Watches Information

A Breitling Replica Watch Is the Best Answer to Your Craving for the Breitling

admin — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 13:12:31 +0000

As an ardent watch lover, I treasure my collection of watches. My watch collection keeps on growing every now and then because whenever I find a good watch I simply cannot let go of it and purchase it. Over the years my taste has also matured and with this maturity of taste I have gone from only buying watches that looked decorative to watches that have been admired by this world since time immemorial.
I have developed a taste for watches that do not just look appealing aesthetically but have great mechanism as well. Gradually I began adding the likes of Rolex, Tag Heuer, and Cartier to my watch collection and I know I have a long way to go. There are still many luxury watches that I would love to possess and one of them is the Breitling. My favorite among all the Breitling watches are sportier and classy Breitling for Bentley watches.

I normally do a lot of reading before going to buy my watches. I always want to be well informed before I fulfill my passions for fake watches. Recently while I was browsing the internet to find the best place to by a Breitling from, I decided to have a look at the much talked about replica watch industry. I was astonished at my findings. The replica Breitling watches are made with such craftsmanship that it is difficult for even an expert to recognize the real one from the replica one. And to my utter surprise I also found that they include the same functions as their corresponding real ones.

I have decided to order one replica for myself for now and I am happy I took this decision. For the information of readers, let me also tell that the replica stores also put up Breitling watches sale which make the replicas even cheaper. So you can go for them easily without any doubt.

Mikrograph Watch Models of Tag Heuer

admin — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 08:02:23 +0000

The Mikrograph watch is recommended for those who want to measure till the one hundredth of a second. This is one of the finest watches amongst the Tag Heuer brand which consist of fine and rare models of the MIKROTIMER Flying 1000 specimens. The Basel World 2011 saw most of the latest models of this collection being showcased. There is an upgraded edition of the Mikrograph and its accuracy to reach the one hundredth of a second is astonishing. There are also seconds and minute hands on the watch and the green 1/100th second hand is located in the centre of the dial. The accuracy standard of this watch reaches the pinnacles of perfection.

For those who admire the original model can opt for the replica Tag Heuer of the Mikrotimer 1/1000th Precision Chronograph. This watch is made to look the same as the certified watch model and even the precise functions are well replicated. The size of the watch is of 45.5mm x 17mm which makes it perfect for men who love the easiness of big dials. The symbols as in the original watch can be found on this watch as well the Tag Heuer brand logo, the precision chronograph as well as the sapphire crystal which is scratch resistant. The mechanical functions of this watch include the hours, minutes and seconds hands. The faux chronograph will provide excellent service and one will not be left wanting since they have invested in tag heuer replica watch. The case is made of PVD plating and stainless steel combination. The movement of course, is the Asian automatic movement and that holds good for quite a few years.

Thus, if you would love to enjoy the fine technology of this Tag Heuer model, then one must opt to invest amongst the replica Tag Heuer brands out there.

Diving Enthusiasts Enjoy Replica IWC

admin — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 10:19:22 +0000

The range of IWC replica has special models designed for divers and those who love to explore the depths of sea where no human has gone before. It is specially made by engineers who spent years to come up with great innovation that will help the product to stay water proof at all times. It is the Aquatimer which is a specialty of the manufacturer and the brand has gained worldwide fame because of the fact that they can manage to embed innovation in the tiny timepieces that are meant to only show time in the past. The water resistant capacity of this product has been determined with 12 bars which are quite colossal and it can withstand heavy pressure when exploring the depths.
Finding the right replica watches for you is easy because WatchesOK sells the products. All you need to do is contact the right dealer and place the order so that it can be directly shipped to your doorstep. There are slew of benefits that you can gain by going for virtual shopping because you won’t be annoyed by the crowd and no one will disturb you when you are browsing through the collection. Moreover, you gain maximum time to go through the features of the product. The indictors on the watch will show you the depth travelled and the current depth so that you can compare your achievement without using any other device.
Another prominent feature of this replica IWC is that it is made of sapphire crystal which is highly scratch resistant as well as capable of being glare proof when read under the sun. It runs on mechanical movement with self-winding motor and the depth gauge has the maximum capacity to notify depths up to 50 meters. The bracelet can be changed based on your requirement and style.

