Talking Watches 2: With John Mayer

The watch world is a funny place. I can’t tell you how many times well-to-do friends and readers have approached me in simple disbelief that they, successful, intelligent, and most importantly, willing members of the watch community will NOT be sold a watch at retail. You know the story – a Nautilus, a GMT, whatever, you don’t just get, you kinda have to earn them by generating a long term relationship with an authorized dealer. Or you just buy them grey market above list price. At the extreme end of the “must have relationship” game are the custom order watches from Patek Philippe. John is a die, die-hard believer in Lemania-based Pateks, and in particular the 5004. He has them in all metals (including steel) and a few special dial configurations, but his prized 5004 is this example in white gold with a salmon colored dial that dates back to 2013. What’s more, the hands are luminous – so he can read them on stage – and both the caseback and clasp are engraved with his name. Badass.

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Some Of The Best Speedmaster Ambassadors

The Speedmaster has the best ambassador in the world – The Moon. Since 1962 the Speedmaster has played a role in space exploration and in 1965 it became the official watch to wear during EVA. But the Speedmaster can also be seen on the wrists of many other ambassadors.

Brands using ambassadors isn’t exactly something from the last few years, although it sometimes does appear that way. The use of ambassadors to promote a watch or watch brand often results in very strong reactions from the crowd. Those who are not so deeply interested in watches don’t care much and often gives them a way to make an association with a brand. In case of Omega, think of Cindy Crawford and the Constellation or perhaps more recently, George Clooney and the Speedmaster. For us watch enthusiasts, those ambassadors barely make sense. George Clooney often tells about his interest in the Moon program and that he watched the Moon landing in 1969. But so did my dad. For us watch enthusiasts, we rather are inspired by those who actually used the watch in space or those with fame who bought it on their own.

In this article, we take a look at some of the best Speedmaster ambassadors, both endorsed by Omega and those who are not.

Buzz Aldrin

Apollo XI Astronaut Buzz Aldrin with the new gold Speedmaster.

Although Buzz Aldrin is linked to Omega being an ambassador, for a long time he wasn’t officially. The 89-year old Aldrin landed on the Moon 50 years ago and was the first to wear a Speedmaster while walking on the Moon. It is the best story a watch can have, but of course, it wasn’t coincidental. The Speedmaster was chosen to be the official chronograph for Apollo astronauts a few years earlier, after a tender and severe testing procedures. We wrote about it here, and if you haven’t done so, we suggest you do as it is the full story on how the Speedmaster became the Moonwatch, verified by Omega. This year he is fully in the spotlights (again), for the 50th anniversary of the Moonlanding. And what better way to do that with the 50th anniversary Speedmaster in gold, that we covered extensively here, with a 4000-word article and comparison to the original 1969 gold Speedmaster Apollo XI edition.

Rory McIlroy

(Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images)

Last week, golfer Rory McIlroy won the Players Championship 2019. Although he has his ‘own’ Omega watch, the Aqua Terra golf edition, he showed up at the press conference wearing a Speedmaster. Not just any, but one from his year of birth (1989). When I was in Shanghai last year for the introduction of the new Constellation, I have met Rory McIlroy and briefly spoke to him. He showed me his Speedmaster Professional from 1989 on this reference 1171/1 bracelet. His Speedmaster has a display back and is powered by the caliber 863 movement which is filed, angled and polished by hand. I am not sure whether McIlroy was a fan of watches before he got his ambassadorship, but I am pretty sure he is one now and even contributed to #SpeedyTuesday on his Instagram feed a while ago.

Above, an official Omega image of McIlroy wearing a modern Speedmaster.

Non Official Speedmaster Ambassadors

Rory McIlroy, just like Buzz Aldrin, is an official Omega ambassador. Though his love for the Speedmaster is sincere and I bet that Omega might rather saw him wearing his Seamaster Aqua Terra, the watch his name is officially linked with. Let’s have a look at some of the non-official Speedmaster ambassadors, those who are famous and wear the watch just because they like it.

