Hodinkee
Pioneering Saturation And SEALAB Diver Robert A. Barth Has Passed Away
He dove on all three SEALAB programs and helped create the Sea-Dweller.
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Hodinkee
He dove on all three SEALAB programs and helped create the Sea-Dweller.
SJX Watches
Seiko produces a wide – really wide – variety of dive watches. Many are based on historical watches, with several of the high-end models in particular being inspired by the brand’s first 300 m dive watch of 1968. As a result, a good number of Seiko dive watches look pretty similar. When Seiko unveiled the Prospex LX line at Baselworld last year – the range is made up of six sports watches catered for air, land, and sea – the diver’s watch seemed, well, pretty similar to other Seiko dive watches. But the LX was not a typical range of sports watches, because it was designed in collaboration with Ken Okuyama, one of Japan’s most famous car designers – specifically, Mr Okuyama is best known for his work for Ferrari. The Prospex LX Spring Drive Diver SNR029 is a typical Seiko dive watch – it’s functional and solidly engineered, with a notably high quality of construction. But Mr Okuyama’s design adds a surprising degree of refinement to the design, which reimagines the retro style of the classical Seiko Hi-Beat diver of 1968 by sharpening the design and refining the details. Initial thoughts Seiko dive watches are highly regarded for their strong price-performance ratio at every level of the price spectrum. The Prospex LX Spring Drive Diver SNR029 is a mid-range model, more affordable than a Grand Seiko but more upscale than the base-model Prospex diver. In terms of functionality, fit and finish, the SNR029 scores highly. Legibility is excellent, Spring Dr...
Quill & Pad
From his perfect perch in Geneva, Marc André Deschoux of The Watches TV discusses in depth the effects of the current COVID-19 crisis as it affects the watch world.
Hodinkee
A limited-edition GMT dive watch in honor of "Nims" Purja's incredible record-annihilating ascent of the world's highest peaks.
Time+Tide
Editor’s note: Seiko dropped what seemed like an innumerable amount of limited edition timepieces in 2019, and that got us thinking – which one was best? That’s a much tougher question than it sounds, but this SLA033 dive watch surely has to be in the running. A revival of the prolific 6105, a watch made … ContinuedThe post Was this the greatest limited edition Seiko of 2019? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Having just unveiled the impressive 9SA5 automatic movement in the Hi-Beat 80 Hours SLGH002 as part of its 60th anniversary line-up, Grand Seiko is also rolling out a newly-developed Spring Drive movement – the first with a five-day power reserve and thermocompensation. Unusually, the new calibre is making its debut in a dive watch, the Grand Seiko 600M Professional Diver’s watch (ref. SLGA001). Characterised by large, angular lugs, case design of the new diver is familiar, borrowing from the current Grand Seiko high-frequency dive watches. In short, it’s the typical Grand Seiko diver look, meaning big, bold and chunky, measuring 46.9 mm in diameter and 16 mm high. Both the case and bracelet are made of Seiko’s proprietary “high-intensity” titanium, which 30% lighter than steel and more resistant to scratches, so the size of the SLGA001 does not translate into substantial weight. Likewise, the dark blue dial retains the usual Grand Seiko dive watch styling. Legibility is maximised with large hands and hour markers – both with generous amounts of luminous paint. The date display on the new diver is at four o’clock, instead of the usual three o’clock. But the date is not just a relocation – thanks to the new 9RA5 movement, the date disc jumps at a “greatly increased” speed for a crisper changeover. The 9RA5 While the design of the watch contains no surprises, the Spring Drive movement inside is brand new and incorporates several features originally...