Watch Information :RedSea Six Pounder Watch Review

admin — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 10:25:47 +0000

RedSea is a pretty new brand started by two guys here in the US that leverages a lot of US watch making talent. For example, the luminant on their watches comes from Ohio-based LUM-TEC – who makes “MDV” lume. Right … Continue reading →
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RedSea is a pretty new brand started by two guys here in the US that leverages a lot of US watch making talent. For example, the luminant on their watches comes from Ohio-based LUM-TEC – who makes “MDV” lume. Right now RedSea has two watch models called the Holystone and Six Pounder – so here is my review of the latter.

I can easily say that what RedSea offers impresses me. The price is right, the designs are fun, and they are cool to wear. There is a playful quality to the designs that is certainly masculine but also lighthearted. The difference between the two models is just the dials and hands. The case finishing might be different as well between the two. Each of the models are limited editions I believe, but as you can tell the version I am reviewing is a piece unique given a custom caseback. Now that is pretty cool.

The image engraved on the back of the watch is really indicative of the piece’s personality. As a pirate-themed brand, you can see RedSea’s rendition of the skull and cross bones which is a diver’s helm and swords. I would love to see a pirate wearing a diving helmet. Halloween idea coming to me now… undead zombie pirate diver. Yes!

Six Pounder is another name for cannon balls – which may or may not have been six pounds. The diving style case is 44mm wide and 14mm thick, but it does not wear too big. A lot of that has to do with the thick rotating bezel – which makes the dial look smaller than it is. The steel case also comes in a matte black PVD finish – which looks great with bezel and dial.

RedSea includes both NATO straps and a metal bracelet with their watches. While I am most certainly a metal bracelet kind of guy, I am love the Six Pounder with the red and black striped NATO strap. It looks pretty cool with the red and black tones on the dial. According to RedSea, any watch you buy will come with a metal bracelet, NATO strap, and rubber strap.

The dial itself is very legible. I was not sure about the design of the hands when I first saw the watch a while ago. I thought that they might be strange to look at and read. Fortunately I was wrong, as the unique looking hands not only grew on me, but also proved easy to read. The spots on the hands are lume filled. As you can tell in the luminant used is blue – fitting with the trend of many modern divers that have passed up the traditional green lume for blue.

As a 300 meter diver the watch has a sapphire crystal and screw-down crown (placed at 4 o’clock). Even as a new brand RedSea got a lot of the little details correct. This includes a relatively refined dial and a black date disc to match the face. Feeling like a high quality watch, the only thing I would recommend is to see how they can improve the look of the bezel. This is nit-picky, but the bezel, while looking very nice, makes it clear that the ring is an insert. Most bezel rings are inserts, but the difference in plane levels between the outer bezel and the ring sort of disrupts the illusion. Really a tiny thing.

On the wrist the Six Pounder is certainly comfortable. It is a nice mix between medium and large in size, and it is quite legible to read. The bold black and red colors are fun, not right for all occasions, but still cool. Inside the Six Pounder and Holystone watches are Japanese Miyota 9015 automatic movements – which perform similarly to ETA 2824 movements. People might prefer a Swiss movements, but for the sub-00 price I am happy with the components. Price for the RedSea Six Pounder in steel is 5, and with the PVD black coating it is 5 – each available on RedSea’s website.

Written by Mr. Ariel Adams – aBlogtoRead.com, trusted independent watch media. No related posts.

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Watches Info :Watch Industry Wishes For 2012

admin — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 10:25:47 +0000

This is an interesting article I did for Departures that I felt would be of interest to my aBlogtoRead.com readers. It involves my wishes for 2012 (and slightly beyond) in terms of what I want the watch industry to focus … Continue reading →
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Five Things

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This is an interesting article I did for Departures that I felt would be of interest to my aBlogtoRead.com readers. It involves my wishes for 2012 (and slightly beyond) in terms of what I want the watch industry to focus on. Check it out here at the Departures International website.

