Bell & Ross Bellytanker Bronze – An Unexpected Delight

After several years of not meeting with Bell & Ross, we sat down with the brand at Baselworld 2019 and we found a winner in the new Bell & Ross Bellytanker Bronze chronograph.

I could say “Bellytanker” all day long – it’s simply that fun.  That being said, the word “belly” just doesn’t come to the forefront of watch-related names, but here we are with the Bell & Ross Bellytanker Bronze chronograph and in our brief time with it, we came away impressed.

The New Bell & Ross Bellytanker Bronze

The Bellytanker name used in the Bell & Ross Bellytanker Bronze stems from emergency fuel tanks hanging from the bottoms of older fighter planes.  As B&R’s website also tells us, the name is also used synonymously for salt flat cars made out of said tanks.  Several years ago, a limited edition stainless steel chronograph and three-hand model were released with sandy colored dials.  They were good looking watches, but this new piece is truly eye-catching.

A Bronze Case that Won’t Oxidize

The new Bell & Ross Bellytanker Bronze chronograph, as the name states, has a case made of the copper and tin alloy.  Unlike the vast majority of bronze-cased watches we come across, though, this material has been passivated.  Now, what B&R means by this is that the case really won’t oxidize and turn color like most we see.  We weren’t offered much detail on how this is done, but my guess is that the case has been coated in some sort of lacquer to keep oxygen from doing its work.  So, the bottom line is that you’d better like gold – or at least its color – if you’re going to consider this watch.

A Warm Dial

With a black tachymeter bezel including gold numerals and a twin-register reverse panda look, the Bell & Ross Bellytanker Bronze pulls in just enough vintage Daytona cues to make it seem familiar, but there’s enough uniqueness due to applied stick and Arabic indices to remain fresh.  Bell & Ross also did a nice job of keeping the hands fairly slim and the result is that one’s focus truly rests on the dial.  That’s a good thing in my book because there’s a real warmth going on here that really works against a tanned skin tone.  Coming back to the dial, I would’ve chosen to eschew the circular date window that sits at 4:30, but it’s relatively unnoticeable with its gold font on black background.

41mm Case

The Bell & Ross Bellytanker Bronze contains a domed sapphire crystal, screw-down crown and pushers, and scre-down case back.  All that adds up to a vintage looking 41mm chronograph with a modern 100M of water resistance.  Inside the Bellytanker, we have the BR-CAL.301, which is essentially an ETA 2894-2.  It’s a 37-jewel modular chronograph with a 42-hour power reserve.  It’s nothing overly unique, but it’s known to be a reliable workhorse.  B&R fits its chronograph on a black calfskin strap with a bronze butterfly clasp.

..despite Tudor’s use of an in-house movement and a name associated with Rolex, I actually like the looks of the Bell & Ross more!

Our Thoughts and Pricing

It’s truly amazing how tow-tone, gold, and gold-tone watches have come back into vogue.  I sometimes wonder whether people were truly asking for them or if watch companies simply felt the need to push something new until the public finally decided to accept.  For me, it’s fine as I enjoy colors apart from basic stainless.  The Bell & Ross Bellytanker Bronze chronograph is a slightly different offering with its unique case, but I’d like it a bit to another new release we saw at Baselworld in the new Tudor Black Bay Chronograph Steel & Gold.  What’s amazing is that despite Tudor’s use of an in-house movement and a name associated with Rolex, I actually like the looks of the Bell & Ross more!  And, at least a couple of my team mates felt the same.  At 4,900 Euros and in a limited run of 999 pieces, the new Bellytanker certainly doesn’t qualify as inexpensive, but it’s a damn good looking watch.

News on the Bell & Ross Bellytanker Bronze isn’t current on the official site, but keep checking for more information.

Watch specifications

Model

Bellytanker Bronze

Reference

BR V2-94

Case Material

Bronze

Case Dimensions

41mm Diameter

Crystal

Domed Sapphire with Anti-Reflective Coating

Case Back

Steel Screw-Down with Sapphire Display

Movement

BR-CAL.301 (ETA 2894-2), automatic winding, chronograph, running seconds, 30-minute counter, quickset date, 42 hours power reserve.

