from client to client) and ensuring that the temper of the gongs, as well as the manner in which they are attached to the movement (or, as increasingly the case today, to the case itself or even the crystal), is done in such a way as to produce the desired sound. The gongs must, of course, sound the right notes, very accurately and without discord, and even the casemaker's art is involved, as how you work the metal can have a dramatic effect on the final result.
The AP Concept Minute Repeater Supersonnerie, 2016.
If all this is true of all chiming complications, it is especially true of the grande sonnerie. Grande sonneries are seldom encountered in any form – in my whole life as a watch lover, I have had a chance to see a mere handful in person; far fewer than the number of repeaters I have seen, and the rarity of grande sonneries makes tourbillons look a dime-a-dozen. A grande sonnerie is sometimes also called a "clock-watch" because, like a clock, they are capable of not only chiming on-demand, like a repeater, but also en passant, or "in passing," ringing the hours and quarter hours with no need for activation by the wearer. Because of the energy required by the complication, there is a separate mainspring barrel just for the striking train and, almost invariably, there is a means by which to activate, or deactivate, the hour and quarter strikes. A power-reserve indication for the striking train is often found as well. A grande et petite sonnerie can be set to chime the hours and quarters (grande sonnerie) just the hours (petite sonnerie) or set to not chime at all.
The Audemars Piguet CODE 11.59 Grande Sonnerie Carillon Supersonnerie
The AP 11.59 Grande Sonnerie Carillon Supersonnerie is the latest in a long line of wristwatch grande sonnerie watches from Audemars Piguet – which is a remarkable thing to be able to say about any watch brand. The company's first grande sonnerie watches were a set of five pocket watches, made by Philippe Dufour, which were completed between 1982 and 1988. Dufour would go on to make the first grande sonnerie wristwatch ever produced, in 1992.
Grande et petite sonnerie pocket watch by Philippe Dufour for Audemars Piguet, 1987. Courtesy: AP Heritage Collection
Grande et petite sonnerie wristwatches were first made by AP in 1995, when 73 watches, ref. 25750BA, were made; these were also quarter repeaters. The first grande et petite sonnerie minute repeating watch movements followed in 1996 – these were the caliber 2890 (grande et petite sonnerie, carillon, minute repeater) and caliber 2891 (grande et petite sonnerie, carillon, and minute repeater, with power reserve for the striking train and for the going train). The latter caliber was used in the Grande et Petite Sonnerie Repetition Minutes Carillon, Reserve de Sonnerie et Dynamographe, referred to waggishly by Timezone.com's Carlos Perez as "the watch with the longest name in the world." That watch was part of the Jules Audemars range of watches, which is now a shadow of its former self, although a grande et petite sonnerie with power reserve for the strike is still a part of the collection. The CODE 11.59 Grande Sonnerie Carillon Supersonnerie should, I suppose, really be called the Audemars Piguet CODE 11.59 Grande et Petite Sonnerie Carillon Supersonnerie, as it does indeed have both grand and small strike capabilities.
The Audemars Piguet CODE 11.59 Grande Sonnerie Supersonnerie: grand and small strike, minute repeater, with pailloné enamel dial by Anita Porchet.
The CODE 11.59 Grande Sonnerie is the latest chiming watch from Audemars Piguet to benefit from the Supersonnerie technology the company has been gradually incorporating into its chiming watches since the first AP Concept Supersonnerie debuted in 2016. (The original concept watch was shown in 2014.) The current lineup of Supersonnerie watches includes the Concept Supersonnerie, and the CODE 11.59 Minute Repeater Supersonnerie, which won the Men's Complication prize at the 2019 GPHG, as well as the Royal Oak Minute Repeater Supersonnerie. AP has also released a Supersonnerie repeater in the Jules Audemars line, in 2017. The CODE 11.59 Grande Sonnerie represents the first time that the Supersonnerie technical solutions have been combined with a grande et petite sonnerie, repetition minutes (grand and small strike, with minute repeater) complication.