Written by Mr. Ariel Adams – aBlogtoRead.com, trusted independent watch media. Related posts:
Five Things I Want To See From The Watch Industry In 2011 …
Thanksgiving Wishes to Watch Enthusiasts Online From ablogtoread.com …
Watch Making; The Industry Of The Niche Markets And Boutique Manufactures …
Inside Nivarox – The Heart Of The Swiss Watch Industry …
Watch Contributor At Departures International Online …

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Fashion Watches :Loiseau 1f4 Watch

admin — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 10:25:47 +0000

The coolest part of this ultra-complex watch called the 1f4 is really tough to notice unless you are looking for it. Even though this timepiece is double-sided (quite literally and I will get to that), it is an automatic. The … Continue reading →
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The coolest part of this ultra-complex watch called the 1f4 is really tough to notice unless you are looking for it. Even though this timepiece is double-sided (quite literally and I will get to that), it is an automatic. The spinning rotor of the watch is placed in the bezel, actually both bezels. You see, the bezels are actually made out of sapphire crystal. Under them is a spinning piece of 18k gold (available in various gold colors) that is the rotor. The only problem is that the transition between the sapphire and the rotor is so smooth you can’t even tell they are different. So to inform you that something is actually spinning, each rotor has a single inset diamond that spins around. This little feature is the beginning of one of the most technically sophisticated timepieces on the planet.

My hands-on experience is with an unfinished 1f4 prototype. While it is mostly completed the lighter dial side is not get done. It still has additional finishing to receive as well as at least one hand. In total this watch will have 18k gold 16 hands. So what it is thing? The watch is just called the Loiseau 1f4. Manufactured under the brand name Loiseau, by the man Loiseau.

Dominique Loiseau is one of those superstar watch makers, but probably one that you’ve never heard of. In the 1980s and 1990s he spend years working for large brands such as Omega and Blancpain. If you recall those fascinating Omega Central Tourbillon watches I talked about – Loiseau was heavily responsible for those. As well as a very unique set of avant garde Omega tourbillon pocket watches called “Les Montres de Sables.” At Blancpain he designed the 1735 timepiece in the 1990s. It was for its time the most complex wrist watch in the world. Today less than 50 were ever made by Blancpain, and it represents an unique technical pinnacle for modern horology. Dominique’s specialty are ultra-complex watches, and he designs them with a very traditional sensibility.

For his own brand he really wanted to produce the most complicated watch in the world – that was his dream. I am so mixed up with which watch may or may not have more functions than others that I tend to stay away from the title of “most complex.” This has a lo to do with what people define as being a complication or not. Suffice it to say that the 1f4 is up there at or near the top of the list and is very high-end. The 1f4 watch for example boasts a hand-made movement with 891 individually finished parts, and a list of functions that is 32 items long (see below). Each watch will take a very long time to produce, and will be available in 18k white, yellow, or red gold, as well as in platinum. The case itself is double-sided and reversible. What you say? The system works like those reversible belts that have a buckle you can pivot around. The lugs are spring-loaded and pull out a bit and can then be spun around. This is to make it possible to wear the watch with either dial facing up. It is a simple little trick, and I’ve never seen it before applied to a watch. I am surprised some fashion watch brand never did that before.

The case itself is 45.20mm wide and has two crowns, four pushers, and four inset correctors. As much as it does, the watch isn’t as terribly thick as you might guess. 16.64mm is a more than acceptable thickness for what the Loiseau 1f4 contains on the inside. The design of the case and dials are classic to say the least. You can see that this guy certainly came from a brand like Blancpain. Some people will love the look, others will find it dated and boring. The problem is that with all the technical prowess inside of the watch, people inherently want a modern or futuristic design. If Hublot for example made this watch it would look like a space ship from the movie Batteries Not Included.

