First Look – AkriviA “Rexhep Rexhepi” Chronomètre Contemporain, The New Face of Tradition
Rexhep Rexhepi is one of the most talented watchmakers in the industry. The founder of AkriviA is often presented as the future of independent watchmaking. There are probably no better ways to understand AkriviA than to pay a visit to the brand’s Atelier in Geneva old town. There you’ll discover a handful of detail-obsessed watchmakers bent over their bench, magnifying glass screwed to the eye, working with a set of ancient machine and tools, using century-old gestures. AkriviA watches are impeccable, handmade like in the old days, elevating the watchmaking art to the highest level. But do not be mistaken, the time has not stopped there. The faces of these skilled craftspeople are surprisingly young. AkriviA watches are modern creations infused by fresh, dynamic and passionate watchmaking minds…
Omega is a real powerhouse brand, with a product catalogue that’s both broad and deep, and their Basel 2018 catalogue is no exception. This year they showed a fairly diverse mix of watches, from the elegant ladies Trésor, to a range of Olympic commemorative editions and a Speedy or two. The main focus, though, is the Seamaster. There was a lovely duo of heritage-inspired models, but really, the critical and commercial heart of their lineup is the revamped Omega Seamaster Diver 300M, better known as the SMP. It’s a model that found renown on the wrist of Brosnan’s Bond, and won hearts and minds thanks to its distinctive look and rock-solid build quality. This 2018 version boasts a host of small, but significant, changes. There’s a size and movement upgrade (including the first ever clear caseback for the model), ceramic bezels and dials, as well as the return of the classic wave pattern. All this makes the SMP an even more compelling proposition.
Seiko have again released a duo of modern re-interpretations of one of their OG dive watches – the Seiko 6159. Sitting alongside the modern re-creation – the newly released SLA025, which was also just revealed here at Baselworld 2018 – the pair echo the original design of Seiko’s first hi-beat diver but wrap it up in a slightly more contemporary package. Vital statistics Available in two variants, the cases are thinner and hark back to the design of the original, except now they have a screw-in case-back and measure 44mm across and 13.1mm thick. They’re also joined by thinner bezels, with black for the SPB077, and blue for the SPB079. The black dials have highlights of silver – instead of the original’s gold – and slightly redesigned hour markers, as well as a set of modern-day Seiko arrow hands and the Prospex logo printed in the lower half of the dial. Both are water resistant to 200m and feature a Seiko 6R15 movement with a power reserve of 50 hours. And if you’re a fan of steel bracelets you’ll have to opt for the black bezel SPB077, which is the model we’re focusing on here. On the wrist It captures…
There’s been a lot of big colour surfacing at Baselworld 2018, but little that stop traffic in the same fashion as the Hublot Big Bang Red Magic. Though we can’t be surprised that Hublot would deliver something as loud and in-your-face as this new release, certain colours of ceramic have long been known as very challenging to produce, and red in particular has long been avoided for exactly that reason. Being heavily invested in materials innovation, Hublot have forged ahead to deliver the first red ceramic watch on the market and, boy, is it ever red … Vital statistics At its core, the Big Bang Unico Red Magic is identical to the other Big Bang chronographs in the line. The HUB1242 self-winding column wheel flyback chronograph caliber is good for a power reserve of 72 hours, and still features a 30-minute chronograph register alongside its running seconds. A partially skeletonised dial with floating indices is also part of the usual equation. The bold red case has a fairly significant sheen to it, contrasted by matte black composite resin accents, a rubberised crown, black ceramic pushers, and a matching black ceramic clasp for its colour-matched rubber strap. As with all things…
The story of Grand Seiko at Baselworld 2018 is really the story of two movements. The legendary quartz 9F, which turns 25 this year, and the high-end workhorse that is the 9S, which marks its 20th anniversary. Both calibres received special tribute models, which really showcase the movement — literally in the case of the SBGV238. Quartz movements typically don’t receive the sapphire case-back treatment, and I believe this is the first time the 9F ever has. And really, it’s quite amazing to look at, as is the rest of the watch, especially that intricate dial. The 9S tribute models also have typically stunning dials. We didn’t shoot it, but the platinum one is phenomenal, and quite subtle. The two steel versions are strong too, in brown and blue, with a radial mosaic-style pattern. And finally there’s a sporty-looking GMT to round out the family. All told, a calm, considered and confident collection from Grand Seiko.