A different take on the day date – the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Day Date 70s
Editor’s note: Blancpain has one of the best dive watch archives around, thanks to the fact that they were one of the primogenitors of the genre, and it’s something they’ve been tapping into with great effect, as Sandra discovered when she checked out the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Day Date 70s … We’ve come to associate Fifty Fathoms with minimalistic dials, so this Day Date model – one of three new pieces released at Baselworld 2018 to mark the 65th anniversary of the original diving watch – is a real shift in style. This doesn’t mean that Blancpain are suddenly getting all decorative, though; rather, they have looked to their 1970s archive for the design cues. Vital Statistics While the aesthetic is retro, everything else is bang-up to the minute, with all of the technical advances that Blancpain have brought to their dive watches in recent years. The movement is based on the acclaimed calibre 1315: the balance is non-magnetic silicium and the three barrels deliver a mighty five-day power reserve. The Day Date 70s comes in the same 43mm brushed steel case and its unidirectional bezel has a ceramic insert and markers filled with Liquidmetal – a scratch-proof alloy…
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It isn’t hard to imagine that Zenith is probably feeling pretty darn confident about being given more than one award at this year’s Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève. Not least for the fact that five of the Swiss marque’s timepieces have been given the nod by the prestigious event’s judges across no fewer than five different categories. This is a seriously big deal for Zenith, especially when you consider that in the eyes of many, the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève is the Swiss watch industry’s most revered awards event, though we mustn’t compare GPHG to a certain Hollywood-based awards night. Anyway, here are all five of Zenith’s chosen watches and the categories they’ve been nominated for: Men’s Complication – Zenith Defy El Primero Double Tourbillon Made from solid 950 platinum and limited to just 10 pieces, the Zenith Defy El Primero Double Tourbillon is a truly impressive and multifaceted timepiece. Featuring Zenith’s El Primero 9020 calibre movement, this double-barrel wonder offers 60 hours of power reserve, a chronograph and a power reserve complication. The large 46mm case is 14.5mm thick and is water resistant to 100 metres. Iconic – Zenith El Primero A384 Revival An incredibly faithful modern interpretation…
It’s the least surprising twist in a conversation when a watch collector tells you they’re into G-Shock. When I started writing about watches, I remember a fellow Australian journalist – Bani McSpedden – flicking through pictures on his phone of all his G-Shocks arranged in a rainbow stack. I found it curious then, but not so now. Why? The brand has carefully curated its modern mythology – with shrewd pop culture collaborations, and creative activations – and lately found new ways to celebrate its legacy. Sapphire crystal versions, solid gold, high-polished steel and gold plate, all managing to consolidate the design and pillar in the annals of watch history. However, the watch that really piqued my interest was one I ended up buying. The Full Metal Black Aged IP GMW-B5000V-1, a 43.2 mm x 43.2 mm square-shaped DW5000 fresh outta 1983. More about that in the video, and later in an in-depth review I’m working on. All of this is to say that, in my early days writing about watches, and we’re talking over a decade ago now, I didn’t expect the resin watches I’d owned through school and teen years, to be an ongoing part of the horological conversation.…
In the world of serious vintage watch collecting the presence of a retailer’s name on the dial can make a big difference in terms of price. Turler, Tiffany & Co, Serpico Y Laino, prestigious retailers with great provenance — just the sort of thing that makes an otherwise generic steel sports watch stand out of the pack, and makes the whole watch collecting space such a vibrant one. But, as brands took control over their own supply chains, it looked like the age of the retailer edition was done and dusted. But it turns out that the age of the retailer exclusive hasn’t had its day just yet, as Tom Mulraney discovers over at the WatchPro. Turns out that prestigious old-world retailers like Harrods and Bucherer are still making their own LEs, and they’ve been joined by a new wave of e-commerce retailers, both specialist, like Revolution and Hodinkee, as well as general, like Farfetch. It’s an interesting space, and for all that some collectors decry the explosion of small-run pieces, the chances are good that in a few generations’ time, these pieces will be as desirable as double-signed dials are today … Read the full story over at WatchPro. 