Lest we forget, the word "carillon" is also in the name of the watch – the term was originally used (and is still used) to describe a set of church bells. In watches and wristwatches, it's generally understood to refer to a chiming watch that chimes on more than two gongs – in the case of the CODE 11.59 Grande Sonnerie, the quarter strike rings on three gongs (high, middle, and low notes), while the hour strike is a low note, and the minute strike, a high note (as is customary in minute repeaters).
All this is via a new movement, which is the caliber 2956. This is the successor to the calibers 2890 and 2891 and, indeed, from the back, you might easily take it for one of its predecessors as the layout of the bridges, position of the jewels, and position and orientation of the gongs are identical. However, the gongs are no longer attached to the movement plate in the caliber 2956 – instead, as with other Supersonnerie watches, they are affixed to a resonating membrane, from which sound propagates through small apertures in the caseback. Despite its complexity, caliber 2956 is a remarkably compact movement – 489 parts are in a space just 29.9mm in diameter and only 5.88mm thick, running in 53 jewels (the same as the 2890) at 21,600 vph.
Caliber 2956, dial side, showing the sonnerie and repeating works.
Top plate side; the three hammers are visible to the right, just above the balance cock.
The movement, as is customary for grande et petite sonnerie calibers, has a selector that allows the wearer to choose either grand strike (automatic hour and quarter strikes), small strike (hour strike only), or silent mode, in which no chiming takes place. As is traditional in chiming watches, the repeating and sonnerie works are under the dial, but a quick glance will certainly serve to confirm de Carle's point about the necessity for being calm, cool, and collected when working on one!
The Paillonné Enamel Dials
The dials for each of the five watches in this very limited series are made in the atelier of Anita Porchet, who is perhaps the single most widely known enamelist working in Switzerland today. She's a master of virtually every aspect of enameling, including the extremely demanding and unforgiving art of enamel miniature painting, but she is also well known for her paillonné enamel work, which to this day relatively few enamelists practice. Paillonné gets its name from the small, decorative gold or silver paillons, or spangles, which are cut one at a time from metal foil, and the production of which is something of a lost art. As a result, Porchet often uses antique paillons in her work, and those used for the dials of the CODE 11.59 Grande Sonnerie Supersonnerie are all, according to AP, at least a century old.
Anita Porchet at work.
Producing any enamel dial is a somewhat laborious process (although it can be scaled up for larger series production, generally this cannot be done with more artisanal and labor-intensive techniques like paillonné, which involves too many necessarily manual, and necessarily high-skill, techniques). The first step in making a paillonné enamel dial is the creation of a background layer of colored enamel, which begins with the preparation of the enamel itself. Enamel is essentially pigmented glass, and the first step is to grind the raw enamel into a very fine powder, using a mortar and pestle. The enamel is then mixed with a carrying agent like water or oil and applied to the dial with a very fine brush (the brushes used in enamel work sometimes consist of just a single hair).
In order to achieve the desired depth and richness of color, several layers are gradually applied. Each layer is fired individually in an enamelist's oven, at a temperature of 800ºC, before the next layer of enamel is applied. A great deal of care and attention is necessary every step of the way as anything from drafts to dust can contaminate the enamel, or cause it to bubble or crack during the application and firing processes, and as enthusiasts of this sort of work know, that means discarding the work-in-progress and starting over again.
Next, the individual paillons are applied, one at a time.
The dial is re-fired, in order to set the paillons in place. Finally, a coat of clear enamel is applied over the paillons and polished to a high gloss finish, completing the process.
Porchet has produced dials for three of the five watches, which is the reason you don't see all five of them here – the remaining two are being reserved for custom orders. Porchet's work is known and collected internationally, so it seems likely they will be spoken for in short order – even at CHF 710,000.
This is, of course, the sort of watchmaking which, on every level, has almost nothing to do with watchmaking as most of us generally know it and experience it, and it represents luxury in the most traditional sense of the word: It costs whatever it costs, and it takes as long as it takes. I am probably never going to see one of these in person, which feels a bit of a shame. I have been following Porchet's work for many years, and I'd love to see this one, and between the movement, dial, and case finishing, it is almost sure to be breathtaking. The only downside I can see to adapting this movement to a Supersonnerie case is that there's no display back, nor could there have been one – Supersonnerie means that both the resonating membrane and actual caseback block the view. The upside, though, is greater volume and richer sound, and in a grande et petite sonnerie watch, the quality of the auditory experience trumps the visual razzle-dazzle a view of the movement would afford. Given a choice between the three dials, I think I would probably want the one with golden circles, which looks very much like the reflection of raindrops falling into the depths of a moonlit pond on a summer night – a most, you could say, resonant image, to go along with one of horology's rarest, most demanding to make, and most aristocratic complications.
