Results for ISO 6425 (Diver's Watch Standard)

Semper & Adhuc Rescues Homeless Vintage Movements

French startup Semper & Adhuc is making its debut with a familiar proposition: affordable, time-only watches, but with a historically conscious twist – each watch is powered by a homeless vintage movement. Also unusual is the fact that while the movements are Swiss, namely the A. Schild AS 1012, every other part of the watch, including case, dial, and hands, is made in France. The brand was started in 2016 by watchmaker Colin de Tonnac, who spent several years at Patek Philippe in Geneva before setting up Semper & Adhuc in Bordeaux. The inaugural line-up is made up of three minimalist watches with quirky details and form cases, but the most interesting bit is the slightly romantic rationale behind the movement inside. Saving abandoned movements All three models are powered by the same calibre, the hand-wound AS 1012 produced by A. Schild, a Grenchen-based movement maker that was once one of Switzerland’s largest. Produced from 1936 to 1960, the AS 1012 is an unusual movement because it is, or rather was, an oval form calibre destined for ladies’ watches, explaining the compact size of about 13 mm by 15 mm. It has 17 or 21 jewels depending on the version, and a 36-hour power reserve. Examples of the AS 1012 and its variants The AS 1012 was inexpensive and robust, making it popular enough that millions were produced. And after the Quartz Crisis, a good number of the movements – likely the majority of them – were in watches that were no longer desirable. That wa...

Timor Introduces the Heritage Field ‘WWW’ Remake

Timor, best known as one of the 12 watch brands that supplied wristwatches to the British Ministry of Defence (MOD) during the Second World War, is making a comeback with the Heritage Field, a faithful remake of its most famous timepiece that’ll be offered on Kickstarter in mid February. Widely known as WWW, short for “Watches Wristlet Waterproof”, the British army-issue watches were dependable, no-nonsense instruments that have been reproduced by other revived brands, but the Timor remake is probably the closest to the original. The WWW Now being brought back to life by British entrepreneur Benjamin Briggs, Timor was originally a trademark of J. Bernheim & Co. of La Chaux-de-Fonds, which like many other small- and medium-sized watch brands of the time, assembled cases and movements produced by specialist suppliers and sold watches under its own brand name. The Timor WWW, for instance, was equipped with the cal. 6060, an AS 1203 made by A. Schild, once one of Switzerland’s leading movement makers. The remake (left) and an original WWW But like much of the Swiss watch industry, Timor went bust during the Quartz Crisis in the 1970s. Now it has returned, but Timor is not alone. With the values of vintage WWW watches having risen to a level where remakes are viable – it is hard to sell a reproduction for more than the original – Timor is not the only resurrected brand making a WWW. Timor’s revival follows that of British brand Vertex, another supplier of the WWW...

Talking Watches: With Josh Bernstein

The explorer, educator, and storyteller is a watch guy through and through.

Up Close: Ulysse Nardin Executive Tourbillon Free Wheel

With the Freak being the undisputed flagship complication of Ulysse Nardin – as well as a historically important watch – many of the brand’s other technical accomplishments often go under the radar. One intriguing offering that hasn’t gotten much attention: the Executive Tourbillon Free Wheel. Despite the somewhat dull name, the Tourbillon Free Wheel is a compelling reinterpretation of a mystery clock – where the mechanics are artfully hidden and exposed for visual effect – that is both fascinating and exotic. The Executive Tourbillon Free Wheel with an aventurine dial While the base model of the Executive collection features a largely conventional, open-worked movement, the Tourbillon Free Wheel takes things a step further by elevating the crucial parts of the movement like the barrel, tourbillon regulator, and gear train for the power reserve. In fact, most of the components are “floating” – the movement boasts a flying tourbillon, a “flying” gear train and power reserve indicator, as well as a “floating” barrel. At the same time, the construction is inverted, with parts that are usually hidden sitting exposed, and vice versa. As a result, the tourbillon and power reserve display appear to operate in isolation, with no obvious connection to the rest of the movement. Floating and flying minimalism While much of the gearing is hidden underneath the dial – which doubles up as the base plate – most of the moving parts are “floating” –...