One side of the dial is mostly white and has lots of levels. The other side looks very Blancpain and has a textured dial that is more flat. The only this each dial shares is that it tells the time. Features easy to notice are the flying tourbillon, and the complex perpetual calendar functions. So what else does the Loiseau watch do? Here is a function list from them:

Two instantly, secretly and fully reversible dials (World Premiere).
Self-winding movement with annular-geared oscillating rotor (World Premiere).
Self-winding striking mechanism with annular-geared oscillating rotor (World Premiere).
60 second Flying Tourbillon.
Day/night indicator via a special reflector below the tourbillion cage.
Mono pusher split second’s chronograph.
Stop and return of the split seconds chronograph via a separate push-piece.
30-minute chronograph counter.
Local time hours.
Local time minutes.
Seconds on the tourbillion carriage.
2ndtime zone hours.
2ndtime zone minutes.
Equation of time.
Striking mechanism power reserve indicator on the «Classical» dial.
Striking mechanism power reserve indicator on the «Chronograph» dial.
Silence.
Automatic quarters striking mechanism (Petite Sonnerie au passage).
Automatic hours and quarters striking mechanism (Grande Sonnerie au passage).
Silence, Petite Sonnerie or Grande Sonnerie selection thru a single push-piece (World Premiere).
Minute Repeater (hours, quarters and minutes).
Perpetual calendar.
Leap years.
Day of the week.
Month of the year.
Date.
Moonphase.
Perpetual Calendar indications synchronously corrected through the crown (Patented).
Day of the week individual correction thru specific integrated corrector.
Month of the year individual correction thru specific integrated corrector.
Date individual correction thru specific integrated corrector.
Moon phase individual correction thru specific integrated corrector.

Holy crap that is a lot. Would you have ever guessed that the watch is also a grand sonnerie? Loiseau says that it can only produce two 1f4 watches per year. Price for it will be at least a million dollars (likely a lot more), and I was so surprised to just randomly see it as the brand does not really market themselves. Dominique is clearly an only school type. Not a business guy at heart, he is a prideful watch maker who is keen to assert himself in his craft. As far as I know, now during the last part of his life, is the first time he has done something like this on his own. His design sensibility might be a bit in the past, but a lot of people appreciate that. What is important is what he has been able to do technically. The 1f4 for example is chess-themed. You only get a hint of this when looking at the chess-board style clasp on the strap. This watch is in part an homage to the complexity of chess, and connecting the cause-and-effect decision making of the game with a watch movement. Truly a special watch, I thank Mr. Loiseau and his associates for showing it to me and look forward to seeing the final 1f4 piece.

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Fashion Watches :March LA.B AM1 40 Automatic Watch Winner Follow-Up

admin — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 10:25:47 +0000

Thanks to Mark who was the lucky winner of the MARCH LA.B AM1 40 Automatic watch (giveaway post here). Here are some follow-up thoughts and images by him: “From the very opening of the watch, this timepiece has been a … Continue reading →
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Thanks to Mark who was the lucky winner of the MARCH LA.B AM1 40 Automatic watch (giveaway post here). Here are some follow-up thoughts and images by him:

“From the very opening of the watch, this timepiece has been a joy to experience. The box came wrapped within paper, and contained a congratulatory note. While the note may have only been included due to my good fortune in winning the watch, I’d like to think one such note is included with every watch purchase; MARCH seems to be a real class act, and everyone who owns this watch deserves to be congratulated on their purchase.

Within the box, which is constructed of some wonderful patterned leather-like material (if not actually leather), is a slim pamphlet, a metal warranty card, and a leather case which houses the watch and doubles as a wallet. I enjoyed the inclusion of the wallet, which I’m certain would look wonderful being pulled from the glovebox of a vintage sports car, but which I can’t see myself squeezing into a sports coat.

Luckily, none of us are interested in the watch for the wallet. The timepiece is beautiful. Its bold face and understated styling permit it to fly under the social radar, and it’s only commented upon by the most careful observer – if you want to be noticed wearing the watch, you really need to flaunt it. Compared to many other watches in my collection, it’s shockingly light, and I often forget that I’m wearing it when switching to it from a heavier piece. Only when it peeks out from beneath my cuff am I reminded of it, and I can’t help but stare. The flash of color as the second-hand sweeps by makes me think of the green glass and liner I know are hidden beneath the band, and I grin whenever I see it. The wide face is clear and easy to read, though difficult to pull away from.