SJX Watches
Seiko has been on a hot streak with its remakes of vintage dive watches, including the Hi-Beat 6159 of 2018 and last year’s “Turtle” 6105. With 2020 being the 55th anniversary of its first dive watch, Seiko is reissuing three of its most well-liked vintage dive watches, the Hi-Beat 6215, the 62MAS 6217, and the “Tuna” 6159. All three remakes features notable upgrades, including the use of a new alloy named Ever-Brilliant Steel that is notably corrosion resistant. (And for those on a less-ambitious budget, the line-up also includes an affordable 62MAS remake – see this at the bottom of the story.) The vintage originals (from left): Hi-Beat 6215, the 62MAS 6217, and the “Tuna” 6159 Used for the first time in watchmaking according to Seiko, Ever-Brilliant Steel has a more silvery appearance than the steel alloy most commonly used in watchmaking – 316L or “surgical steel” – but more crucially, the alloy has better corrosion resistant. Specifically, Seiko says Ever-Brilliant Steel has a pitting resistance equivalent number (PREN) of 1.7 times 316L steel. With 316L steel having a PREN of around 25, Ever-Brilliant Steel should surpass 40 – usually the benchmark for materials uses for marine applications. The Ever-Brilliant Steel case of the SLA037 The 1965 Diver’s Re-creation “62MAS” (ref. SLA037 or SBEX009) is a remake of Seiko’s first ever dive watch. Measuring 39.9 mm by 14.7 mm, the case is larger than the original, and of course made from Ev...
Quill & Pad
Watch spotting on celebrity wrists can be a lot of fun if you’re watching a movie or TV show. Oh, who is Elizabeth kidding? It’s always a lot of fun. Here she shares five watches that caught her eye on the wrists of celebrities over the last couple of weeks.
Quill & Pad
Ian Skellern's feelings regarding the rapid series of announcements of watch events like the cancellation of Watches & Wonders and Baselworld as well as the full-steam-ahead project Geneva Watch Days have been equally quickly undulating: from initially being enthusiastically for, Ian ended feeling against Geneva Watch Days. Why put anyone’s health at risk, especially with perhaps little in return but a few photos and a persistent cough? But it is a tough call.
SJX Watches
Founded two years ago, the Qatar Watch Club (QWC) is a community of internet-savvy watch enthusiasts in the wealthy Arab nation. The club recently got together with Tudor and local watch retailer Fifty One East to create the Pelagos “Qatar Watch Club”, a limited edition of the brand’s top-spec dive watch. The second QWC edition after last year’s Chopard L.U.C GMT, the Pelagos has “Qatar” in Arabic, or “قطر”, on the dial at six, replacing the five lines of text on the standard model, giving it a much cleaner look. The other point of distinction is the club logo engraved on the case back. The rest of the watch is identical to the standard model, which means a titanium case rated to 500 m and a scratch-resistant, blue-ceramic bezel insert. And the watch is equipped with the MT5612 movement. A proprietary calibre produced by Kenissi, a joint venture Tudor shares with Chanel, the calibre has a 70-hour power reserve, silicon hairspring, and is an all-round strong performer, particularly at this price point. The watch is delivered in a box bearing the QWC logo, as well as an additional blue rubber strap. Only 50 were produced – the club has 50 members – and at press time all have been spoken for. QWC members at last year’s launch event for the Chopard L.U.C GMT QWC edition. Photo – QWC Key facts Tudor Pelagos Qatar Watch Club Special Edition Ref. M25600TB-0001 Diameter: 42 mm Thickness: 14.3 mm Material: Titanium Water resistance: 500 m Movement:...
Deployant
We take a deep dive with the Angelus Diver Tourbillon U51 - an saturation dive watch with a tourbillon. Analytical review with live photographs and details.