Swatch Group Cancels Time to Move 2020

What we know so far about the alleged fake Rolex scandal engulfing popular YouTuber @horologyhouse

It’s Australia’s biggest watch scandal in living memory. Hell, if anything is going to end up with a ‘-gate’ suffix in our world, it’s this. Last weekend, Rolexforums.com broke the news that Christopher Essery - the man behind @horologyhouse, a popular YouTube Channel, website and Instagram account renowned for its macro photography - is alleged to … ContinuedThe post What we know so far about the alleged fake Rolex scandal engulfing popular YouTuber @horologyhouse appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Roger Dubuis Excalibur Huracán Performante: Serious High-Performance Synergy With Lamborghini – Reprise

Roger Dubuis and Lamborghini have a special relationship: the watches that have so far come from this still relatively young collaboration have not only been impressive but also suck you into the world of Lamborghini without a car even being in sight. It is almost like the watchmakers at Roger Dubuis have infused this watch with motor oil and replaced the ticking of the escapement with the growl of an Italian high-performance engine. And the Excalibur Huracán Performante is all the evidence you need!

Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda 1950

Parmigiani's staple elegant dress watch has a slim profile, complete with an attractive looking movement. The Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda is now available in a matte navy blue dial in a stainless steel case.

Hands-On: Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Grande Tradition Tourbillon Céleste

Jaeger-LeCoultre unveiled a trio of grand complications last year, a substantial number given how complex each watch is, although two of the three are powered by existing movements. The Master Grande Tradition Répétition Minutes Perpétuelle (the only one equipped with a new calibre) and the Gyrotourbillon 3 Meteorite were launched first, and late in the year came the Master Grande Tradition Tourbillon Céleste to mark 15 years of partnership with the Venice International Film Festival. Among the brand’s grand complications, the Tourbillon Celeste is one of the most interesting, boasting a quirky combinations of functions – an orbital, flying tourbillon calibrated for sidereal time as well as a star chart, and sidereal annual calendar. And it is also unusually high tech for a Jaeger-LeCoultre, with the movement being equipped with a silicon escape wheel and pallet fork. A simpler complication As with most of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s recent grand complications, the movement in the Tourbillon Céleste is an iteration of an earlier calibre – something the brand has made a habit of in recent years, which is a bit of a shame given its rich history in movement development. Specifically, the movement inside is a streamlined and simplified version of the more complicated Master Grande Tradition Grande Complication, which was launched in 2010 and also included a minute repeater. Being a separate module mounted on the case-back side of the movement, the repeater was s...

Hands-On: Urwerk UR-100 Gunmetal

Last year Urwerk launched the UR-100 SpaceTime, a watch that installed the brand’s signature wandering hours satellite display in newly designed watch case. Unsurprisingly the UR-100 SpaceTime became a brisk seller, not only because it is the most affordable model in the catalogue, but also because its case is compact and relatively conventional in shape, making it the most wearable Urwerk watch by far. And so Urwerk has followed up with the UR-100 Gunmetal, a new variant that arrives just four months after four months after the model was launched. It feels a little bit too soon for another edition, but the Gunmetal is different enough – and the original versions are almost sold out – that it can be forgiven. Steel in disguise While the case of the new UR-100 remains the same design, the finish is unusual. The material looks like titanium, even up close it resembles titanium, but in the hand it is obviously too heavy to be titanium. The case is actually steel, which has been sandblasted to give it a smooth, matte finish and then coated with a dark grey coating. That’s a bit of a surprise, because watch cases that look like titanium are almost always titanium. But Urwerk’s rationale for using steel is practical: hard-coated steel is more resistant to scratches than titanium, which is generally quite soft. The result is watch that has a strong sci-fi military look, like a piece of kit used by the Marines in Aliens, which is very much Urwerk’s original house styl...