Mark Knopfler

We reported about Mark Knopfler (Dire Straits) a couple of times here on Fratello. He is a watch enthusiast in general but seems to have a weak spot for the Omega Speedmaster. He is, unlike McIlroy, not an official ambassador, but just likes the watch. We’ve seen him with a regular Speedmaster Professional on a black leather strap as well as on a NATO strap. However, we also have an image of him where he wears the 1997 gold Speedmaster’57 “Replica” (not the smartest name that was chosen for a genuine watch) that was just limited to 150 pieces at the time. It was the first to have the new caliber 1861 movement.

HRH Willem-Alexander

The King of The Netherlands (since April 30th 2013) has been featured on Fratello before as well, when we found out he was wearing (and actually using) an Omega Speedmaster Professional. There’s little known about his taste in watches, but we’ve been told that this is not the only Omega in his collection. Whether he inspires others to wear a Speedmaster I don’t know, but it is interesting to see that someone who can buy any watch out there, still wears his Speedmaster. The picture below isn’t very clear, but it is the one that triggered me to do some research and eventually found a better image of HRH Willem-Alexander and his Speedmaster (here).

Richard Hammond

Famous and not endorsed is car journalist Richard Hammond. Famous for presenting Top Gear (2002 – 2015), The Grand Tour and one of the initiators of online car community platform DriveTribe. Hammond, just like his car friends Clarkson and May, often sport interesting watches (vintage and modern ones) during their appearances. Those include an Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean, 300M and even a Seamaster Albatross. But Hammond can also be spotted sometimes wearing an Omega Speedmaster.

Ed O’Neill

Ed O’Neill is famous for his role as Al Bundy in Married with Children and since a few years as Jay Pritchett in Modern Family. In Modern Family, he can be often spotted with nice watches from different makes, but in the 6th season, he also rocked a Speedmaster on a leather strap. We wrote about it here. O’Neill isn’t endorsed by Omega and has a wide selection of watches, the Omega Speedmaster is just one of them.

While it is nice to see our beloved Speedmaster on the wrists of celebrities like Mark Knopfler, Ed O’Neill, Tom Hanks, Richard Hammond and lots of others, they don’t like to endorse these watches officially or speak about it in public. It probably makes them uncomfortable, and they often have a management that might see a buck or two in this. Official ambassadors like Aldrin, Clooney and McIlroy can (or have to) say a few words about their watches of course, but the fact whether it is sincere or just business to them is not always entirely clear.

Real fans therefor like real ambassadors, and perhaps those are the best ambassadors.

The Best Speedmaster Ambassador Is You!

Yes, I am talking about you. A Speedmaster enthusiast, a follower of Speedy Tuesday, or just someone who uses his own Instagram account to show a picture of his (or her) Speedmaster and use the Speedy Tuesday hashtag for example. I think this is the best ambassadorship a watch brand can hope for. Someone who bought a Speedmaster and is willing to share his or her experience on social media, or on this or other websites to be featured with a story or interview. For me personally, it is also the only type of Speedmaster ambassador I find truly inspiring. It is also what makes the Speedmaster community so interesting and our Speedy Tuesday GTGs so much fun, talk with other collectors and enthusiasts and find out what drives them. Although I think that official ambassadors have a legit role in creating awareness and exposure for the Speedmaster initially,  if your first encounter with that watch was on the wrist of your father, for example, that image will be everlasting and has a higher impact than anything else.

What I always find interesting is that whenever I run into someone (that I don’t know) with a Speedmaster on his or her wrist, most of the time there’s an interesting story to it. Nobody just bought it because it was only a nice watch. There is always another reason behind the purchase. So if you run into someone who is wearing a Speedmaster, simply ask about it.

If you want to share your Speedmaster story with us, simply fill out the contact form here and we get back to you.

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First Photos: The Greubel Forsey Quadruple Tourbillon GMT

And yet of its kind, it’s also an odd sort of value proposition – like the Credor Eichi and Eichi II, it exists in a class which is both defined by, and consists of, only Greubel Forsey. If you’re fascinated by watchmaking as an art form, as well as by watchmaking as an obsessive investigation into fundamental problems in chronometry, there really isn’t anything like the watchmaking at Greubel Forsey. I can’t even remotely afford watchmaking at this level but I can’t afford one of Monet’s Water Lilies either, and I’m glad both exist and that I can see them. The only problem with considering watches like this as a form of art (for which I think an argument can be made) is that you can’t see them in a museum and I think it’d be a wonderful thing if there were a museum of watchmaking that included both vintage and modern pieces like this – seeing a Greubel Forsey Quadruple Tourbillon GMT in the metal, on extended loan from a patron of the horological arts, would be mighty fine.