WatchAdvice
See how the Breitling Superocean Heritage stack up against other dive watches! The year 1957 was an important one in Breitling’s history, as this was when the brand first released the Superocean collection. In fact, the decade of 1950 saw some prestigious brands such as Rolex and Omega release dive watches (Submariner, Seamaster 300), with Breitling following suit in the latter years. Breitling released the Superocean model in two variants; chronograph and non-chronograph. Some of the originals from 1957 are much sought after today by Breitling and watch enthusiasts. In celebration of the 60th anniversary of the Superocean, in 2017 Breitling redesigned the Superocean Heritage line and released anniversary editions which come in both chronograph and non-chronograph versions, much like the originals from 1957. Both these editions were made by Breitling to resemble original versions in terms of design, with only the movement update being the significant change in the watches. The watch models came in 42mm and 46mm sizes with the chronograph version available in 46mm. All three size variants came in 3 different dial colour variations; black, blue and brown. In 2018, Breitling re-vamped the Superocean Heritage line once again by introducing the chronograph and non-chronograph versions in 44mm, along with a 42mm gold and stainless steel version. The three different sizes (42mm, 44mm, 46mm) offer a whole lot of flexibility to the general public to be able to match almost an...
SJX Watches
Dive watches priced below US$10,000 are one of the saturated and competitive segments in watchmaking. The category is dominated by two dive watch icons, the Rolex Submariner and the Omega Seamaster, both of which set the bar high with high-spec, in-house escapements equipped with high-tech hairsprings and next-level chronometer certifications. Ulysse Nardin smartly steered away from the conventional dive-watch look with last year’s new Diver X. Created to mark the brand’s newly-forged partnership with Vendée Globe, a non-stop solo yacht race around the globe, the Diver X Cape Horn and Diver X Nemo Point are a contemporary take on the standard Diver Chronometer 44mm, dressed up in new materials and colours but retaining the same basic specs, namely a 300 m rating and an in-house movement with a proprietary escapement. The Diver X Cape Horn Dubbed the “Everest of the Seas” because of its reputation as the toughest sailing competition in the world, the Vendée Globe is such an arduous journey that the eight races since 1989 have claimed three lives. Competitors have to travel over 40,000 km, a round-the-world trip that takes between two to four months. Unsurprisingly, the twin Diver X editions are aggressively styled and technically robust. Form and function Each named after key points along the Vendée Globe route, the Cape Horn and Nemo Point have the longstanding, symmetrical layout of a Ulysse Nardin diver’s watch – originally inspired by the dial of the br...
You have to dive deep to come up with a thrift-store find this good.
Two Broke Watch Snobs
This week we're tackling more horological prejudices by taking a deep dive into a single burning question: why all the fashion watch hate? When we make the transition from horological civilians to watch collectors why is there so much hate for fashion watches (i.e. Timex, Michael Kors, Fossil, Kate Spade, etc.)?
Time+Tide
Whether he’s playing a hard-partying surgeon in Doctor Doctor or a bewildered zombie in Glitch, Rodger Corser is a square-jawed fixture on Australian TV. But he’s also a serious watch guy. So when Channel 9 travel show Postcards asked him to pick his favourite Melbourne venues, we were humbled that he picked Time+Tide. “I’m part … ContinuedThe post Actor Rodger Corser brings Ch.9 travel show Postcards into the Time+Tide office! appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Editor’s note: The Blancpain Fifty Fathoms is, in the context of a fit-for-purpose dive watch, the original. Nothing like it had come before, and because of it, watches like Rolex’s ubiquitous Submariner exist – the Fifty Fathoms was the catalyst for what is arguably the most popular sub-genre of timepieces ever created. But, while recognising … ContinuedThe post Genesis, with a twist: The Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Black Ceramic appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Revolution
A small dive watch from a small French brand knocks it out of the park.
Quill & Pad
According to Joshua Munchow the sleeper of horological complications is the dead seconds, or jumping seconds, function. And, according to him, no one does it better than A. Lange & Söhne as evidenced by the Richard Lange Jumping Seconds model. Follow him on a deep dive of this unusual watch right here.
Quill & Pad
Armin Strom’s Gravity Equal Force, first seen at Dubai Watch Week 2019, is a brand-new watch that seeks to innovate with the help of historical inspiration and a healthy dose of research and development. Here The Watches TV goes behind the scenes to find out more about its innovative mechanics and modern good looks.