Water Resistance

100M

Strap

Black calfskin with bronze butterfly clasp

Functions

Time, Date, Chronograph

Price

4,900 Euros

Special Note(s)

Limited Edition of 999 Pieces. Available in second quarter of 2019.

from Best Watches For Men https://ift.tt/2TKeKTI

Sunday Rewind: Joe Thompson Looks Back At Baselworld 1979

We are thrilled and honored to have Joe operating as an Editor-At-Large for HODINKEE, and you don’t have to look any further than this post to understand why. I myself have attended Baselworld for the last six years and have seen it change so much. Whether you’re in the industry or simply a watch enthusiast, this is a fascinating, personal, and very entertaining look at Switzerland’s longstanding watch fair. Do enjoy. 

Click here to read “Remembering My Very First Baselworld.”

from Best Watches For Men https://ift.tt/2YAjsah

This Week in Watches – March 30, 2019

A warm welcome, ladies and gents, to This Week in Watches for March 30, 2019.

Yes, we are back with the newest installment of This Week in Watches after a one weekend hiatus due to Baselworld.  Plus, I’ve even been on a diet to the tune of $4,000!  That was a lot of fun and for those of you considering a watch fast or a guru-driven cleansing, you don’t have to travel all the way to Baselworld for the same cathartic experience.  No, just go and plop down your hard-earned money for a brand new – pick a brand let’s say Tudor –  step outside the shop, and drop it into the sewer.  That’s all there is to it!  Let us know if you try it – we’ll be here for you.  Onwards and upwards as they say, though, so let’s bring some news.  As expected, it’s a fairly quiet week as the industry recovers from the craziness that was Baselworld. but there is some news…

Little Lange 1 “25th Anniversary”

Our first newsmaker in This Week in Watches is the new Little Lange 1 “25th Anniversary” and this watch follows the familiar trend of two prior pieces we’ve previewed here.  Lange quits with the suspense and finally tells us that we can look forward to 10(!) pieces this year to help celebrate the brand’s 25th birthday.  The Little Lange 1, introduced in 1998, comes to us with the expected white gold case, silver argenté dial, blue details, and blue alligator strap.  Inside is the in-house manual L121.1 movement with 72 hours of power reserve.  The watch, of course, has the brand’s signature big date, but also a power reserve indicator, and two dials showing the time and seconds.   The “kleine eins” or perhaps we could call it the “Langchen” (now I’m just freestyling) comes in at a truly attractive 36.8mm in diameter and 9.5mm in height.  If you’ve been following the released models thus far, you’d guess that Lange is only making 25 of these and you’d be right!  But, no free watch for you as these will set you back 35,500 Euros.   I’ve always appreciated Lange, but never enough to consider parting with my funds for one.  But, seeing these new releases every few weeks is beginning to take effect and I’m starting to get the itch.  If you’d like to risk being captivated, head here for more information.

Raketa “Russian Code”

Did I say we offer variety on This Week in Watches?  If not, here’s your proof as we segue directly from Lange to Raketa.  About the only things in common here are in-house movements and previously being under the watch of the hammer and sickle.  But I digress…  We had a quick visit with Raketa at Baselworld and came away as impressed with their watches.  Priced in the $800 – 1,200 range, we also found them a touch more expensive than we would have guessed, but the brand spoke heavily about the modernization efforts that have taken place at its Saint Petersburg factory and how everything is made right there in Russia.  Translation: they shouldn’t be considered in the same breath as, say, Vostok.  And so, we saw today’s model briefly at Baselworld but thought you might like to see it here. It’s the new Raketa Russian Code.  This is a distinctive watch because all of the hands move counter-clockwise.  That’s right, the Russian Code seeks to emulate the moon’s orbit around the earth and in doing so, everything is engineered to run in the opposite direction.  You tell time in the normal way, but you’ll need to reconfigure your brain to read this watch because 1:00 is where 11:00 would normally sit.  We like weird and different and this definitely qualifies.  The 40.5mm Russian Code comes in either PVD black or PVD rose gold and is priced at 1,280 Euros.  That’s not inexpensive, but this is one quirky watch.  Plus, the watch features an in-house 2615R automatic, a wildly domed sapphire crystal, and an oculus-like display back.  Ah, and lest we forget, the watches ship from Paris, so there are no concerns for you EU dwellers.  More information can be found on Raketa’s official site.  We’ll go hands-on with some Raketa watches soon, so stay-tuned!