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Outsiders Revolution | Hands-On Watch Review

Outsiders Revolution

Today, we are going to veer off the normal review path a little. I am sure many know that Baselworld is almost over at the time of publication and Outsiders Watches apparently made a spectacle at the watch fair, or so they have said. Their first watch, the Outsiders Revolution diver is a $500 Swiss Made Submariner style homage and there is a lot to delve into when it comes to this brand and their marketing tactics. Now, let me get this out of the way. Business, in general, is hard and at this price in the watch world is a very competitive game and you need all the edge you can get. There is nothing wrong with that, but the issue usually is the product does not live up to to the hype. I will comment at the end of this review if I think it does, in fact, live up to the hype or not, but l am going to lay out some of their most recent events and they happened to coincide when I am writing this review.

Outsiders Revolution Specifications:

• 43mm Case Width
• 22mm Bracelet
• 13.5mm thick
• 51mm Lug to Lug
• Stainless Steel Case
• Blue or Black Dial
• Ceramic Bezel Insert
• Screw Down Crown
• Sapphire Crystal
• ETA 2824-2 Automatic Movement
• 300 Meters Water Resistant
• BGW9 Superluminova

Price $499 USD 

https://outsiderswatches.com/#

If you have been buying and collecting microbrand watches for a good few years, have bought off Kickstarter or even just watched a good old fashion infomercial, you have seen the style of marketing that Outsiders Watches employs. It’s over the top, it is usually too good to be true and it is what it is-audacious marketing. That is what I am witnessing with Outsiders. When I first came across the brand on Instagram, I somewhat overlooked the marketing tag lines because I have seen it before, so I decided to hold judgment on the watch until I got it in hand. I always try and stay as objective as possible. The watch itself, nothing really wrong with it and I would not put it in the category of cheap trash either, far from it. Doing research through while getting ready to do the review, it was hard to overlook just how over the top they are going being though. I mean, let’s be perfectly clear here, this is not the first watch to be marked Swiss Made and sold for $500. Hell, Invicta used to do it all the time, and they had very similar marketing lingo to go along with it.

If you read and watch our reviews here at Watchreport frequently (and hopefully are subscribed to our Youtube channel), you know that most of the time the video is recorded before the written article is done. This is done for many reasons, but mostly just how it is organized with the volume of watches that come in for review and how we have set it up. Normally, that really does not matter, but in this case, in the time between the video was done and today, the brand appeared at Baselworld. Posts on their Instagram feed were showing that they were giving out free watches to Baselworld attendees and I even saw a member of one of the Facebook watch groups I frequent post that he was one of the recipients. They legit were giving away their watches. I do not how many they allotted o give way, but I imagine a decent amount of people were game for it if nothing else than just sheer curiosity. I imagine it put some eyes on the Outsider Revolution.

Well, apparently, someone at Baselworld did not like this and called the police to escort the team out of the building and out of Baselworld. Now, I was not at Basel, so I am not sure how much of this is true and how much of this is more over the top marketing. I have not reached out to the brand for clarification and have not really seen anyone else posting about it online, save for the one individual who said he got a free watch. Giving out free watches at a massive fair such as Baselworld when you are a new brand is not such a bad idea at all. You have press there, watch journalists, watch enthusiasts etc. That is not bad marketing at all. How true it is that they were thrown out of the building? I am not sure. Maybe more will come out about this in the following days.

If you haven’t head over to their website yet, let me copy and paste some of what is posted on the Outsiders website about their company and the Outsiders Revolution diver:

” THE TRUTH.

Did you know that the $2,500 “Brand Name” watch you’ve seen in that fancy magazine ad didn’t cost more than $250 to make?

THE TEAM.

We’re a group of Swiss watchmakers and entrepreneurs who are fed up with the way things are.

We’re not paying a cent to all of the greedy middlemen who take their cut before you can get your hands on a Swiss made watch.