The Audemars Piguet CODE 11.59 Grande Sonnerie Supersonnerie: case, 18k white gold, 41mm x 13.505mm, 20M water resistance, with screw-down crown; Supersonnerie resonating membrane and perforated caseback. Movement, AP caliber 2956, 29.9mm x 5.88mm, grande et petite sonnerie, minute repeater, with function selector for grand strike, small strike, or silent mode. Frequency, 21,600 vph, running in 53 jewels, 489 components. Power reserve, 48 hours. A limited series of five watches, with three dials produced and two watches reserved for custom enamel dial commissions; dials by Anita Porchet. Price, CHF 710,000; find out more at AudemarsPiguet.com.
Earlier this year, at the inaugural LVMH Watch Week in Dubai, Zenith updated its Elite family with a number of attractive new dress watches, three of which we are adding to the HODINKEE Shop today. The new additions to the Elite series all feature a stunning stamped radial sunburst dial with dauphine hands, a simple minute track, and applied, faceted hour markers. The case design has been refreshed as well, with a slimmer bezel and tapered lugs that place the dial on center stage. The combination of the simple case profile with the textured dial provides the updated Elite range with a distinctive visual flair, yet still remains true to the foundations of dress-watch design.
There's a single three-handed model with date available in the HODINKEE Shop today, plus a pair of watches that add a small seconds and moon-phase display to the dressy equation. The Elite Moonphase watches are a particular favorite around the HODINKEE office, channeling the old-world charm of one of watchmaking's most historic complications in an attractive, modern package. The moon-phase display is in constant motion, making one full rotation every 29.5 days to accurately portray the lunar cycle. It makes a captivating addition to the Zenith Elite's attractive, pleated dial design.
The prices of the new Elite models start at $5,800 – an excellent value for a classical Swiss-made dress watch with an in-house movement that has the pedigree of Zenith's Elite.
The Zenith Elite Classic
Everything about the Zenith Elite Classic makes it – just as the name indicates – a quintessential example of a dress watch. It's simple and refined, with a silver sunburst dial pattern that radiates from the watch's central pinion with zero interruption, save for the trapezoidal, color-matched date window at six o'clock and the delicately applied Zenith star logo underneath 12 o'clock.
The dauphine handset and central seconds hand are long and legible, with both the minute and seconds hand reaching the outer edge of the dial. The polished stainless steel case wears neatly on the wrist, thanks to the restrained 40.5mm × 9.1mm dimensions that ensure it will fit underneath any sleeve or cuff. It is paired with a blue alligator strap with an interior rubber lining for added durability in daily wear.
If you're looking for a new dress watch from one of Switzerland's finest makers, with an in-house movement and an eye-catching design, look no further: This is it. The Zenith Elite Classic is priced at $5,800 and is available right here.
The Zenith Elite Moonphase
There is no complication more closely associated with understated elegance than the traditional moon-phase. Zenith has updated the Elite family of dress watches with this poetic complication, placing it at six o'clock, in a rounded display with a dark blue backdrop dotted with stars that mimic the night sky. The Zenith Elite Moonphase models in the HODINKEE Shop are available in two executions: one in a rose-gold case with a silver dial, and another in stainless steel with a cool grey dial. The handset, the applied hour markers, and the color of the Moon all match the case metal in each variant.
The dial is completed by a small seconds display in the form of a printed crosshair at nine o'clock, which complements the overall aesthetic and gives the Zenith Elite Moonphase a pleasing, asymmetrical layout that helps it stand out against the sober designs typical of dress watches. The case is identical to the one found on the Elite Classic, save for an ever-so-slight increase in thickness, to 9.35mm. The moon-phase display is adjusted simply through the crown at three o'clock, a user-friendly approach that requires no additional pushers or buttons.