Baselworld – A Word

Finally, as we really don’t have much news for This Week in Watches, I’ll take a moment to discuss Baselworld 2019 (our pic above was a pre-opening shot, so don’t mistake it for a cranky “no one attended” shot).  A take away that was hard to ignore was the absence of the Swatch Group.  Roughly 18-19 brands were missing and the void was ever present.  For a lot of publications, this was akin to cutting the show in more than half.  You could see it in the newly expanded press center because a lot of people just wouldn’t leave presumably because they had no other appointments (you know who you are – playing on Facebook all day when some of us were trying to find a seat and get some work done).  On the other hand, the staff at Baselworld was a bit friendlier than in the past – even if they had no idea where some things were within the new layout.  But a huge underlying issue that many of us began uncovering after the glow of newness faded on day three was that the watches released this year weren’t all that special.  Yes, there were some bright spots such as the continued resurgence at Breitling, but even they seem all but set to exit the show next year.  Otherwise, the releases were either mainly underwhelming or non-existent.  To me, this highlights either a “battening down the hatches” approach in expectation of a global slowdown, or perhaps more likely, a new philosophy of releasing new pieces throughout the year.  The latter theory makes sense because – and we’ve seen it in this article alone – brands are releasing new things each and every week.  I even spoke with one large brand that said this is the new reality and watches that were released only in November are now almost “old”.  It’s a sign of the times and how we seem to like our news today – fast and frequent.   Regardless, if a continuous flow of releases becomes the new norm, Baselworld is truly in a bind and no matter what they do to attract brands, nothing will change the fact that they’re a fixed point on the calendar.  I, for one, hope that there’s room for both an ongoing flow of releases and the show.   If nothing else, this is the place where we get to sit down with so many smaller brands that otherwise might not attract such a captive audience.  The next 8-10 months will prove interesting indeed.

That’s all for This Week in Watches – we’ll return next weekend!

from Best Watches For Men https://ift.tt/2VdKvFW

Weekend Round-Up: Mobile Masterpieces, Ultimate Pitching, And a Fireball In The Bering Sea

How to Move a Masterpiece – The Guardian

While admiring artwork at a museum, we often ponder its style, technique, significance, and value. But how often do we think about how that artwork was shipped? It turns out that the logistics of shipping artwork is extremely complicated and astronomically expensive. There are different schools of thought when it comes to shipping priceless masterpieces. Sometimes they are joined by a full motorcade and armed guards, even shutting down roads as they pass through. Other times, the shipment is purposefully made as low key as possible, as to not attract any attention at all. A common practice is to have a courier accompany the shipment “nail to nail”, that is from the moment an artwork is removed from the wall in museum A, until the moment it is hung on the wall of museum B, often halfway around the world. If you want to learn more, read Andrew Dickson’s in-depth article for The Guardian.

– Nicholas Manousos, Technical Editor

from Best Watches For Men https://ift.tt/2WApANS

Hot Take: The Oris Aquis GMT Date – One Of My Baselworld 2019 Favourites

One of my favourite places to go during Baselworld is Oris. The laid-back atmosphere – whilst being in the midst of chaos – is impressive in their booth and, just as important, they keep introducing interesting and attractively priced watches like this Oris Aquis GMT Date.

Just before I left for Baselworld, one of my friends ordered an Oris Aquis Date. Not per definition a watch guy (yet), but someone who likes to buy a good watch once in a while. I can see him slowly growing into becoming a watch collector, or at least as an enthusiast. The Oris Aquis is a great example of a watch that suits the needs of most people who are looking to buy that one good watch. An automatic movement, great water resistance, a bezel to play with and a few possibilities regarding the strap or bracelet. With a starting price of €1650,- you really can’t go wrong here. But, with 93 different references of the Oris Aquis, it might take you a while to take a decision.

This year, they presented to us their Oris Aquis GMT Date. A bit more expensive than the entry price of €1650,-, but it also comes with a few more features. Without further ado, let’s have a look into this one.

Oris Aquis GMT Date

We did some reviews of the Oris Aquis in the past, like the Aquis Date 43.5mm here or the Aquis Staghorn Restoration LE we had with us on a diving trip in Florida. This Oris Aquis GMT Date adds a complication on top of the standard Aquis model, namely that of a timezone function. You will have local time (normal hour hand), home time (the GMT hand) and a third timezone by using the GMT bezel in combination with the GMT hand.

GMT

For the sake of clarity, the GMT hand on this Oris Aquis GMT Date can be set separately/independent. Some people favour the independent (local) hour hand though, so keep this in mind when you are in the market for a GMT watch. When you are travelling a lot and through different time zones, you might want to keep your GMT pointing to home time and just change the normal (independent) hour hand. With the Oris Aquis GMT Date, you will change the GMT hand independently from the normal hour and minute hands.