Forget the Rolex Daytona on Antiques Roadshow, here are three watches to stash in your safe now

If you’re reading this, then chances are you’ve already seen the amazing video on America’s Antiques Roadshow of a US Air Force veteran and his mint Rolex Daytona Ref.6263. If not, stop reading this and watch the below video right now: I think we can all agree … this is a pretty staggering video. And it … ContinuedThe post Forget the Rolex Daytona on Antiques Roadshow, here are three watches to stash in your safe now appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Superstar DJ Carl Cox remixes Zenith; feat. Lume

If Zenith’s showing at LVMH’s Dubai Watch Week is anything to go by, 2020 could well be the year of the eccentric collaboration for the Swiss watchmaker. Not only were members of the press treated to the unveiling of the handsome, if slightly odd, Zenith DEFY El Primero 21 Land Rover Edition, but they were … ContinuedThe post Superstar DJ Carl Cox remixes Zenith; feat. Lume appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Ep. #160: Axis Power Watches

What is it about watches issued to WWII Axis Powers that drives watch collectors crazy? Listen in as Kaz and Mike break down the attraction and history behind these controversial timepieces.

Hands-On: Longines Heritage Military 1938

Longines has been cranking out vintage remakes at a furious pace over the last year, most notably the Heritage Classic “sector” dial and Heritage Classic Chronograph 1946. All of them share the appealing qualities of being well-priced and fairly authentic remakes. The latest to be released is the Heritage Military 1938, a remake of an oversized watch Longines produced in the 1930s, often for Eastern European markets. It’s as good as the other remakes in terms of value – Longines excel at making value-for-money watches – but falls a bit flat with the dial. The ref. 4092 The inspiration for the new remake is the ref. 4092, a wristwatch that is exceptionally large for its time, with its steel case measuring 43 mm in diameter. Such extra-large watches with military-style dials appear to have mostly been sold to Eastern Europe; Zipper, the Longines agent in Poland at the time is often named as the recipient in archive extracts. A vintage ref. 4092 from the Longines Museum (left) next to the Heritage Military 1938 The rarity and remarkable size of the ref. 4092, along with its appealing military-style dial, makes it a fairly valuable watch today. Even an example with a severely-aged dial sold for 23,750 Swiss francs at Phillips in 2017. So unlike other modern-day remakes that are enlarged versions of vintage originals, the Heritage Military 1938 is just right; it is exactly the same size as the original, but priced at just a tenth of the auction result. The remake Th...

Innovation sensation: 3 of the most innovative watches of 2019

Watches are no longer the robust tools we use in everyday life. We tell the time with our phones, and watches instead have taken on a much more important role as communicating something about ourselves. In spite of this, some watch companies continue to invest heavily in a traditional form of watchmaking where innovation is … ContinuedThe post Innovation sensation: 3 of the most innovative watches of 2019 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Hublot Introduces the Big Bang Sang Bleu II

One of Hublot’s most enduring artistic collaborations has been its relationship with Sang Bleu, a Swiss creative agency and tattoo studio. Founded by Swiss tattoo artist Maxime Plescia-Büchi – who happens to be a bona fide watch aficionado himself – one of Sang Bleu’s signature tattoos is a symmetrical, geometric pattern made up of triangles, which was converted into an unusual time display for the Sang Bleu wristwatch. While the original Sang Bleu watch was time only, the Big Bang Sang Bleu II is a chronograph – with triple Sang Bleu indications, for the time, as well as the two chronograph registers. Clad in blue and available in titanium or 18k gold, the Sang Bleu tells the time via two large, latticework hands – the classic Sang Bleu motif – that have luminous paint on their tips. Similarly, the chronograph hands are rendered as open-worked octagons. Reminiscent of a kinetic sculpture as the hands move, the look is striking and unique, although it doesn’t help with legibility. Sang Bleu finishing The triangular Sang Bleu motif continues onto the bezel and case, which is essentially a geometrically-shaped variation of the tradition Hublot Big Bang. Notably, because of the alternating brushed and polished surfaces that cover the case, the brushed surface is actually a laser engraved linear pattern, because of the impossibility of creating alternating finishes on the same plane. Because the Sang Bleu II is a chronograph, it’s a large watch that’s 4...