At $6,800 in steel, the Zenith Elite Moonphase represents a considerable value proposition, considering it's an attractive and complicated dress watch built entirely in-house. It's also only a $1,000 premium compared to its simpler relative, the Elite Classic in steel. On the more precious end, the rose gold Zenith Elite Moonphase has a price of $13,600.
A Brief History Of Zenith's Elite Caliber, From 1994 To Today
Today's Elite collection is named after the movement inside, which was introduced by Zenith at Baselworld 1994 to complement its legendary chronograph movement, the automatic El Primero. Unlike its chronograph sibling, which has retained an almost unchanged architecture since its 1969 debut, the Elite is the result of modern watchmaking at its best. Notably, it's regarded as one of the first movements developed with assistance from computer-aided design (CAD). In more recent years, the Elite movements have been updated with top-of-the-line contemporary materials, including the use of silicon components for the escape wheel and pallet lever.
The Elite caliber was well-received upon its 1994 introduction, even winning an award for the "Best Movement of the Year" at the Basel showcase. While the Elite movement has never matched the prestige and recognition of the Zenith El Primero, it has plenty of benefit and historical interest to offer curious watch enthusiasts. Take, for example, the fact the Elite was constructed in the traditional lepine arrangement, with small seconds at nine o'clock, to allow for the simple addition of modular complications, just like the moon-phase display on the new Elite Moonphase models. The Elite is also exceptionally thin for an automatic movement, measuring in at a lithe 3.47mm in height in its simple time-and-date format.
In most variations, the Elite calibers offer 50 hours of running autonomy, with hacking seconds and a 4 Hz beat rate. The three-handed Elite Classic models utilize the Elite 670 SK movement, which converts the lepine arrangement to a central seconds hand and includes a date aperture at six o'clock. The popular Defy Classic models borrow this movement from the Elite family. The Elite Moonphase watches house the Elite 692 SK, with the traditional off-centered small seconds display and a moon-phase complication at six o'clock. In the Elite models added to the HODINKEE Shop today, both movements are visible through a sapphire crystal exhibition caseback that displays clean and attractive decoration, including a skeletonized oscillating weight and perlage on the mainplate and côtes de Genève on the bridges.
Discover The Zenith Elite Collection In The HODINKEE Shop
There's no denying that Zenith chronographs housing the El Primero movement will continue to capture outsize attention within the brand's lineup. The Elite collection, however, provides an entirely new way of appreciating the Le Locle-based brand's watchmaking prowess.
We think these new Elite dress watches are the perfect companion to both the historical significance found in El Primero-equipped chronographs and the groundbreaking and avant-garde nature of today's Defy series. The Elite caliber is an essential part of Zenith's history, bridging the gap between the early years of El Primero and the contemporary interpretation of the Defy.
You can learn more about the Zenith Elite right here.
The Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe was created when a need was seen for a version of the trailblazing diver that would be somewhat more suitable for daily wear. It immediately offered a smaller, stylish alternative to the conventional Fifty Fathoms, and to this day, it is the version that has been most adapted. We've seen Bathyscaphes in various materials, colors, and shapes, and there is no sign of that trend slowing down.
Today, we're looking at the latest version of the Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Chronograph Flyback. And while what makes this watch new is that it is presented in a green hue, a first for Bathyscaphe Chronograph Flyback, it's certainly no slouch when it comes to technical proficiency. (Blancpain also came out with a green-clad Bathyscaphe limited edition earlier this year in the form of the Bathyscaphe Mokarran Limited Edition.)
The Bathyscaphe Chronograph Flyback's 43.6mm x 15.25mm case is made of satin-brushed-ceramic, a highly scratch-resistant, anti-reflective material that serves as an excellent platform for a modern tool watch. The press release describes the case as black, but in some of these pictures, it appears to be a shade of grey. The case is also water resistant to 30 bar, despite the fact that it's a chronograph, which presents its own set of water-resistance challenges. I reached out to Blancpain to confirm whether the chronograph could be safely operated underwater, and they told me it can. The erstwhile Frederic Piguet's history of making excellent chronograph calibers is well documented, of course. And the cal. 1185 is one of the very few high-grade automatic chronograph calibers that's been used by a number of top-tier brands. But from the early '80s, Blancpain had a very special relationship with F. Piguet through shared ownership. (Having since merged, Blancpain and F. Piguet are now known as Manufacture Blancpain.)