There is one sole aspect of the watch I find myself torn over, and that’s the band. Made of an exquisite lizard leather, it is certainly beautiful, but oddly narrow, in my opinion. On one hand, the narrow band serves to make the bold case pop even more strongly. On the other hand, I think I would have enjoyed seeing a wider band paired with the case in a more complimentary fashion.

I can’t speak for the movement, but it appears to be keeping time admirably when out of use, riding my watch winder. And I don’t believe that there’s any real power reserve indicator, but it did keep ticking along nicely over the holidays when it went untouched for a 24 hour period.

All in all, the MARCH LA.B AM1 is a stunning watch, which I find myself giddy over every time I spot it on my wrist.”

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Watches Information :IWC Pilot Chronograph Top Gun Miramar Watch

admin — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 10:25:47 +0000

Hitting pretty close to home (for me) IWC announces its first new watch of 2012 with a piece titled after the location of a US Marine Corps base in San Diego. Miramar is the location of the Naval Air Station … Continue reading →
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Hitting pretty close to home (for me) IWC announces its first new watch of 2012 with a piece titled after the location of a US Marine Corps base in San Diego. Miramar is the location of the Naval Air Station and where TOPGUN pilots are trained. For a while now IWC has been proud of its Top Gun labeled aviator watches and 2012 sees the continuation and extension of that collection.

According to IWC 2012 is going to be the year of the pilot watch for the brand. It seems as though their new strategy is to focus on specific product families each year. Last year IWC focused on a major refresh of their Portofino watches, and the Pilot collection gets all the attention this year. One of IWC’s most popular models is their Big Pilot watch, which should also see a notable addition this year.

To tease the entire collection that will soon be released at SIHH 2012 IWC has released information on the Pilot Chronograph Ton Gun Miramar. It houses a brand new in-house made movement (which will be a part of other new Pilot watches), being the caliber 89365 automatic. The new fly-back chronograph measures 60 minutes, has the date, and has a really large power reserve of 168 hours. For this model they wanted to have a more simple bi-compax layout, but I hope the new movement can accommodate a 12 hour chronograph (which I think is better for pilot uses).

IWC uses both in-house made movements and those sourced from places like ETA. Movements from ETA aren’t as prestigious but tend to be extremely reliable and robust. Sources have told me that IWC has had some issues in the last few years with their own movements in terms of repair and reliability. While their movements looks really good on paper, my hope is that quality is very high on their list for the new calibers that we will see. It is true that while the new Pilot watches are to be debuted very soon, IWC will still have a few months to work on them before the full commercial release.

The Pilot Chronograph Top Gun Miramar will sport a full ceramic case. Done in a semi-gloss, the case will be a large 48mm 46mm wide. The pushers and crown along with the Top Gun engraved caseback are in titanium. Many have complained about the size of the watch as being too large. Actually, IWC has indicated that almost across the board all of its Pilot watches will increase in size. Personally I don’t mind this as I like large watches. The last few years people have claimed that smaller watches are now in and large watches are out. That shift attempt was an epic failure as I predicted. Brands tried to produce and market smaller watches with limited success – and are now reserving smaller sizes for select formal watches. Big sport watches are still king when it comes to what men seem to want.

Now for some thoughts on the design. I needed to sit on this one for a while. My initial thoughts were that IWC has created the world’s most impressive prop watch for those wanting to outfit a Vietnam-era military costume. The dial design with green textile strap and dark gray case is almost cliche as a military accessory. IWC was really going for a theme watch here and they succeeded. Is it a new classic with the ability to go on 1000 different types of wrists and look good with a 1000 outfits? I am not so sure about that. The charm of IWC’s previous Pilot watches was their durability in design and style. The Top Gun Miramar watch is so specific in its identity that it might look out of place much of the time. Though I could be wrong.

