HANDS-ON: Way of the warrior – the Seiko Samurai returns in 2017
Seiko’s Prospex series of professional dive watches is renowned for two things: its exceptionally high quality-to-value ratio and its large number of passionate fans. And while there are a few perennial standouts in the Prospex family, some parts of the collection ebb and flow based on style and popularity. One such model is the so-called ‘Samurai’, a contemporarily styled 200m diver produced for a few years from 2004. Released in a range of dials variants, and in steel or titanium cases, the watch earned its moniker because the handset reminded wearers of the distinctive angles of the aforementioned warriors’ swords. Also, it’s an unwritten rule that wherever possible, Seiko model nicknames need to explicitly evoke their Japanese origins. As is so often the case with discontinued models, the Samurai developed something of a cult following, and prices for pre-owned models started, slowly but surely, to rise. So when Seiko announced at Baselworld earlier this year that the Samurai was back as a complete collection, it’s only slightly hyperbolic to say that the people rejoiced. Certainly people who care about well-priced, no-nonsense watches (which it turns out is quite a few) were pretty happy. That’s the backstory, so how about the watch?…
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When you walk into the Rado booth at Basel you can be pretty confident that you’ll see ceramic – and lots of it. This year the brand did not disappoint, offering up their trademark hi-tech watches in a variety of shapes, sizes and colours. There’s the new Ceramica – Rado’s distinctive rectangular design – which has been given an automatic upgrade and a fresh case of matt grey ceramic. Then there’s a brace of True models, made in collaboration with designers of all stripes. Our picks were the topographical True Stratum and the clever bling of the True Blaze. And then of course there’s the obligatory nod to the past, which for Rado means the Captain Cook collection. Several new version were released, including a very faithful reissue as well as a more modern take on the theme.
While the current Rolex Cellini collection will never have the same mass appeal or cool cachet as their ever-popular steel sports models, I think this chic and refined collection is just as important and emblematic to the Big Crown. When they revamped the line in 2014, I was quite taken – with their fluted bezels, interesting dial textures and small complications, the Cellinis spoke to a mid-century tradition of elegance that seemed almost diametrically opposed to the steel sports watches for which the brand is so famous. Three years later and Rolex has added another complication to the family – the Cellini Moonphase. In preparation for this review I re-read what I wrote in 2014, when the original came out and one line in particular stood out. In reference to the Dual Time: “…and is very reminiscent of the classic Rolex moonphases. On that note, Mr Dufour, if you’re reading this, I’d give major organs to see a full-on moonphase – a tribute to the 8171 would make a great addition to the Cellini line-up in years to come.” Well, excuse me while I search the darkweb for places to offload an excess kidney, because the reference 50535 Cellini Moonphase,…
Oris seem to be going from strength to strength, releasing smart watch designs – like the Divers Sixty-Five – that impress critics and customers alike. This year it’s time for their modern diver, the Aquis, to shine. The entire collection has been revamped – it’s still big and bold, but it’s a little less blocky. Oris also released the Artelier Calibre 113, with loads of calendar complications (though truth be told, we’re still wondering who would use a week indicator), as well as some hot new heritage pieces: the old-school pilot that is the Big Crown 1917 and the funky cushion-cased Chronoris Date. All up it’s another strong year for the Hölstein-based brand, which is great news if you’re in the market for a well-priced mechanical.
One of the brands we’re always excited to see at Baselworld is Seiko. Not just because they’ve always got a few surprises up their sleeve, but also, if we’re honest, because the price point is a lot less painful than some of their Swiss counterparts. This year we were particularly impressed with two models that represent different ends of the Seiko style spectrum. First up is the excellent reissue of the 62MAS, Seiko’s first ever dive watch. And then there’s the flashy, dressy Cocktail Time collection, which is now part of the ever-growing Presage family. No matter what your tastes, it looks like Seiko has your wrist covered in 2017.
Most of the Basel buzz around Omega has focused on the very excellent (and likely very hard to get) Trilogy limited editions – and rightly so. But these three spot-on reissues represent only a fraction of Omega’s 2017 c0llection, which is jam-packed full of new variants and completely new models appearing across their key collections. Not only do we have new versions of the Speedmaster and a revamped Aqua Terra 150m, but there’s a completely new regular production Railmaster and a particularly bold Planet Ocean that goes by the name of “Big Blue”. In short, there’s something for everybody.
While one of the key trends of Basel 2017 is a move towards more wrist-friendly dive watches (see exhibits A and B), there’s no doubt that big and bold is still the name of the game. Omega’s latest PO, the “Big Blue”, delivers on both fronts, thanks to its whopping 45.5mm wide by 17.8mm high case made from bright blue ceramic. Why Big Blue? Well, asides from the obvious, it’s an homage to a super funky (and super collectable) Omega diver’s chronograph from the ’70s. This Big Blue follows on from last year’s release of the fully ceramic “Deep Black”, itself an evolution of successful ceramic Speedmasters, notably the DSOTM. From all this activity we can deduce that Omega is increasingly serious about integrating ceramic in a big way, well beyond bezels, movement components and the odd limited edition. And why not? If you’ve got the technical know-how and production capacity (like Omega does), you might as well use it. The case and dial of the Big Blue are made from pigmented zirconium oxide powder that’s sintered into an ultra-hard ceramic, then machined with diamond tools and plasma-treated to its final shape. It’s not just the case that’s impressive: the…
Editor’s Note: Andy Green has pretty much been part of the Time+Tide team since day one. But it wasn’t until 2017 that the stars aligned and he was able to attend Baselworld. And I think it’s fair to say that Andy had a quintessential first Basel. He was blown away, occasionally overwhelmed, but most of all I think he loved discovering new things and meeting the watchmakers he’s admired and the people he’s DM’d from afar IRL. Andy’s personal Top 10 list really reflects this. Sure, it’s about the watches, but the people behind the scenes are just as important. Hope to see you at Basel 2018 Andy. H. Moser & Cie Pioneer Centre Seconds in Steel I’ve always been a big fan of H. Moser & Cie, and have been especially fond of their recent marketing campaigns. So, when I turned up to their stall and was told that for the first time, they had a new release in steel, I got pretty excited. This was my pick of the fair (which will come as no surprise to my IG followers). I just love everything about this watch: the stunning fumé dial, the curvaceous crystal and the famous Moser ‘less is more’ approach. As a steel…
When Bell & Ross launched their Instrument collection in 2005, they achieved what every new watch brand sets out to: they created an icon. This distinctive range of watches took the cockpit instruments of aeroplanes as their inspiration and suddenly there was a new player in the watch world that you could spot on the wrist at 100 paces. No mean feat when you consider the history and the hype you’re up against. So it turned out the Swiss watch industry, like John Mayer, has found room for squares. But all things must change, and the collection presented at Baselworld 2017 was the most highly evolved pack yet – with new models in a variety of shapes, materials and complications. The unifying factor, if there is one, is a continuing attitude of looking at things differently and balancing the stuffiness with a sense of play.