The modern F385 caliber is a very fine flyback chronograph in its own right. It runs at a fast rate of 36,000 vph, which translates to 1/10 per second precision when timing events, and it does so while offering a solid 50 hours of power reserve. You can see this movement through the sapphire back, which also strikes me as impressive given the water resistance rating of this chrono diver.
The bezel is also ceramic, rich green to match the dial, and the markings on the fully graduated bezel are made of liquid crystal. As this is a fully functional dive watch, you'll notice that the continuous seconds hand in the small sub-dial at six o'clock is tipped with lume.
Initial Thoughts
Aesthetically, the Bathyscaphe is one of my absolute favorite dive watches. Its clean lines and relatively paired down aesthetic (when compared to the original Fifty Fathoms) make it a watch that I've long enjoyed in its various guises. If you look at a Bathyscaphe next to a traditional Fifty Fathoms, you will see that the bezel of the former is proportionally smaller than the latter. That is because, I think, the original Fifty Fathoms is principally a tool for diving. The Bathyscaphe is a watch. This particular model's incorporation of a flyback chronograph without sacrificing a lick of water resistance strikes me as particularly impressive, and the pairing of a somewhat reflective bezel and dial in green with a very muted satin-brushed case offers a nice contrast.
At 43.6mm in diameter, this is, of course, a big watch. Still, consider what it can do. It's a serious dive watch with 30-bar water resistance that incorporates the strong attributes of a pilot's watch. The flyback chronograph feature was used in its early days by pilots who needed to rapidly time successive events without having to manually reset their chronograph each time. While having both features in one watch gives it a lot of functionality and a tool-watch look that many will no doubt be attracted to, I personally find myself most drawn to the standard Bathyscaphe diver in the smaller 38mm case size, which I think is pretty much perfect.
The Basics
Brand: Blancpain Model: Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Chronograph Flyback In Green Reference Number: 5200-0153-NABA (NATO), 5200-0153-B52A (sail canvas strap)
Diameter: 43.6mm Thickness: 15.25mm Case Material: Satin-brushed black ceramic Dial Color: Green Indexes: Applied luminous Lume: Yes Water Resistance: 30 bar Strap/Bracelet: Sail canvas strap or green fabric NATO
A couple of weeks ago, we took a look at what it takes to keep your watch as clean as possible with a few easy steps you can do from home. Hopefully, by now, you've had a chance to clean your watches and any bracelets you're fond of using – but what about the rest of your straps? What about the crusty NATO you wore all summer? Or your favorite leather strap now that leather strap season is upon us? Yes, those need to be cleaned and maintained too (don’t worry, it's easy).
As with the How To Clean Your Watch post, the following is meant to steer most people in the right direction. If you have a strap care routine that's working, I'm not suggesting that you change a thing. But, if you have a handful (or drawers full) of straps, the following steps are quick and easy, offering a basic method for keeping your straps tidy and for ensuring that they don't wear out faster than they ought to. For simplicity, I'm breaking it down into leather straps, nylon straps (including NATOs), and rubber straps. Let's dig in.
Leather Straps
The key to getting the most from leather is to ensure that the material stays soft and clean. Generally speaking, some water is ok, but you want to avoid soaking the strap (especially if it has a liner). Some leathers deal with water better than others, so while a shell cordovan is quite easy to keep clean and conditioned, suede or nubuck-finished straps will require more specific care.
Remove the strap from your watch.
Wipe with a cloth or even a very soft brush (if suede or nubuck, a suede brush or suede eraser is a good option, if needed).
For straps with a smooth grain (non-suede or nubuck), use a minimal amount of water and some gentle soap. Let it dry entirely before moving to the next step. Don't do this for suede or similar.
Once dry, treat with a leather conditioner to keep the leather soft and protected – just like you'd do for a decent pair of shoes. Please remember that some leather conditioners or supplemental oils can darken the color of the leather. I like to use Allen Edmonds Leather Lotion, and I tend to avoid heavier treatments like mink oil (it's great for certain uses, but will darken leather). The goal here is to moisturize and keep the material as soft and supple as possible.