What Sealed The Deal – Jeremy’s Maurice Lacroix Pontos Chronographe

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.

Up Close: Breguet Marine 5517 in Titanium

Breguet today is highly regarded for its watches that classically designed but often powered by innovative, high-tech movements, like the Classique Chronométrie 7727 with magnetic balance pivots, or the recent, elaborately finished skeleton tourbillon 5395. The brand is not, however, known for its luxury-sports watches (its line of Type XX aviator’s chronographs are entry-level and not quite sports watches). But last year Breguet unveiled the latest – and best – version of its luxury-sports watch, the Marine 5517. An under-appreciated contender in the category, the new Marine more conservative in style than its competition, but built to an admirably high standard. The Marine 5517 in titanium with a matching bracelet Horloger de la Marine Unlike its competitors, Breguet was relatively late to the luxury-sports watch segment (though not as late as A. Lange & Söhne, which launched the Odysseus last year); the original Marine only made its debut in 1990. The model name was inspired by Breguet’s appointment in 1815 as Horloger de la Marine – clockmaker to the French navy, an appointment it held for over 150 years. Designed by Jorg Hysek, perhaps the most famous watch designers of the 1990s, the first-generation Marine was distinguished by its fluted, domed crown, but otherwise looked pretty much like any other Breguet. That was replaced in 2005 by the second generation, a major redesign that gave it a more distinctive style. The practical robustness of the Marine...

Blancpain Introduces Miniature, Skeleton, Form Movement Cal. 510

Every year Blancpain (as well as its sister company Breguet) debuts a limited edition for Valentine’s Day. The concept is a bit kitschy – the watch is usually decked out in diamonds and hearts – but this year’s edition is a notably interesting watch. The Saint-Valentin 2020 is powered by a newly-developed form movement, the cal. 510, that is both rectangular and skeletonised. While traditionally Jaeger-LeCoultre has been the leader in form movements for ladies’ watches, most notably with the tiny cal. 101 and with other movements found in the Reverso as well as various Cartier Tanks, Blancpain has notched up a win in the segment with the cal. 510. The cal. 510 is relatively large for what is supposed to be a small movement for a ladies’ watch, measuring 12 mm wide and 25.2 mm long. But it is impressively constructed. It’s fitted with a good-sized barrel that gives it a 50-hour power reserve, which is lengthy for such a tiny movement. That is especially so considering the relatively large balance wheel that is free-sprung and equipped with hour regulating weights on its recessed rim. Additionally, the bridges are all open-worked, revealing the going train and barrel ratchet wheel. The result is also an obvious two-tone look, with the gilded wheels contrasted against the rhodium-plated bridges. And the components are finished carefully and completely, although it appears some of it is done by machine. The rest of the watch is arguably less interesting than ...

Omega Introduces the Constellation Co‑Axial Master Chronometer 39 mm

After having modernised the Constellation for ladies two years ago, Omega has just done the same for the men’s model, revamping the watch inside and out. Now the full range of Omega’s bestselling model line – the Constellation is likely the most popular watch model in China – has been facelifted. The new gents’ Constellation Co‑Axial Master Chronometer line-up is 26 models strong, all of which share the same basic specs. While the signature Constellation design has been retained, the case and bracelet has been sharpened with subtle improvements that given it a substantially different look. And the case is also larger, at 39 mm instead of the 38 mm of the earlier generation. But most importantly, the new model is equipped with a Master Chronometer movement containing all of Omega’s latest tech. Nip and tuck Available in steel, yellow gold, Sedna gold as well as two-tone combinations, the new Constellation retains the classic barrel shape with concave facets at the top and bottom lugs, as well as the four bezel “claws” at three and nine o’clock. The overall design is, in short, fundamentally the same, but it has been improved in finishing and style, inside and out. The lines and surfaces of the case and bracelet are now cleaner and more pronounced, at the same time accentuated with improved finishing. While the bezel claws keep their traditional polished finish, most of the other surfaces are now brushed, with the case and bracelet featuring polished be...