We are selling directly to you, and we’re taking all of those savings and passing them right on back to the person that deserves it the most.  “

That was just a snippet of what the Outsiders Website is filled with. Here’s the thing, the majority of us watch enthusiasts will laugh at most of that copy and I believe it is geared to the uninformed. Now again, from a business standpoint, it is a good strategy. Some folks may just find it insulting though. Hows the watch you ask? Well, if you have not watched the video yet, it is a nice watch. It is attractive, has some heft to it, a good movement, decent lume, and functions as it should. I do not like the proprietary bracelet and feel they are shooting themselves in the foot with that as I know many who love to wear and change out watch straps and that, of course, is a no go with the Outsiders Revolution. I imagine they wanted to do something just a little bit different, but I think that was the wrong choice.

So who are the guys behind the Outsiders brand? I am not sure, but I guess some of the attendees at Baselworld found out recently.  Are they starting a revolution? Are they upsetting the watch industry?  No. No, they are not. Are they making a nice watch at an affordable price? Yes. I know that might not be the catchiest slogan, but it is grounded in truth. Checking their website currently, it seems that you can get the Revolution for even cheaper, 20% off, in fact, using the code BaselPolice at checkout. Looks like they will ride that one as long as they can. That would bring the price down much closer to the $400 mark, making it a nice option for someone wanting a solid ETA based dive watch.

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Watches & Pencils #47 – Dial Color Confusion: Salmon Dials And More

Recently, multiple brands released their ‘salmon’. I mean a dial with the colour which is described as salmon. Or named ‘salmon’ by the watch crowd. To commit to this I thought it was time to create my own ‘true’ salmon dial:

Why do I say ‘true’? Well, there has been some discussion going on this new Audemars Piguet (reference 15202BC). Is it a salmon dial or not? Audemars Piguet describes it as pink-gold. Some watch collectors say it’s salmon. Confusion everywhere. How can you verify this?

Salmon dial or not?

See It Yourself!

Although most professional photographers can get the colours right, it’s often the device of the viewer (and the settings) which makes it look less correct. Plus, there is one evil disturbance which will always be difficult to tackle: environmental light. On the spot when taking the picture, but also when viewing the picture. Although most recent high-end mobile devices are decent at correctly displaying colours, the best option is to see it in real life. Outside and with daylight (preferably, cloudy).

Discussions About Dials

Dials and their colors seem to be one of the most difficult things to get right. Last years I’ve been following several discussions about this topic. One of the most recent ones is the discussion about the Seiko Alpinist Hodinkee limited edition. In short: some people interpreted the published pictures as a watch with a matte blue dial. When they received the watch they were disappointed, because it turned out that it was a sunburst dial. Some tips to prevent this scenario:

• Always verify your assumptions with the seller if you’re suspicious about something.
• Do a quick Google search for more pictures, from different angles.
• Do more research about the watch series. In the case of the Seiko Alpinist, the green ‘regular’ model also has a sunburst dial. Most of the time, special editions are mainly about changing a dials’ color, not the kind. Otherwise, it will/should be mentioned explicitly.

Of course, not only the buyer can do something about it. The seller should also be aware of this. When I put a watch online I have one simple rule: try to catch the main characteristics in the pictures. Is it a glossy dial? Is it a dark dial? Is it big? Is it brushed steel? There are multiple ways of getting the pictures right, but then again, a picture is a more risky medium in terms of color interpretation compared to real life looks. Team member Bert created a nice watch photography guide a while back, which I highly recommend.

Black is always the safest choice.

Descriptive Terms

So why does this confusion happened around the term ‘salmon dial’. I do not have a clear answer to that, but I do have a theory. Terms like ‘salmon’ do not have a hard color code or something like that. It’s a soft term and it describes more of a color area. Plus, everyone has a different thought when he or she thinks about a salmon. There are so many kinds of salmon with each there own ‘salmon pink’. In my opinion, it’s ok to link colors to animals, materials, etc. But, do not put too much weight to it, unless it’s a widely accepted and documented color. Both from a sellers and a buyers perspective.