I am also getting a bit weary of retro style aviator watches that are totally new but attempt to look old at the same time. A good example of this is the sand colored lume on this piece. For a long time now brands use this to look like lume which has aged over time getting a darker patina. It doesn’t really need to be there and they do it for style. On some watches I love the look (especially when it clashes with black), but against gray and green I have yet to see how it appeals to me. I’d need to see the watch in person to decide. There is also the matter of the red hour indicator ring. This inner ring of hour numerals is very much part of pilot watch history. Though the red colored ring offers less than optimal contrast against the gray face of the watch. Then there is the “open” date window. I am not a huge fan of these and IWC almost pioneered this look with their previous Top Gun watch that had the “T window,” incorporating both the day of the week and the date.

The green strap is meant to go with all those olive green bags, jumpsuits, and other items that we associate with military pilots. It is another style-related item. I guess that is the biggest virtue of the watch and my biggest problem with it. IWC has tried so hard to offer a cool looking military-inspired Pilot watch, that it ends up looking like it was put together by a designer versus something that naturally would go on a Top Gun pilot’s wrist. Those looking for a high-end fashion accessory will likely find this to be a very cool watch. I have no doubt that in the right setting and with the right outfit this is gonna be a stellar looking piece. Though by definition it has trouble existing alone. It is part of a theme, a look, a style. To be a serious classic it must holds its own in a vacuum. I’ll be sure to check out this piece along with other new IWC Pilot watches soon.

Written by Mr. Ariel Adams – aBlogtoRead.com, trusted independent watch media. Related posts:
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Watches Information :Vintage Omega Marine Chronometer Watch Hands-On

admin — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 10:25:47 +0000

There are times that I wish I could have experienced the watch industry in the 1970s. Oh what an interesting time. Quartz regulated movements debuted in the late 1960s and was still an extremely expensive novelty which everyone was interested … Continue reading →
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There are times that I wish I could have experienced the watch industry in the 1970s. Oh what an interesting time. Quartz regulated movements debuted in the late 1960s and was still an extremely expensive novelty which everyone was interested in, but no one quite knew what to do with. Mechanical watches still reigned supreme, and the era saw the creation of the modern sports watch as we know it. It was also a time of extreme optimism and experimentation from a design perspective. The world’s interest in space travel and futurism was at an all-time high, and product makers began to have more and more materials to play with. It was a good time marred by some ugly designs and outrageous ideas, but the overall sentiment seemed to be positive.

It was not until the 1980s when quartz-based timepieces became cheap enough to put a serious threat to the mechanical Swiss watch industry. Even during the late 1970s many Swiss watch makers saw it wise to totally abandon mechanical watches. They wanted their entire productions to be quartz. At the time it was thought by many people that mechanical watches were a thing of the past. I learned much of this traveling to Switzerland and listening to people discuss exactly what was going on and what they felt at the time. We now know that quartz and mechanical watches can coexist, but that is actually a modern concept.

Anyhow, going back to the late 1960s and early 1970s, the largest Swiss brands were heavily invested in making their own quartz movements. These movements were anything but mass-produced and cheap. Often times requiring as much effort as a mechanical watch to assemble, these accurate electronic wonders were considered luxury items. You’ll probably never again see a Rolex watch proudly labeled “Quartz” on the dial. The same goes for Omega – who was considered by many to be a pioneer in quartz movement development.

In the late 1960s the Swiss and Japanese were aggressively trying to beat each other when it came to releasing the first quartz wrist watch. Seiko narrowly beat out the Swiss, and the Swiss followed up with a bevy of interesting high-end quartz models during the late 1960s and mostly into the 1970s. A very special one is the Omega Marine Chronometer.

There are a few people online how have laid out the technical history of the Omega Marine Chronometer better than I will ever be able to do (for example you can watch this YouTube video with images of the Marine Chronometer and a soundtrack that sounds like the guy wants to make love to the watch). I believe that it officially debuted for sale in 1974 and was available for a few years with a couple of movements variations all based on the quartz caliber 1500 series that was made by Omega.

