The Online Bespoke Experience – The Armin Strom Watch Configurator (Explained In Video)
While it is now common in the automotive industry to customize your future car, choosing colors and options, and to do it in front of a screen, by using an online configurator, the high-end watches buying experience remains relatively austere. You look at display windows, you enter a cosy boutique and you choose among the available watches. A very 1990s experience, you’ll admit. However, consumer behaviors are drastically evolving, and the future will be ruled two concepts: online and customization… And this is exactly what you’ll get with the new Armin Strom Watch Configurator, a unique and innovative way to create your own, tailor-made, high-end watch.
First vision of the just announced new Speedy: Omega CEO Raynald Aeschlimann announces the Speedmaster “Apollo XVII” Limited Edition released at Baselworld 2017. It is dedicated to the last man on the moon, astronaut Gene Cernan. 
Tudor has just lifted the lid on the Black Bay Chronograph, and already they’re showingg us another Baselworld 2017 novelty, and surprisingly/unsurprisingly it’s another take on the Black Bay. But rather than offer novel materials or finishes, like last year’s Bronze and Dark version, Tudor has revisited the heart of the collection, and offered another bezel variant to accompany the Red, Blue and Black. Only this time, it’s not a new colour per se, in fact it’s no colour at all. Meet the Black Bay Steel, with its distinctive, and decidedly tool-look radially satin-brushed steel bezel. The observant among you will have noticed that the bezel isn’t the only thing novel about the BB Steel – there is, for the first time, a date window at nestled at the 3 o’clock position. From the vintage/purist point of view, the Black Bay’s perennial lack of date window was a strong tick in its favour, and bucked the trend of other heritage-themed watches. Having said that, the date is an immensely popular complication in the real world, and there must have been quite a few people bemoaning the lack of that handy aperture. We suspect that all BBs will very shortly be…
This year marks the 60th anniversary of three of Omega’s most important models: the Speedmaster, Seamaster and Railmaster. The brand is celebrating by releasing a frankly epic trio of limited edition reissues, available individually, or in this ‘1957 Trilogy’ box set. No word yet on pricing or availability. While we don’t have much in the way of technical detail at yet, first impressions are very positive. The only noticable difference between these new versions and the original models seems to be the coloured luminous material. To see just how good, and faithful, they are, have a look at the new versions compared to pieces from the Omega Museum which we photographed at our ‘Night of Omega Firsts’ event in 2014.
When Omega CEO Raynald Aeschlimann recently visited Australia he brought more than just one of the world’s most glamorous women with him. He also gave us an exclusive preview of the Omega 2017 releases. The new boss needed only one take to deliver the news straight down the barrel of the camera, albeit in a hushed voice while Cindy was being interviewed upstairs. A serious professional. While we’ll leave the detail to Raynald, let’s just say that there are new Aqua Terra models, a bold new Planet Ocean ‘Big Blue’, a Speedmaster ‘Apollo XVII’ limited edition, and last but definitely not least, there are incredible new versions of the Speedmaster, Railmaster and Seamaster, offered separately or as a box set.
The new Tudor Black Bay Chrono has just dropped and there have been a lot of feels expressed in the nine hours since it was released. The hashtag is simple, just little old #bbchrono – which almost sounds like one of the greatest blues guitar players ever – but the response has been quite the opposite. It’s stirred up a lot of emotion. People are ecstatic. People are upset. People are confused. Could the BB Chrono be the 2016 Air-King, the most divisive watch of Basel? In this time of controversy we wanted to help you make up your mind where you stand, for now at least. Here are five photos that show off different aspects, with a little bit of help from the comments section to set the mood. #bbchrono 1 – The everyday guy, what’s the big deal? Here’s the simplest one first, shot on leather by @watchcollectinglifestyle, the guy we happened to be standing with when the watch dropped. Pretty straightforward, not too hectic? Screw down pushers, big crown, tachymeter bezel, date at 6. Everyone feeling ok? @pbandwatches says: “Best photo of the new BBC I’ve seen so far. ” @fatfaso wishes for a tri-compax layout, but you can’t have everything. #bbchrono…