Spot The Differences

To show you the ‘colour area’ where I was talking about I want to wrap up by putting several ‘salmons’ below each other. All named or being described as a ‘salmon dial’. Will the real ‘salmon dial’ please stand up:

Patek Philippe (reference 5270P)

Montblanc Heritage Manufacture Pulsograph (reference 119914)

Citizen Jet Auto Dater 9

Grönefeld Parallax Tourbillon

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Happenings: The Horological Society Of New York To Hold Weekend Classes In Silicon Valley And Houston

At HSNY’s Horological Education classes, students discover what actually makes a watch tick. The hands-on classes are taught by HSNY’s staff of professional watchmakers. Students work on a mechanical watch movement, studying the gear train, winding and setting mechanisms, and escapement. The weekend half-day classes cover everything taught during the individual evening classes held in New York.

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Because You Asked: New Seiko SLA033 vs 6105-8110 “Captain Willard”

We’ve received a flurry of requests to see the new Seiko SLA033 vs 6105-8110, the latter being the 1970’s inspiration.

We reviewed the new-for-Baselworld 2019 Seiko SLA033 1970 Diver yesterday.  Unfortunately, I had the original on my hand when I was detained by Swiss Customs and missed taking it into the show to compare with the new piece.  But, in an act of sincere kindness, Joe Kirk and the Seiko USA team met with us to give me (and some more of our team members who were happy to see the new watches again) a look.  Bert had the opportunity to shoot several pics of both old and new side by side.  We’ve got a handful of great images, so let’s take at the Seiko SLA033 vs 6105-8110.

When looking at the dial side in our Seiko SLA033 vs 6105-8110 comparo, the similarities are obvious, but so are the differences.  The dial on the newer piece along with the bezel insert are glossier on the new piece and the letter seems a tad wider.  Also, as mentioned in our review article, there’s less font above 6:00 on the new edition and there’s no apparent dial code to the right and left of the lowest index.  Also, the lume is whiter on the old model, which is perhaps a the opposite of what you might think.  Finally, the new SLA033 lacks an applied logo.  Seiko mentioned that the bulk of its divers are like this for durability reasons  and that the indices are actually punched into the dial instead of applied.

Our Seiko SLA033 vs 6105-8110 look from the side shows the new piece’s drilled lug holes along with a flatter, shallower set of bezel teeth.  And while it’s not super easy to see here, the crown guard above the crown and main case below it along the side have different cutouts on their undersides on the new piece.  The new piece also has a stubbier top crown guard.  Geeky stuff for sure, but it’s Seiko!  Positively, both contain similar surface finishing on the sides and tops – the old one still looks good!

Aside from the drilled lug holes, the differences aren’t so obvious from the non-crown side when comparing the Seiko SLA033 vs 6105-8110.

From the reverse side, there are some differences on the Seiko SLA033 vs 6105-8110.  Down by either end of the 19mm lugs, the case back on the new SLA033 have flat spots whereas the old 6105 is one continuous surface from top to bottom.  Both watches have 6 notches to fit a case back tool.  You’ll note that my 6105 lacks the horseshoe design of the SLA033 and that’s because mine is a later model from 1976 – towards the end of the run.  The new one’s case back markings are laser engraved compared to the old model’s stamped surface.  It’s also here that you get to see the difference in the cutout geometry around the crowns and that the SLA033’s crown appears as a touch shallower.

The reality is that when comparing the Seiko SLA033 vs 6105-8110, it becomes apparent that Seiko did a great job here.  Yes, at 4,350 Euros, the SLA033 isn’t inexpensive, but it’s paired with modern build quality – making it a dependable diver – and a fantastic movement.  To me, the changes – including the 1mm increase in case size to 45mm on the new one – are truly subtle and the more I look at the SLA033, the more I like it.

For more information on the Seiko SLA033, head to the official Seiko site.

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Hands-On: The Zodiac Aerospace GMT Limited Edition

There are a number of ways to revive a forgotten brand and re-start production for today’s market. One is to buy the rights to a defunct watch company, perhaps an obscure watch brand that died during the quartz crisis, then hire a skilled copywriter to spruce up its history. Meanwhile, all that’s needed is a plane ticket to Asia, a few contacts with suppliers, and a Squarespace e-commerce shop. Voilà! Another vintage-inspired, value-oriented watch enters the market.

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Hot Take: The New Rolex Day-Date 36 Variations

The Rolex Day-Date is the watch that speaks to the imagination more than any other model from their collection. It is the watch worn by Presidents, CEOs, actors, sports people and so on.