Pro Tip: Swap straps (and/or watches) frequently as day-to-day use of a single leather strap leads to considerable wear and tear. Like leather shoes, it's best when they are worn and then given a chance to rest.
NATOs and Nylon Straps
NATOs are great straps that offer excellent comfort and flexibility and can easily stand up to the water, sun, and more that is common to an active lifestyle (they are great for sunscreen, and bug spray, too). But all of this sweat, water, and various protective chemicals end up soaked into the strap's woven material, so cleaning is key to avoid a stinky and stained NATO (or other nylon strap). This is one of the most common queries I get via my DMs or questions sent into my podcast, The Grey NATO. Thankfully, they are really easy to wash.
Remove the strap from your watch.
Prep the strap with a clean towel or soft brush, ensuring there's no crud left on the surface of the strap.
In a suitably-sized dish, mix a soft soap (I commonly use dish soap) with warm water and submerge your strap for a few minutes. Do not use hot water; intense heat can (and will) affect the nylon (this is also why I don’t recommend using your dishwasher, as I've seen NATOs melt from the heat).
Once soaked, rub the strap between your fingers to work the soap into the fabric.
Rinse thoroughly under running water.
Roll the strap in a hand towel and compress to remove as much water as possible.
Hang the strap to dry it (preferably not in direct sunlight).
If, after cleaning and drying, you find any frayed bits of nylon, use the heat (not the direct flame) from a lighter to ever so lightly melt away the fray and seal up the edge of the strap.
Pro Tip: Want a more automated option? Put your nylon straps in a wash bag (or even a spare sock) and toss them in with the rest of your cold water laundry. Again, with heat being the enemy, don't put your nylon straps in the dryer. After removing from the wash, follow steps 6 and 7 above. You can also combine the two options and soak your dirty NATOs in ice water with a strong detergent and then move on to rinsing and drying.
Rubber Straps
As far as straps go, rubber is the easiest to clean and maintain. I love rubber straps because they are comfortable, great in the summer, and stand up to a lot of abuse (sunlight, salt, sunscreen, bug spray, etc.). That being said, keep in mind that "rubber" is a bit of a blanket term and is often used to describe a range of straps rather than ones that are exclusively made from real rubber (many are silicone, for example). If you're not sure, you can always consult with the manufacturer of your rubber strap to see if there are any specialized cleaning needs. If not, the following should do the trick:
Remove the strap from the watch (unless you absolutely trust the water-resistance of said watch).
Rinse strap under warm running water.
Apply a soft hand soap (dish soap is fine, too).
Rinse away any excess soap and allow the strap to dry. Avoid direct sunlight as UV can be hard on rubber materials.
And it's as easy as that. From cleaning your watch and its bracelet to any of your hundreds of other straps (I might be projecting, but only a bit), I offer the above information as nothing more than a hopefully helpful guide to protect your favorite straps from a shortened and overly-sweaty life on your wrist. After all, if you're going to spend good money on great straps, you might as well treat them well by keeping them clean and ready to wear.
We are back this Wednesday with another round-up of vintage goodness to help get you through the week! Today, our selection leans heavy on the classics, with a few deep cuts mixed in for good measure. You'll find some of the usual suspects from Rolex and Omega, as well as a few lesser-known models from Heuer and Tudor. There's even an alarm watch from Girard-Perregaux to shake things up.
1960s IWC Retailed By Cartier Ref. 810A
Cartier is one of the world's best-known luxury brands, starting out as a jewelry maker in Paris in 1847. In the early 20th century, Cartier began to produce wristwatches, and today, it's known for a number of icons, including the Tank, the Santos, the Panthére, and the Pasha. Alongside the production of those pieces, Cartier has been a retailer of various Swiss watch brands across its history – some rare watches are even double-signed with a Cartier retail signature.
We have one of those available today, an IWC dress watch in 18k-yellow gold with a Cartier signature at six o'clock. The example we have here is in beautiful, honest condition with a nicely patinated case, featuring a Cartier inventory number on the back of the lug as well as on the caseback.