The GMT hand is being set by the crown, using the same position as the date corrector. One direction is for advancing the date, the other direction for setting the GMT hand.

Dial and Bezel

The blue dial has this sunray finishing and the hands and hour markers have been applied with Super-LumiNova. As well as the marker in the bezel at ’24’. The bezel reminds me a bit of the Rolex GMT-Master II bezel, but clearly, the Oris has its own watch design. It looks neat though, although some people might have preferred one timezone less and a diving bezel on a watch with a water resistance of 300 meters. The GMT hand has a yellow triangle and the ‘GMT’ indication is also printed in yellow. The 24-hour ring on the dial gives the watch an interesting look, perhaps a bit more lively than the regular Aquis Date models. I don’t feel it is cluttered or too busy, Oris did a nice job here.

Under The Hood

Oris uses their caliber 798 movement, which is based on the Sellita SW 330-1 caliber. It is the first time that Oris uses this Sellita caliber, as we’ve been told. As written above, the movement has a GMT complication on top of the time and date indicators. The date changes exactly at midnight and the movement also has a hacking feature. The typical Oris (red) rotor winds the movement in both directions and has a power reserve of 42 hours.

The case back bezel has some information engraved about the Oris, namely that it is water resistant to 300 meters (~ 30 bar), that it is Swiss made and some numbers that refer to the caliber number and watch reference number. Also, it indicates it has a sapphire crystal but this only applies to the crystal on the front. The crystal in the case back is mineral glass.

Case And Strap

The diameter of the Oris Aquis GMT Date is 43.5mm, by no means a small watch but perfectly fine on my 18cm wrist. We didn’t measure the thickness of the watch, but it is quite a solid chunk of steel. As you can see on the photo below, the finishing of the case band is all brushed, including the crown guards. It gives the watch a proper tool watch appearance, which I like. On the crown, you’ll find the embossed Oris logo.

Oris makes their Aquis GMT Date available in several versions. The one I have here is the model on a blue rubber strap, but there’s also a black rubber strap, a brown leather strap and the solid stainless steel bracelet. The versions on a rubber or leather strap are all priced the same, but when you want to have it on the stainless steel bracelet it is a bit more expensive, at €2500,-. The leather strap version of the Oris Aquis GMT Date is my least favourite to be honest, although the leather did feel comfortable. It just doesn’t appeal that much to me, on a tool watch like this.

Both the rubber and leather strap comes with a folding clasp with diver’s extension. This is an easy-to-use system to make the watch fit properly, whether you are wearing a diving suit or just when you need to have a few more mm after a long day (or dinner). When you opt for the watch on a rubber strap, you will need to have it cut to the right size for you.

Price and Some Thoughts

The Oris Aquis GMT Date looks a bit similar to their Barrier Reef limited edition III, because of the inner scale. On that limited edition, it was used to indicate the date and it had a small seconds hand. Also, the bezel on that watch has the 60-minute scale for divers. If a real divers watch is what you are after, perhaps that model is more suitable for you. If you like to have the combination of a divers watch and a GMT, the Oris Aquis GMT Date should be your pick.

There’s little not to like about this watch, but as I already wrote at the beginning of this article, there are so many Aquis models to choose from that you will probably be able to track down a version that is perfect for you. If you’re into the Aquis design, that is.

With a retail price of €2300,- for the Oris Aquis GMT Date on rubber (reference 01 798 7754 4135-07 4 24 65EB) or leather (reference 01 798 7754 4135-07 5 24 10EB) and €2500,- for the all stainless steel model (reference  01 798 7754 4135-07 8 24 05PEB), you are buying a handsome watch from Oris with great functionality. Just make sure that you are after a GMT with an independent GMT hand and not one with an independent hour hand.

More information can be found on the official Oris website.

Watch specifications

Model

Aquis GMT Date

Reference

01 798 7754 4135-07 4 24 65EB

Case Material

Steel

Case Dimensions

43.50 mm

Crystal

Sapphire

Case Back

Stainless steel, screwed, see-through mineral glass

Movement

Oris 798, base SW 330-1, Power Reserve: 42 hours, Ticking Speed: 28800vph, 25 jewels

Water Resistance

300 Meters

Strap

Rubber (leather or stainless steel optional), folding clasp with diving extension

Functions

Time, Date, GMT

Price

€2300

from Best Watches For Men https://ift.tt/2UhUZa7

In The Shop – Introducing: ‘A Journey Into The Deep’ By John Goldberger

×

The HODINKEE Shop is an authorized retailer of new watches from a growing but carefully curated set of brands. By partnering directly with the brands we carry, we guarantee 100% authenticity of everything we sell. We even offer free shipping and returns, and a complimentary extended year warranty so you can be confident you’ll be happy with your purchase.