The Grey NATO: Episode 98: Collection Inspection Vol. 8

An old chronograph and a new diver that is meant to look like an old diver. Also, Lego!

Business News: Louis Vuitton Buys World’s Largest Uncut Diamond

Just as the inaugural LVMH Watch Week closed its doors – after Hublot, Bulgari and Zenith had presented their new timepieces – Louis Vuitton has something even bigger to boast about. The Parisian luxury brand, which is the biggest component of LVMH, has just acquired a stake in the world’s largest uncut diamond, which is also the second-biggest diamond ever. Discovered last April at the Karowe mine in Botswana, the Sewelô weighs 1,758 carats, or quite a bit larger than a tennis ball. Sewelo means “rare find” in Setswana, a language spoken in Southern Africa. It was the name chosen from some 22,000 entries that were submitted to a contest run by the mining firm that discovered the stone, Canadian outfit Lucara. Despite the moniker, the Sewelo is not unique – it is the second diamond over 1,000 carats mined by Karowe, after the 1,109 carat Lesedi de Rona found in 2015 and then sold for US$53 million to Graff, which cut it into in several smaller stones. Currently stored on the top floor of Louis Vuitton’s jewellery store on the Place Vendome in Paris, the Sewelô is covered in carbon, and its quality is unknown, although it was described as “near gem quality”, and containing “domains of high-quality white gem”, by Lucara. According to Louis Vuitton chief executive Michael Burke, quoted in The New York Times, the luxury house will only cut and set the stone after it has found a buyer, instead of keeping it as an object for exhibitions. Though Louis V...

TAG Heuer Introduces the Carrera 160 Years Silver

To mark its 160th anniversary this year, TAG Heuer just unveiled the Carrera 160 Years Silver Limited Edition, a remake of the Carrera 2447S from 1964 that’s a quintessential vintage Heuer. Though simple, the ref. 2447S is still fairly distinctive with a monochromatic colour palette and the recognisable Carrera case with its facetted lugs. The ref. 2447S was characterised by a radially brushed silver dial – the “S” in the model reference denotes a standard, silver dial without a tachymetric scale – that arrived only in 1964, replacing the white dial that was one of the launch colours, alongside black. Limited to 1860 pieces, the Carrera 160 Years Silver remains largely faithful to the original, save for a few tweaks like a larger size, restyled hands and necessary technical upgrades such as water resistance and the movement. While the original was 36 mm, the remake is 39 mm, a more appropriate size for a modern watch, if not exactly ideal for a remake. But it is finished just like the original, being entirely polished. And the case is topped by a domed sapphire crystal, which replicates the look of the acrylic glass on the original. A Carrera ref. 2447D, which shares the same silver dial but includes a decimal scale Besides the case, another obvious difference on the remake are the chronograph registers: the running seconds is now at six o’clock, while it sat at nine on the original. That is a consequence of the in-house movement inside. A more subtle upgrade ...

In-Depth: Quantifying Performance and Trade-Offs in Movement Design

There are a lot of traditions in the luxury watch industry. From the use of pegwood to polish bevels, to the Roman “IV” rendered as “IIII”, the culture of watchmaking is full of interesting customs passed down over generations. But the most fundamental tradition remains the reliance on incremental improvements towards better timekeeping. “Better” might mean absolute performance measured over a defined period such as an observatory trial (the objective of the superstar régleurs), or reliable long-term performance on the wrist. Regardless, for almost four hundred years the quest for better precision was the guiding principle of the trade. To paraphrase from historian David S. Landes’ Revolution in Time, “… it has always been the rule that the quality of [a watch] is a function of [its] precision.” Omega cal. 47.7 observatory chronometer, where the barrel and balance occupy almost all of the diameter. Image – Omega Today, some 50 years after mechanical timekeepers were left in the dust by their “better” electronic brethren, some makers of mechanical watches are more pious in their observance of this traditional approach to incremental improvement than their competitors.  And if we look carefully, we can quantify this difference in approach by looking at how different watchmakers choose to use the available energy within their movements. Our interest was to find a way to quantify which watchmakers are making high-performance timekeeping choices and ...