By owning a Rolex Day-Date yourself (if you don’t fall into one of the categories above), you might be able to think (or fantasize) that you are in a great company. Besides everything that relates to the image of the Rolex Day-Date, it is just one heck of a watch. Wonderful design, only available in precious metals (yeah yeah, they did a few protos in steel) and with a wide variation of dial configurations. Although Rolex also introduced it in 41mm – discontinued in the meantime – and in 40mm, the Day-Date was and still is always available in 36mm as well. This year, Rolex introduces a number new Day-Date 36 variations. Perhaps for me, besides the new Datejust 36 (covered here), the best from Rolex in Baselworld.

Rolex Day-Date 36

In this ‘Hot Take’ we take a quick look at some of the new Rolex Day-Date 36 models and show you what has changed with this new version. Besides the new dial variations, the biggest news is perhaps the little change of design in the case and the new movement (caliber 3255).

Compared to the previous Day-Date watches in 36mm, the new reference(s) have a case profile that’s more subtle and elegant. We were unable to compare it live to a previous Day-Date reference ourselves but we will definitely do so when we get the opportunity. The new caliber 3255 is just like the new caliber for the Datejust (3235) and GMT-Master II (3285) a movement that has a more strict regulation (-2/+2 seconds per day on average). It seems Rolex is upgrading all of their caliber 31xx movements now. It has the Chronergy escapement, Parachrom hairspring and Paraflex shock absorbers to ensure more precise timekeeping, and being less vulnerable for magnetism and shocks. Furthermore, Rolex increases the power reserve to 70 hours for these caliber 32xx movements.

Although I wonder whether most of the Rolex Day-Date 36 clients really care about the movement that is inside, it is one of the most important changes to me. Rolex movements are very reliable and I like the fact that they (still) put so much energy into continuous development of them. For many clients though, the novelty is the new case design and the new dial combinations.

I selected a few Rolex Day-Date 36 models in white gold, yellow gold and pink (Everose) gold to show to you. All models have the famous ‘President’ bracelet.

Yellow Gold Reference 128238

The first new Rolex Day-Date 36 in my small overview is reference 128238 and also my favourite of the bunch. A yellow gold Rolex Day-Date 36 with a super nice green dial which is referred to by Rolex as their Green ombré dial. Ombré is French for ‘shaded’ and by looking at the dial you will immediately see what they mean. The dial of the green Day-Date 36 is set with 10 diamonds.

The retail price of this Rolex Day-Date 36 ref.128238 is CHF33,000.- Swiss Francs.

Everose Gold 128235

Close to my prefered reference above in yellow gold is this Day-Date 36 with reference 128235 in Everose gold. Rolex’s own alloy for pink gold that ensures a longer lasting pink colour. It was introduced to the market in 2005 and have been applied to many Rolex models, including sports models (one of my favourites being the GMT-Master in Everose gold). Here we find the dial to be in a brown ombré set with 10 diamonds. A stunning combination, but I happen to like the specific green colour of the reference 128238. I’ve been looking on the Rolex website to see if I could configure this Everose version with the green ombré dial, but I quickly realised that it doesn’t work out (or is being offered), as the diamond settings are in matching colour of the gold case.

The retail price of this Rolex Day-Date 36 ref.128235 is CHF35,600.- Swiss Francs.

White Gold 128349RBR & 128349RBR

Two versions of the Rolex Day-Date 36 in white gold are the references 128349RBR and 128349RBR. The first one has a pink opal dial and has been set with diamond hour markers. Hour markers in 18 carat gold set with 32 diamonds, Roman VI and IX in 18 carat gold set with 24 diamonds. The Opal dial is unique to each watch, as every cut from opal will look different. The second one, with reference 128349RBR, is completely paved with diamonds. Besides the diamond-paved dial, the hour markers are set with rainbow coloured sapphires. This ‘Rainbow’ version also comes with a diamond set President bracelet.

The prices of both these references are on request, meaning ‘if you have to ask…’.

More information on these new Rolex Day-Date 36 models can be found on the official Rolex website.