Shop Now

from Best Watches For Men https://ift.tt/2FJdFaW

Christopher Ward C65 Trident

British watch brand Christopher Ward asked us to review one of their new C65 Trident Automatic, vintage-inspired, diver’s watches. An updated model from the manual winding version which had been available for some time already, and which is one of their best selling products. Not only mechanically updated with an automatic movement and date function, but the dial of the C65 Trident Automatic also became more sophisticated with raised circular indexes.

Christopher Ward C65 Trident Automatic on a 25-day journey

While the below € 1.000,= segment of vintage-inspired diver’s watches gets pretty crowded nowadays, we see a high interest in it from our readers as well. So, of course, we were happy to accept the invitation for a C65 Trident Automatic review and would like to make it a special one. Instead of reviewing the watch from our desks and probably wearing it for only a short period of time, I took it out on a journey. In my schedule, I had a period of quite intensive travel ahead of me and used that to take the watch to the test. Below – in between of our regular quality pictures – you’ll find daily snapshots of the watch taken with my phone, spiced up with some experiences during those days.

Some background

But let’s start with some history on the Brand Christopher Ward. If you do not happen to live in Maidenhead, Berkshire (UK), chances are good that you’ve never seen a Christopher Ward watch in a watch shop’s show window. And that’s very understandable. Founded by Christopher Ward, Mike France, and Peter Ellis in 2004, Christopher Ward became the first ever watch brand to sell their watches exclusively online. Just like for instance German brand Sinn did for years before, Christopher Ward cut out the middleman by selling directly to customers.

An important role for a forum

An important part in their operation and communication is a dedicated Christopher Ward watch forum, www.christopherwardforum.com. It must have been in 2006, after TimeZone banned Christopher Ward from their forums (accusing them of paying for postings), that on an initiative of a Dutch fan this forum was launched. With agreement from Christopher Ward, on the condition that it had to be completely independent of them. This situation remained till 2015 when, after nine years and more than 10,000 members, the forum was handed over to the Christopher Ward company. The Christopher Ward Forum is one of the key sources, along with the CW Enthusiasts page on Facebook, for people interested in Christopher Ward. To do research on watches, learn about new models, and participate in often lively debates.

Christopher Ward’s in-house movement, caliber SH21 (not in this model)

From the beginning, Christopher Ward watches were build using, in watch industry well-known and reliable, Swiss components. Close cooperation with Synergies Horlogères in Biel (CH) opened the road for even further technical enhancements. This cooperation led both companies in 2014 to form Christopher Ward Holdings Limited. Together they even managed to create their own movement, caliber SH21. A hand-wound movement using two series connected barrels, providing 5 days of power reserve. The movement in its basic form can be found in various Christopher Ward models, however, it’s a base engine for future collections of watches with the possibility to integrate different complications into it. Besides Christopher Ward, we saw this movement in a slightly adapted version being used by MeisterSinger as well. Probably the Synergies Horlogères Christopher Ward consortium decided to sell the SH21 movement to third parties as well.

The basics of the watch

On first sight

So far for history, on to the watch. An electrifying blue dial, an elegant narrow rotating bezel, and the camel-colored leather strap are the first things which strike the eye. I mean, of course, the faux-patina colored raised circular indexes are nice too, but not something extremely surprising.

On second looks

One will find the Trident shaped counterweight of the second-hand appealing. Just like its fine faux-patina colored tip. And of course, the boxed crystal which even happens to be of sapphire. I love the shape and finish of the crown as well, embossed with de Christopher Ward double cross logo. And you’ll notice that this logo is debossed in the dial, at the regular position below the 12, as well; nice! I’m not sure if I find the positioning of the brand name Christopher Ward at 9 o’clock immediately adorable, it will take some time before I know.

Flipping the watch over shows a nice high definition case back, with a trident and the brand’s name. Here it’ll show as well that the strap is equipped with a quick release system. Learning that the strap measures 22 mm at the case isn’t something I was very happy with. To me, that’s not very ‘vintage inspired’.