They called these movements “Megaquartz,” because of the frequency at which they ran was 2.4 MHz (mega hertz). These were also know as Megaquartz 2400 movements. One hertz is one cycle per second, so 2.4MHz is 2,400,000 cycles per second. This is extremely fast – and the faster a movement can operate the more accurate it will be. To put that into comparison, a standard quartz watch runs at about 32,768 hertz, and an average mechanical wrist watch movement such as the ubiquitous ETA 2824 automatic runs at 4 hertz. Can you notice how big those differences are?

I don’t know the precise accuracy rating of the Omega caliber 1500 megaquartz movements, but it was something like one second each 1000 years. To this day it probably remains the most accurate quartz movement every made. Something Omega pads itself on the back for accomplishing, but it does so quietly as the brand’s direction today is heavily on mechanical watches. The irony – that Omega themselves laugh about – is that the down-side of the Omega Marine Chronometer was its battery life. The movement sucked power such that a battery change was necessary each six months or so. That’s not horrible in today’s setting when the watch can be reset easily. But if you wanted the watch to be reliable for serious scientific purposes “out in the field,” you’d need at least two of them running, and you’d need to stagger the battery life as well as stockpile batteries. Just a fun fact about the caliber 1500 series movements.

The 1500 series came in a few variants and were designed to fit into the rectangular case of the Marine Chronometer. I am still not sure why it has the “Constellation” name of the dial. New products tend to get complex branding I find. The design of the dial interests me. It looks like something plucked from an instrument panel. Imagine a series of gauges each with a different label. Here you are looking at the “Marine Chronometer” instrument. And what is it? Well an Omega Constellation with a sweet sounding high-tech movement. This watch thematically like the Bell & Ross BR01, in that it attempts place something from an instrument panel on your wrist. They even both have four bezel screws.

Reading the dial is simple as it is designed to be very minimalistic and devoid of excess. The round dial lack frills and is very utilitarian. Perhaps almost too much by some standards. Still, given the technology and purpose behind the movement I am glad that the face looks like a wall clock. The date is neatly tucked-in at six o’clock. Omega wanted its logo and name in large print on the face – now that is being proud of a watch! The large “Marine Chronometer” label on the top of the dial is sort of silly, especially looking at it in hindsight. The title isn’t necessary, but it is a charming quirk about the design and the concept of the watch overall.

My understanding is that Omega only released one case style for the watch which was in steel with a 14k gold bezel and serial number plaque. The case is about 49mm tall and 32.5mm wide. It is 12mm thick and overall feels stately but not massive on the wrist. Retro by today’s standards a bit, the tapered single-link style bracelet and overall design does endure well in my opinion. I find it interesting that the serial number is so prominently displayed on the case. Another design feature intent on making it feel more like an important instrument rather than formal timepiece. This was a serious geek watch for its time.

Back in the mid 1970s the Omega Marine Chronometer was priced very high at ,850. It was of course the only watch of its kind and pretty high-tech. Some more info on the Marine Chronometer can be found here as chronicled by the late Omega-expert Chuck Maddox. Today Omega Marine Chronometer watches are still out there. They aren’t terribly expensive, but do represent an investment in terms of adding one to your collection. I personally am really drawn to this unique watch and would gladly shell out to own one. It helps that I like how it looks on my wrist as well. Thanks to the good people at the Omega Museum for letting me play with it.

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EXTREM RARE OMEGA MARINE CHRONOMETER F 24 MHZ CAL 1516
–> US ,999.99

Omega Marine Chronometer Megaquartz 24 mhz
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Omega Marine Chronometer Constellation cal 1511 Megaquartz F 24MHz
–> US ,400.00

OMEGA Megaquartz 2400 Marine Chronometer Cal 1510 Rare Collectable 1970s
–> US ,800.00

Written by Mr. Ariel Adams – aBlogtoRead.com, trusted independent watch media. No related posts.