Watch specifications

Reference(s)

128238 (Yellow Gold), 128235 (Everose Gold), 128349 (White Gold)

Case Dimensions

Diameter: 36mm

Bracelet

‘President’ in matching (gold) colour

Dial(s)

128238 (Ombré green with diamonds), 128235 (Ombré brown with diamonds), 128349 (Opal Pink / Diamond-paved)

Water Resistance

100 Meters

Movement

Caliber 3255, power-reserve: 70 hours, ticking speed: 28,800vph, COSC certified (-2/+2 seconds a day deviation on average)

Functions

Time, Day (Quickset), Date (Quickset)

Pricing

128238 (Yellow Gold) CHF33,500 Swiss Francs, 128235 (Everose Gold) CHF35,600 Swiss Francs, 128349 (White Gold with diamonds) Price on request

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Watch Spotting: Philippe Dufour Wearing A Rolex ‘Pepsi’ GMT-Master II Ref. 126710 BLRO At Baselworld 2019

I said it in our Baselworld 2019 preview episode of HODINKEE Radio, but I want to reiterate that one of the best parts of the watch industry’s largest annual gathering is getting to see watchmaker Philippe Dufour out in the wild. The guy is a living legend – and he knows it. Every year he tells me or one of my colleagues about some yet-unkown watchmaker that we should be paying attention to (past endorsements have included Romain Gauthier and Rexhep Rexhepi) and he’s not afraid to lob criticism at what he perceives as sub-par watches that besmirch the good name of haute hologerie. In a word, he’s the man.

So, when our intrepid producer Greyson Korhonen spotted him enjoying his signature pipe outside of Hall 1, we knew he had to see what was on the man’s wrist. Would it be the Datograph that he’s long talked up as one of the best watches of all time? Would it be something rare and of his own making like a Simplicity or a Duality? Nope. Philippe Dufour, dear readers, was rocking a Rolex.

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Hands-On: Seiko SLA033 1970 Diver

At Baselworld 2019, the new Seiko SLA033 1970 Diver debuted: a modern, yet faithful reinterpretation of the collectible 6105-8110/9.

We live in decent times where Seiko brings us a wide range of new models each and every year at Baselworld.  They’ve also now set a trend of reissuing modernized, but true re-editions of divers from their back catalog.  Two years ago, it was the SLA017 in celebration of the legendary “62MAS” and last year we saw the SLA025 in the form of the hi-beat 6159-7000.  This year, we’re fortunate to see a watch in the mold of the 6105-8110/9 (otherwise known as the “Captain Willard” from its place on the arm of actor Martin Sheen in Apocalypse Now) called the Seiko SLA033 1970 Diver.

Inspired by the 1970 6105-8110 Diver

Now, the 6105-8110 (a “9” at the end simply designates that the watch was sold in other regions of the world) was my entry into vintage Seiko (seen above) and it will always hold a special place in my heart.  Mine came from the Philippines and I still recall the nearly two month wait until German customs informed me that it had arrived.  I was antsy, but the watch was the worth the wait with its uniquely shaped bulge at 4:00 that paved the way for later divers such 6306/9 “Turtle” divers and their current reincarnations.  The 6105-8110 was introduced in 1970 and was made until roughly 1977.  At 44mm, it’s not a small watch, but with a lug to lug of 47mm, it’s a surprisingly easy watch to wear.  Combined with a straightforward dial and bezel design and just a touch of pop with its “traffic light” sweep seconds hand, it’s a lovely diver that truly differed from the plethora of watches that looked like Subs or skin divers at the time.  Adding a vintage 19mm black no-nonsense “waffle strap” to the watch completes the look.  And so, yes, I was excited to hear about the new Seiko SLA033 1970 Diver.

Upgraded Features on the Seiko SLA033 1970 Diver

With the Seiko SLA033 1970 Diver, the brand provides a modern, and more upscale reinterpretation of the 6105.  The brand has done its best to keep things dimensionally consistent with only a small diametric upsizing of 1mm to 45mm.  I’d assume that the length also grows to 48mm, so it’s still quite reasonable.  What I really like is that the thickness remains highly sane at 13mm.  As the watch is built in the same workshops of Grand Seiko’s (the Shizukuishi Watch Studio) added its lauded Zaratsu polishing to the top side of the case.  Curiously, the brand has added drilled through lug holes – the 6105 didn’t have them – to facilitate changes in lieu of using the supplied waffle silicone strap (that enjoys collecting dust unfortunately).  Then again, the newest Turtles also contain this helpful feature.