On further inspection

Besides the Trident and name on the case back, some technical information is mentioned there as well. Swiss Made, S.Steel, and 15 ATM. And, following the model indication (C6541ADA1), a unique serial number (0061) which is always a plus. And this point, I found out that, although the watch is rated 15 ATM or 150 meters waterproof, it does not have a screw down crown. Nothing wrong with that, but normally watches with this depth rating have.

Caseback with high definition details and technical information

The next step, putting the watch on

Now we know where we’re looking at it’s time to set the watch to time and date, and put the watch on for the first time. The Christopher Ward C65 Trident Automatic uses a Sellita SW-200 movement, so no surprises here. Because the crown is not of the screwed down type, the watch can be wound with the crown in its original position. Pulling it out 1 step quick-sets the date, one step further sets the time. I do so with the aid of a radio-controlled alarm clock, which later enables me to check on the accuracy of the watch in real life. All set and done.

11 holes to size the lengthy strap

How to size the strap?

Always difficult, getting a brand new strap to fit your wrist. Like any other new strap, the Christopher Ward Italian Vintage Oak Leather strap is stiff and really has to be convinced to comfortably follow the shape of my wrist. It doesn’t help that it’s relatively wide. At least it’s long enough. For my taste even a bit too long for my 17.5 cm wrist. But fortunately there are 11 holes to choose from, one size fits all. I try the 8th hole which proves to be too loose. Probably when the outside temperatures rise it might be ok, but for now, the watch almost rotates around my wrist. So that means one hole further, the 9th – and still two left. You’ll understand that the 9th is a bit tight, certainly with a stiff new strap. But I’ll keep it there and wait until the strap breaks in. It’ll be ok.

The journey

From this point onward you’ll be able to visually follow the watch, on and off my wrist, on a 25-day journey. I’ll try to cover the change in appearance, I’ll try to explain the difference in wearing it over time, and I’ll check and mention the accuracy.

Here we go, the first leg travels from The Netherlands to Spain. I started calibrating the watch according to a radio controlled clock on February 22nd and checked accuracy after five days. That proved to be very well. During that period, traveling to and in Spain, the watch ran fast only 5,5s/day. Not even a motorbike trip could make it hesitate. The strap length settled down to the 8th hole, by the way, the 9th proved to be too short in practice.

Then on February 28th, while back in The Netherlands, I reset the watch to zero, and to a South-American time zone, -6 hours compared to GMT +1 in The Netherlands, where the watch and I would travel next. So far, concerning the Christopher Ward C65 Trident Automatic, I had nothing to complain about.

Not transpiration proof

That became somewhat different once arrived in tropical atmospheres. The yellowish-brown strap proved not to be totally transpiration proof. One of the keepers quite persistently left its color on the inside of my wrist, shortly after arriving in Colombia.

Not something unbearable, however, it would have been a reason for me to change the strap if the watch had been mine. On another note, it would be something Christopher Ward could look into as well, and see if another strap (manufacturer) would perform any better.

The watch remained on my wrist and in Colombia for the next 18 days. I must say it performed flawlessly. Although I have to admit that on a certain point I got a bit bored with the electric blue of the dial. Probably as well because of the combination with the yellowish-brown of the leather strap. The strap did age somewhat in color, however, even while used when swimming, didn’t become much darker. I have to conclude that I would have preferred the version of this watch with a black dial, and would have probably worn that on a dark brown strap.

Then, again back in The Netherlands and at my radio controlled clock, it proved that the watch only gained 55 seconds in a 19 day period. That’s not even a gain of 3,5s/day and thus extremely accurate. Way better than I expected from the Sellita SW200 automatic caliber. Be aware that this result might individually be different.

The position of the brand name

The last thing I promised to clear up is the position of the Christopher Ward brand name in the dial. As mentioned here above, I didn’t find the positioning of the brand name Christopher Ward at 9 o’clock immediately adorable. And I have to admit that, after 25 days of wearing the watch, still I didn’t quite like it. Obviously different isn’t always better in my book.

Conclusion

Technically spoken the Christopher Ward C65 Trident Automatic is a very adequate watch at an interesting price point. Except for the leather strap not being exactly color proof when it encounters transpiration, there’s nothing to complain about. The watch feels solid and all operations are on par with, or above, expectations. It’s a good looking watch which has its size and dimensions exactly right.