Time+Tide
Need to know Well, I bet nobody saw this coming … another day, another dive watch with a green dial. But is this new Longines HydroConquest a cynical marketing-based exercise aimed at cashing in on the peripheral hype caused by the Rolex Submariner Ref.116610LV? Or has Longines tried to create something truly unique in the … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: Is this the HydroConquest that Longines had to make? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Quill & Pad
Only a handful of producers are able to make hairsprings, most of which are large-scale industry suppliers. But a few watch brands manufacture their own using recipes and processes they keep close to their hearts. Bovet is one of these rare few manufacturers. Take a walk through the factory here thanks to The Watches TV, one in which cameras are usually not allowed.
Time+Tide
Poodle-haired rock god Brian May is world famous as the lead guitarist in Queen who shaped their sound with his nimble-fingered picking and razor-sharp melodies. What’s less well known is that he’s also a die-hard Seiko fan. For years, May has worn one of the brand’s iconic dive watches on his wrist. He’s regularly spotted … ContinuedThe post Fingerpickin’ good: Queen’s Brian May teams up with Seiko to make a watch inspired by his guitar appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Hodinkee
Yard sales, golden dive watches, and hand-grown coral.
Hodinkee
A tough guy take on the magic of the octagon.
Time+Tide
Editor’s note: It’s certainly refreshing to witness a timepiece that breaks the archetypal aesthetic tendencies of a fit-for-purpose dive watch. Thing is though, new and innovative divers don’t come around too often … most watchmakers tend to play it pretty safe when it comes to making an amphibious timekeeping device. However, Bell & Ross certainly … ContinuedThe post It’s hip to be square: the Bell & Ross BR 03-92 Diver video review appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
A chronograph is an important part of any watch collection, but the decision regarding which brand or model to buy can be a tough one. Time+Tide reader Jeremy talks us through the decision to pull the trigger on what was not only his first chronograph, but his first-ever Swiss watch, a silver dial example of … ContinuedThe post What Sealed The Deal – Jeremy’s Maurice Lacroix Pontos Chronographe appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Having launched a well received trio of Black Series dive watches in 2017, Seiko has done it again, but this time applying the black livery to more upscale models, including the Prospex Marinemaster and Prospex “Sumo”. The flagship model of the new collection, the Seiko Prospex Marinemaster Black Series (ref. SLA035J1 or SBDX033) is all black with red accents on the dial, historically a common colour combination for dive watches. According to Seiko, the choice of red was intentional, as it is the first colour to disappear underwater, starting from a depth of about 5 m or 15 ft. As a result, the seconds hand and depth rating disappear underwater, thus “[eliminating] unnecessary information allowing for instantaneous readability.” Limited to just 600 pieces, the Marinemaster Black Series has a steel case with a black hard coating, and the bezel insert is scratch-resistant black ceramic. It’s powered by the 8L35, an automatic movement derived from the 9S55 used in Grand Seiko models, which means it has the same architecture but without the decorative finishing found on the Grand Seiko movement. The other two Black Series models feature a black-and-orange colour scheme, and are more affordable. The first is the Seiko Prospex Black Series “Sumo” (ref. SPB125J1 or SBDC095), which is a rather large limited edition of 7,000 watches, no doubt because the Prospex Black Series “Turtle” of 2017 sold out swiftly. The “Sumo” (left) and solar chronograph The new ...
Deployant
Hands-on review of the Breitling Super Avenger Chronograph 48 Night Mission - a tough, lightweight chronograph with a huge wrist presence.
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Glycine has been manufacturing watches since its founding in Bienne, Switzerland, in 1914. They’re probably best known for their Airman line of pilot and GMT watches, which were used extensively by the US military and even taken into space. The Combat line, including the Sub dive watch, has been in production since 1967.
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