Customised Watches: Watchmaking Crime or Horologically Sublime?

The debate about customised watches after they have left the factory is one that has been raging for generations. Is personalising your watch a laudable expression of individuality? Or is it a crass bastardisation of the very art of watchmaking? Here, Nick Kenyon and James Robinson tackle the debate head on. Nick Kenyon – The … ContinuedThe post Customised Watches: Watchmaking Crime or Horologically Sublime? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Zenith Introduces the Defy 21 Land Rover Edition

Zenith’s collaboration with Land Rover has produced the best-looking Defy 21 to date. Clad in matte grey with a handful of orange accents, the Defy 21 Land Rover Edition is pared back and minimalist compared to the typical Defy chronograph. It’s essentially a more compelling variant of a watch that is already strong value for money. Launched to mark the unveiling of the 2020 Land Rover Defender, the new Defy 21 has a case of micro-blasted titanium. The metal has been sandblasted to create an extremely fine, grained surface finish, giving it a dark grey appearance with a hint of olive green that evokes military equipment. The dial is finished in a similar shade of grey, with most of it reduced to the essentials. Both the hands and hour markers have been slimmed down and minimised, as has the power reserve indicator, which is now a narrow, horizontal window. Most of the usual automotive design elements have been avoided on the Defy 21, with the exception of the rotor, which is shaped like the wheel rim of the new Defender. But it is only visible from the back, and does not take away from the appealing minimalist look of the watch. Mechanically the Land Rover Edition is identical to the standard Defy 21, meaning it has twin oscillators and going trains, one for the timekeeping and the other for the 1/100th of a second chronograph. Key facts and price Defy 21 Land Rover Edition Ref. 97.9000.9004/01.R787 Diameter: 44 mm Height: 14.4 mm Material: Titanium Water resistance...

Hublot Introduces the Big Bang Integral

Launched in 2005, the Big Bang was the watch that reestablished Hublot as a major watch brand. Fifteen years on, the model gets its most major revamp to date with the launch of the Big Bang Integral. While the basic concept is simple – it’s a Big Bang with an integrated bracelet – the new watch is a substantial upgrade in construction and finishing. The case was redesigned to fit the new bracelet, but also to accommodate a higher level of finishing. The Big Bang Integral King Gold Upgraded inside and out Most of the case edges, and also the pushers, have polished bevelling that contrasts with the brushed finishing on the top surfaces. The alternating surface finish continues onto the bracelet links, which are also facetted in profile. At the same time, the case construction has been improved in substance. Though the new case retains the traditional “sandwich” construction of the Big Bang, the filling of the “sandwich” is no longer resin, but is instead the same material as the front and back plates of the case. The only remaining resin bits are the resin lugs, or “ears”, on each side of the bezel at three and nine o’clock, the fundamental design feature of Hublot that was inspired by a ship’s porthole (hublot is porthole in French). The Big Bang Integral in titanium The All Black The new Big Bang is available in titanium or 18k King Gold as regular production models, and also the 500-piece limited edition Big Bang Integral All Black. Like its namesake...