Then on a very personal note, would I buy this watch? No, I wouldn’t. Not the blue dialed version as reviewed here for sure. And the black dial version? Probably neither. If I couldn’t get used to the position of the brand name in the dial in 25 days, I’m afraid I would never. It’s all in the details, and this detail would turn me off. However, as said, these are very personal reasons, technically speaking there wouldn’t be any reason not to buy it at the interesting price it’s been offered.

Specifications and price

Watch specifications and price can be found at the form at the end of this article, just below the picture gallery. Additional information can be found through Christoper Ward’s website, where the watch eventually can be ordered as well by the way: christopherward.eu

11 holes to size the lengthy strap

Watch specifications

Brand

Christopher Ward

Model

C65 Trident Automatic

Reference

C65-41ADA1-S0BB0-VC

Case material

316L, stainless steel

Case diameter

41.0 mm

Case thickness

11.5 mm

Lug to lug

47.1 mm

Glass

Double domed sapphire

Case back

Solid with high definition embossing, screw down

Crown

Push in (not screwed)

Water resistance

150 meter

Movement

Sellita SW200-1, 26 jewels, 28.800/h

Power reserve

38 hours

Strap

22 mm, camel colored, vintage oak leather

Price of reviewed model

€ 870.=

from Best Watches For Men https://ift.tt/2CHVyQG

Watch Spotting: Frank Ocean Wearing The Richard Mille RM 37-01 Automatic Kiwi

Adorned with fruit slices and tiny candies, the RM 37-01 Automatic Kiwi has a carbon TPT case and a bright green rubber strap. Ocean, who has been heralded for his distinctive style and taste (alongside his generation-defining music), has an eye for bright colors and eclectic tones and, assuming the RM is his, the 37-01 Kiwi seems a bold but appropriate choice. And, if I may continue to read between lines that may or may not exist, the child-like whimsy of the Kiwi could be seen as matching well with Frank’s music, which often touches on color, youthful phases, coming of age, and childhood memories. It’s a weird flex, but it works. 

For more on the Richard Mille Bonbon collection, click here.

from Best Watches For Men https://ift.tt/2Ftn8l6

Hands-on With The White Gold Citizen Caliber 0100

Limited to 100 pieces in white gold (and another 700 in titanium), Citizen brings us their ‘Caliber 0100’ (marketed as ‘The Citizen’ in Japan) with an accuracy of just +/- 1 second per year, without relying on data from satellites or being radio controlled.

This year, Citizen took us by surprise and introduced something ‘high-end’ to us. And not even mechanical, but a quartz powered watch. Although the world of watch enthusiasts mainly revolves about mechanical watches, there’s also an audience that aims for the best accuracy possible. Even quartz watches have to deal with a deviation, which is where radio controlled and GPS connected watches come in place, to correct the time on a quartz watch accordingly. But, of course, there’s also such thing as a high-end quartz watch, that is able to provide better accuracy than the low-cost quartz movements you’ll basically find in any cheap watch.

Citizen Caliber 0100

Citizen is not the first to have a special high accuracy quartz movement. Brands like Breitling, Grand Seiko, Cartier and even FP Journe have high accuracy quartz movements in their collection(s). Citizen, however, is able to promise a max. deviation of +- 1 second per year with their new Caliber 0100 watch.

The Citizen Caliber 0100 is limited to 100 pieces and only available in white gold. You could say it is some kind of special edition or tribute, to celebrate this new movement. Besides the white gold version with reference numberAQ6010-06A, Citizen also introduces this Caliber 0100 movement in two titanium watches (AQ6021-51E / AQ6020-53X). Also limited editions, but with more pieces available and at a lower price.

Case and Dial

With a case diameter of just 37.5mm and a thickness of 9.1mm, this watch is not for everyone. That said, it suited me well on my 18cm wrist and with its round shape and croco strap I would label it as a dress watch for sure. The case is made of 18-carat white gold and so is the clasp that comes with the leather strap. On the case, we also find a white gold setting crown in the shape of a crystal. According to Citizen, it stands for precision and crystallization of their technologies. But most important, it is just a very nice looking crown.

The ivory dial ensures that the high polished markers and hands give an amazing contrast. A precise alignment can be found of the second hand with each of the 60 indexes on the dial when viewed from the front. The hand makes the perfect stop right above the marker. It always kinda annoyed me when expensive watches with quartz movements do not have this, but the Citizen Caliber 0100 demonstrates it is can be done perfectly.