1970s Heuer Camaro Ref. 73643 With Brown Exotic Dial
The Heuer Camaro is a watch we do not come across too often here at HODINKEE HQ, but when we discovered this exotic-dial variant, we knew we had to share it with you. The stand-out characteristics of this example are the funky case, the brown dial, and the orange accents. Heuer offered the Camaro in multiple variations over its short-lived lifetime, but this configuration – especially in this condition – is rare and highly sought-after.
1969 Rolex GMT-Master 'Long E' Ref. 1675
The devil is in the details when it comes to the world of collecting vintage Rolex sport watches. This is true for many different references and variations, and this GMT-Master ref. 1675, from 1969, is no different. The Rolex GMT-Master ref. 1675, with matte dial, is broken up into multiple dial executions; this example would be considered to have a "Mark I" dial. A Mark I dial is defined by the serial number range of the case, and a few consistent aesthetic characteristics, including a unique coronet logo and the "Long E," meaning the cross-bar of the letter "E" in "Rolex" on the dial is identical to the length of the upper arm and lower leg strokes of the letter.
At a glance, it can be hard to tell the difference between the various Rolex GMT-Master ref. 1675 executions, but when comparing the dials side-by-side with a loupe, it becomes very clear. Today's example has developed a lovely patina over the decades, and it represents an excellent opportunity to pick up a unique variant of Rolex's iconic GMT-Master.
The Full Set
In addition to the three stand-out watches above, we have a stunning Tudor Ranger ref. 9050/0 from 1970, a handsome 1967 Omega Seamaster De Ville in 14k gold, a nicely patinated Seamaster 300 ref. 165.024 with sword hands, a nifty Girard-Perregaux Alarm Watch from 1960, a Lemania "105" Chronograph from the 1960s, and a classic 1978 Rolex Submariner ref. 1680 that looks great on the Beige Suede Strap we paired it with. Head on over to the HODINKEE Shop to explore our entire selection of vintage watches!
Welcome to another 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 David Myers, Desmund Mojica, Corey Cavalieri, Sean Ogle, and Joseph Stuart.
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.
David Myers And His Grandfather's Hamilton
David, who lives in Ann Arbor, MI, received this Hamilton from his father, but it originally belonged to his grandfather. His grandfather was an engineer by trade, and his work included building the DeSoto automobile factory in Detroit – and this Hamilton was a gift from DeSoto. Today, it's an important piece in David's collection, and one that he plans on passing down to someone else in his family.
Desmund Mojica And His Panerai Luminor
A native of Oahu, HI, Desmund received this Panerai Luminor as a 25th birthday gift from his parents. He originally wanted something more complicated, but settled on this no-frills, time-only piece – and doesn't regret it. He has taken it on a lot of trips (including to Milan and the Panerai boutique), wears it daily, and looks forward to creating more memories with it on his wrist.
Corey Cavalieri And His Audemars Piguet Royal Oak
Pennsylvania-native Corey has other meaningful watches in his collection, but this AP Royal Oak Nick Faldo Edition in tantalum is special because of the relationship that came out of acquiring it. He first saw it on Miami-based dealer Matt Bain's Instagram account and reached out inquiring whether it was for sale. Turned out it was, and Corey and Matt continue to talk watches to this day.
Sean Ogle And His Omega Speedmaster
Sean, who lives in Portland, OR, bought this Omega Speedmaster because of its connection with his grandfather. In the 1960s and '70s, his grandfather worked as a producer for ABC News in New York, and in that capacity, he got to know astronaut Pete Conrad (the third man to walk on the Moon). In the 1970s, the story goes, the two were at a bar in Houston on Sean's grandfather's birthday – and Conrad took the Speedmaster off his wrist, gave it to Sean's grandfather, and said, "Happy Birthday." Sean honored that story, and his grandfather, years later by getting his own Speedmaster.
Joseph Stuart And His Grandfather's Pulsar
Joe, who is from Australia, counts this Pulsar as his most important watch. It belonged to his grandfather and was given to nine-year-old Joe after his grandfather's passing in 1994. Today, Joe wears it on occasion, and when he does, it reminds him of both his grandfather and of the moment his father handed it to him.
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.