Bezel-wise, the Seiko SLA033 1970 Diver upgrades to uni-directional and adds a hard-wearing painted glossy bezel insert (Seiko never truly tells us what this is, but I’ve asked at the boutiques).  Of real note, and thankfully, the screw-down crown shows us that it must be turned clockwise for locking.  It’s the same inscription as on the original 6105, but that model featured a troublesome push-in and twist crown that wasn’t exactly known for its long-term water resistance.

With the traditional screw-down crown, a sapphire crystal, and screw-down case back (with “horseshoe” engraving correct for the earlier models), water resistance is 200M compared to the original’s 150M.  Inside the watch, we have the 8L35 that also found its way into the SLA017 “62MAS” re-edition.  It’s essentially a less decorated Grand Seiko movement that hacks, beats at 28,800 bph, and can be hand wound (unlike the original 6105 caliber).  The date, of course, is quickset, and the movement hacks.

Pricing and Thoughts

The Seiko SLA033 1970 Diver will be made in a limited edition of 2,500 pieces.  Figure on a July arrival date in boutiques.  Pricing, in Europe, will be 4,350 Euros.

Seeing the Seiko SLA033 1970 Diver in person, it’s hard not to like what feels like an old friend.  The whole feel is familiar, but you can also instantly tell that various characteristics have been upgraded and made more solid.  While finishing was always fantastic in my book on vintage Seiko’s, this new piece is clearly on another level.  And frankly, at 4,350 Euros, ti had better be.  I can understand that with the specifications Seiko has added (and including where it will be built), they’re marketing this as a premium watch.  On the other hand, when a gem mint – some might say the dreaded “NOS” word – 6105-8110/9 can be sourced for roughly $3,000, this presents some competition at least in my vintage mind.  And, as a nitpicker, I desperately miss the longer “Water 150M Resist” with the iconic “Suwa” symbol below it on the dial.  This new model simply states “Diver’s 200m” and I think things look a tad empty.  Honestly, I understand why Seiko may not wish to use the Suwa symbol because it signified the production location, but I think keeping the same text as the original and switching 150 to 200 would have look just a tad better.  Plus, an applied logo on the dial in keeping with the original would have been nice.  As I said, I’m picky, but if you’re going to go to all the trouble of recreating a watch, why not take that extra little step?

When Seiko its annual tradition of reissuing a vintage diver, I was hoping that the 6105-8110 would make it at some point.  With the Seiko SLA033 1970 Diver, my wishes have been answered.  Yes, it’s expensive, but at the end of the day, you’re still getting one of the most distinctive diver’s case shapes with a ridiculously high quality in-house movement along with finishing and technology that easily rivals whatever the Swiss are bringing at or perhaps double the price.  I think that some forget that despite a very retro case shape and aesthetic, this watch can easily compete with watch from Tudor, Omega, and more.   Needless to say, we’re happy that Seiko made the effort to bring back such a legendary design.

For more information on the Seiko SLA033 1970 Diver, visit Seiko’s official site.

Watch specifications

Reference

SLA033

Case Material

Stainless Steel

Case Dimensions

45mm diameter, 48mm lug to lug, 13mm thickness

Water Resistance

200M

Strap

High strength silicone “waffle pattern” with stainless steel pin buckle

Movement

Cal. 8L35, automatic winding, 28,800 bph, 26-jewels, quickset date, hacking, hand winding possible, 50 hours power reserve

Functions

Time, date (quickset)

Price

4350 Euros, Available in July 2019 at Seiko Boutiques

Special Note

Limited Edition of 2,500 Pieces

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First Photos: The TAG Heuer Autavia Isograph

The new Autavia Isograph is a considerable departure from the format established by the history of Autavia, offering a time-and-date layout with a diver-like unidirectional bezel crossed with the bold time display of a pilot’s watch. You can read more about the new line here, but feel free to scroll down for an in-the-metal look at the new models in all of their variety. Take note of the sporty 42mm steel or bronze cases, the gradient dials, the copious lume, the bevy of straps (including a bracelet with tool-less quick-release), and the strong legibility and balance which is aided by the six o’clock date. Enjoy the photos and stay tuned for a much more in-depth look at how the Autavia Isograph was designed, coming next week. 

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