As you can see, the hour markers have polished sides and satin brushed surface on top. The hands have polished facets as well and the second hand is slightly curved towards the end. The hands are filled with lume and so are the markers at 12, 3, 6 and 9 o’clock. This three-hands watch has no date, giving it a super clean look. The Citizen logo is applied and positioned at 12 o’clock. No further printing on the dial, only a small reference to Japan and the caliber number below the 6 o’clock hour marker.

Caliber 0100S Movement

To me, the design of the watch is already a highlight, with the beautiful hue of white gold and stunning ivory dial. But the real achievement is under the hood with this watch, the new quartz caliber 0100S movement. This movement has a number of interesting innovations on board, such as the continuous monitoring of the accuracy and temperature shifts of the watch and adjusting when necessary. The movement oscillates at 8.4Mhz, 250 times higher than the normal 32Khz quartz movements. The higher frequency ensures that the watch is not affected by temperature fluctuations, effects of gravity and age degradation. At least this is what Citizen claims, to me, it is not very clear how a crystal with a higher frequency is more resistant to temperature fluctuations. As this caliber 0100S is an Eco-Drive movement, and promises it can run 6 months on a full charge without the presence of a light source. 8 months even, when the watch is on power-save mode. Citizen claims the movement to be resistant to shocks and magnetism due to a clever and design of the circuit. In the end, Citizen claims that their caliber 0100S movement is accurate up to 1 second deviation per year.

Fitted in the 18-carat white gold case, the Caliber 0100S is made of black ruthenium-plated material (discolouration and corrosion resistant), with a striped finish. Citizen made sure you can enjoy the movement through the sapphire case back. On the bezel of the case back, you’ll find the unique number for your watch engraved as well.

Pricing and Some Thoughts

In all honesty, the price came a bit as a shocker to me, as Citizen retails this limited edition watch for $16.800USD (or €17.000,-). For a white gold dress watch with a high-end mechanical movement that is already considered steep, but putting a quartz movement inside – be it a high accuracy quartz movement – is daring. To say the least. That said, however, the movement is a showcase of what Citizen can do with quartz movements and the precision is phenomenal. The craftsmanship on the case, dial, hands and the movement certainly tick enough boxes to be considered a true manufacture. Admitted, the watch looks amazingly good on the wrist.

The truth is also that this price opens up a lot of possibilities for watch enthusiasts. And although I am pretty sure Citizen will sell 100 of these Caliber 0100 watches in a flash, this might be a tough bandwidth ($7400 for the all titanium models up to $16.800 for this one). The titanium versions come with two different dials, and I thought I would never say this, but I prefer the Mother-of-Pearl dial actually. Also, I found that the titanium bracelet on these models is as comfortable as they will come.

Price aside, or the willingness to spend that much on a quartz watch, I was very impressed by the looks of the Citizen Caliber 0100, especially on the wrist. The finishing of all the parts is done on an incredibly high level, including the polishing (Citizen let us know they have no special name for their polishing techniques like Grand Seiko has with their Zaratsu).

The finishing of these watches shows once more that the Japanese watch industry is able to compete with some of the most respected Swiss and German manufactures. The used technical (quartz) innovation might not be the same, but it is easier to condemn it than to dig in deeper and learn about it. Then you can always decide to keep the money in your pockets for a mechanical piece. For myself, I am very impressed by this watch, and the titanium versions, but my second hands need to sweep, especially in this price range. I can imagine though, that if the finances are not an issue, it is an interesting watch (and only 100 pieces around) to add to your collection.

More information can be found on the Citizen website here.

Watch specifications

Reference

AQ6010-06A (Caliber 0100)

Case Material

18-carat white gold

Case Dimensions

Case diameter: 37.5mm, thickness: 9.1mm

Crystal

Dual spherical sapphire glass with anti-reflective coating

Case Back

Sapphire glass with anti-reflective coating

Movement

Cal.0100, Accuracy of ±1 second per year, Eco-Drive running for about 6 months on full charge (about 8 months in Power Save mode)

Water Resistance

50 meters

Strap

Croco leather with 18-carat white gold buckle

Functions

Time

Price

€17.000 / $16.800USD

Special Note(s)

Limited to 100 pieces only, worldwide. Available from Autumn 2019. Also available in titanium (with titanium bracelet) from Autumn ($7400USD).

from Best Watches For Men https://ift.tt/2U9TXND