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Fashion Watches :Ochs Und Junior Selene Tinta Watch Review

admin — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 10:25:47 +0000

At once elegant and mysteriously absent of text or logo, the Ochs and Junior selene tinta is a very different watch indeed. Hours, minutes, seconds, date and of course the most accurate moon phase you get in a mechanical watch, … Continue reading →
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At once elegant and mysteriously absent of text or logo, the Ochs and Junior selene tinta is a very different watch indeed. Hours, minutes, seconds, date and of course the most accurate moon phase you get in a mechanical watch, all done with the elegant minimalism of Ludwig Oechslin:

Those five parts, including the dial, comprise the moon phase complication. This is a factor of four or five less than usually used, and triple the accuracy anywhere else: one day in 3,478.27 years, all built on a base ETA 2824.

But let’s back up a bit and put this watch in context. ochs and junior is basically Ludwig Oechslin and Beat Weinemann. Ludwig is a senior and famous watchmaker, with headline experience at Ulysse Nardin, MIH and others; this company is basically him making whatever he wants.

I asked to review the moonphase but there’s also a dual time, annual calendar, child’s 7-day and more. So the watch nerd in me is impressed. Let’s dive in.

You’re looking at the packaging. The watch is strapped (pun intended) to a recycled cardboard piece with instructions printed on it, and shipped in a recycled cardboard box filled with wood shavings. Vegetable-tanned leather, of course. It would not be much of an exaggeration to call ochs and junior revolutionary.

List price for the selene tinta (ochs and junior use lower case) is 8,000 CHF or about 8,700 USD. For that, I expect superb finish work and flawless polishing. Instead, the watches, machined by Peter Cantieni, are left with tooling marks intact:

(More on the buckle below)

It’s a different aesthetic. As they put it, “Ludwig wants the life lived by the watch’s owner to create a patina on the soft metal. We are proud of the accurate machining of our cases that we decided we wanted to leave them unpolished as a mark of respect to the craftsmanship.”

So what you have is a smooth, cylindrical shaped case, with screwed case back and unique lugs.

This seems like a good time for some measurements – you’re looking at a 7.0mm crown on a 42mm watch, coming in at a featherweight 65g on the leather strap. Titanium is wonderful that way. 22mm lugs, 29 by 28mm buckle. The case is 9.8mm thick, and 10.9 to the top of the double-domed sapphire crystal. Despite having a non-screwdown crown, it’s rated to 50m of water resistance and has actually been torture tested. Normally I’d assume that ’50m’ means “Don’t get me wet!” but in this case it’s safe for swimming.

It’s striking at night. Instead of orange, the lume is yellow:

Lume is pretty good, though the lack of minute markers make readings a bit approximate.

You can get the tinta series in any Pantone color you want, the orange on black works quite well with good contrast and a bit of flair. This could easily be a nearly unnoticed watch with, say, light grey or white hands.

One note on comfort: I found that the square-cut crown bit my wrist a bit, and have confirmed with Beat that you have but to ask them when ordering, and they’ll round it off for you. The straps are also available in three different lengths.

At 10mm or so, it’s very slim and comfortable on the wrist. The rounded bezel glides under cuffs. Let’s talk buckles, because this is another option you have when buying. Normally, a thorn buckle as they’re called leaves the tail end of the strap on the outside, to be held in place by ‘keepers.’ The buckle here is a different design, where the strap tucks inside:

Clever, eh? At first glance, it looks normal. A bit of practice required, but I like the result, sleek and finished in appearance. If you don’t like it, you can get a conventional buckle instead.

I had the watch for about a month, and thus got to watch a full cycle of the moonphase. It’s tremendously cool, and the crescent-shaped window with contrasting titanium plate is just neat to look at. Timekeeping was, as you’d expect, well within chronometer specifications.

Overall this is a watch for the devoted connoisseur. The lack of branding or bling combined with the steep cost add up to something that only a few will appreciate. It’s a realization of a singular vision of timekeeping, done with unique aesthetics and cost-is-no-problem construction. I will be sorry to see it go.

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