Bulgari Introduces the Serpenti Seduttori Tourbillon

The flagship launch for Bulgari at LVMH Watch Week is a compact tourbillon for ladies that’s technically interesting because it is powered by a newly-developed form movement. The Serpenti Seduttori Tourbillon is a moderately large ladies’ watch, with a case measuring 34 mm in diameter and a slim 8.9 mm high. Because it is a Serpenti – which is Italian for “serpent” – the case is shaped like a snake’s head, giving it an ovoid form that has quite a presence on the wrist. Available in white gold or rose gold, the case is set with diamonds, as is the dial (and there’s also a version in white gold with a matching bracelet, set in diamonds from end to end). Inside is the BVL150, a hand-wound movement constructed specifically for this watch. It’s a small movement, measuring 22 mm at its longest and 3.65 mm high, but still manages to accommodate a tourbillon and a 40-hour power reserve. More notably, the movement is a form movement; its shape traces the case, with the tourbillon taking centre stage at six o’clock. Unusually, the tourbillon looks like a flying tourbillon, but is a conventional tourbillon secured by a bridge. But the bridge is a piece of clear sapphire, with the pivot jewel in its centre, making it almost invisible. Another unconventional feature is the crown, which is positioned just between two and three o’clock – inclined at six degrees from the horizontal according to Bulgari – a necessity due to the compact size of the movement. Key fa...

Bulgari Introduces the Octo Finissimo Black Sandblast-Polished Ceramic

Unveiled alongside the new variants of the Octo Finissimo in gold or steel, the Octo Finissimo Automatic Black Sandblast-Polished Ceramic is another take on the all-ceramic model launched last year. While last year’s watch had a uniformly matte finish on the case and bracelet, the new ceramic Octo Finissimo has alternating sandblasted and polished surfaces, giving it a little bit more life, with the polished bits catching the light just right. The all-black look is made a little bit more interesting with the varied surface finish, but retains the extreme sleekness of the original ceramic Octo. Like the case, the dial is monochromatic, but made legible, to a degree, with different surface finishes. The dial itself has a matte, frosted surface, while the markings and hands have a glossy finish. The dimensions of the new ceramic Octo remain unchanged from the earlier model, at 40 mm wide and 5.5 mm high. Inside is the BVL138 movement found across the Octo Finissimo Automatic model range. Key facts and price Octo Finissimo Automatic Black Sandblast-Polished Ceramic Ref. 103368 Case diameter: 40 mm Height: 5.5 mm Material: Black ceramic Water resistance: 30 m Movement: BVL138 Functions: Hours, minutes, and seconds Frequency: 21,600 beats per hour (3 Hz) Winding: Automatic Power reserve: 60 hours Strap: Black ceramic bracelet Availability: At both retailers and boutiques Price: US$15,600, or 22,000 Singapore dollars For more, visit Bulgari.com.  

Bulgari Introduces the Octo Finissimo Automatic Satin-Polished

Continuing with the sleek and successful Octo Finissimo, Bulgari has just unveiled two new variants of the extra-flat wristwatch at LVMH Watch Week, a pre-Baselworld launch event for the luxury group’s three watch brands, which include Hublot and Zenith. The new Octo Finissimo Automatic Satin-Polished – in either steel or rose gold – is an iteration of earlier models, and is distinguished by its case finish, which is mostly brushed, but highlighted with mirror polished edges and flanks. With alternating brushed and polished surfaces, the new case finish catches the light nicely. In contrast, current versions of the Octo Finissimo Automatic have a uniformly matte, sandblasted finish that is more muted. While the finishing is new, the case is exactly the same size – 40mm by 5.25mm, giving it an incredibly slim profile on the wrist. The new case finishing is paired with a glossy, black-lacquered dial that has markings and hands to match the case material – either 18k rose gold with a leather strap, or in stainless steel with a matching bracelet. The bracelet is an integral part of the Octo Finissimo, so price and material aside, the steel model is more compelling from a design perspective. Both are powered by the BVL138, the ultra-thin automatic movement that’s standard for the Octo Finissimo. The movement is just 2.23mm high, and relies on a platinum micro rotor for winding. Key facts and price Octo Finissimo Automatic Satin-Polished Steel Ref. 103297 Octo Finiss...