In an unending stream of vintage-inspired wristwatches that are just a little bit off (you know what I mean), you cling to a watch that gets it right like a life raft. The Haven Watch Co. Chilton is exactly that life-saving device, with it tastefully sized at 37mm, and offering a visually compelling dial. Taking inspiration from the colourful yachting chronographs of the ’70s, the Chilton has the details considered. The chronograph is available in two different dial colours, which are a creamy white or a deep midnight blue, both of which feature contrasting sub-dials in a compax layout. We were lucky enough to get a closer look at the white dial version, which has a pulsations track around the perimeter of the dial. Originally used by medical professionals, a pulsations track is an interesting choice by the folks at Haven Watch Co, specifically because of the highly collectible nature of vintage chronographs with this feature. This added detail isn’t an accident, and goes to show that the people behind Haven are genuine watch enthusiasts. The rest of the dial is evenly spaced, with small sub-dials that include a 30-minute counter, which is colourfully divided into 10-minute intervals that really…
The travel watch is one of the classic tropes in the world of watch design — and as with all recurring themes, the travel watch is a broad spectrum, ranging from rough and ready all the way up to the private jets and mega-yachts version of travelling in style. The Grand Seiko SBGE201 treads a middle ground. It’s solid steel, but it also possesses enough innate pizzaz to hold its own in more formal situations. This tricky balancing act comes down to the materials Grand Seiko has used, and how they’ve been treated: the steel is hard-wearing and robust, but it’s been treated with Grand Seiko’s typical level of obsession and care, to transform the otherwise ubiquitous case-material into something far more sculptural. And, of course, that sapphire inset bezel adds more than its fair share of flash. So, if you’re the sort of traveller who likes to stand out while fitting in, the classic, sporty shape and ever-impressive Spring Drive tech of the Grand Seiko SBGE201 might be something you want to take a closer look at. Grand Seiko SBGE201 price Grand Seiko SBGE201, $8400 AUD Made in partnership with Grand Seiko. However, the opinions expressed in this article are…
Following the successful first collaboration between British virtual band Gorillaz and Japan’s G-Shock, the dynamic duo has once again teamed up for their latest and final collaboration together. Their two newest limited-edition creations, the GA2000GZ-3A and GW-B5600GZ-1, aim to pay homage to the iconic music group’s first album, Gorillaz, and their latest album, The Now Now. The Gorillaz-themed timepiece, GA2000GZ-3A, is based on the standard GA-2000 Series of watches that feature G-Shock’s Carbon Core Guard and an interchangeable band. The collaborative piece scores a striking green camouflage motif, faithfully portraying the cover art of the original Gorillaz album. Features of the GA-2000-based timepiece include 200 metres of water resistance, a World Time function with 31 time zones, a 1/100-second stopwatch and an accuracy rating of +/- 15 seconds per month. The Now Now-themed wristwatch started life as G-Shock’s famed 5600 Series, and as a result scores a host of functional capabilities that include Smartphone Link with Bluetooth connectivity, 10 months of battery operating time, a full-auto calendar and an accuracy rating of +/- 15 seconds per month. The Now Now watch also sports a fluorescent pink and blue-coloured theme, stylised to capture the imagery of the cover art of The…
Ever since Davide Cerrato took the helm at Montblanc’s watch department, it’s as if the turbo-booster was suddenly turned on. The watches, which were solid before, now have a clarity and a cohesion that makes them a strong option and a force to be reckoned with. Case in point, their 2019 heritage releases … The Montblanc Heritage Monopusher Pulsograph Montblanc’s Minerva chronographs have a well-earned reputation for being amongst the best in the business, and the one keeping this beauty running is no exception. And in this case the case and dial is more than a match for the movement. The salmon dial, in particular, is complex and subtle, with nice heritage touches like the hash marks on the minutes counter, which marked the increments of international telephone calls, back when that was something that mattered. $44,400 The Montblanc Heritage Automatic If you don’t need the complexity or the sticker price of the chronograph, but (like me) can’t get enough of that dial, you’re in luck, as Montblanc offer it in a simple automatic version. The reasonable size and stylish solid caseback complete the picture. $3410 The Montblanc Heritage Perpetual Calendar Taking a break from salmon dials, this Perpetual Calendar certainly…
When it came up that a review of the Girard-Perregaux Laureato was on the editorial agenda, Felix cocked an eyebrow and said, “Are you going to write about your reaction when you first saw it?” Yes, I thought, when the time comes, I will. So here we are. The day that I first laid eyes on the relaunched Laureato, it is fair to say that I was a long way from a potential buyer. Firstly, it was an Instagram picture, so it was pretty grainy. To my jetlagged eyes – it was day one of SIHH 2017 – it was a blurry octagonal sports watch quite like many others. To confirm Girard-Perregaux’s focus on the enthusiastically relaunched model, the wall of their booth was textured with the dial pattern at a ratio of at least 50:1. Huge pyramids, in other words. The rationale for this was lost on me. Why would GP draw attention to a design code that also – on first glance – evoked other brands? As a result, I pretty much ignored it that year. Not in my lists from the fair, or end-of-year bangers. I didn’t really give it a second thought. It’s not an easy,…
Whether it’s the Submariner, Sea-Dweller or Deepsea, Rolex’s iconic range of professional dive watches have rather a lot in common. However, as Michael points out with his prized Deepsea ref.126660, the legacy watchmaker’s amphibious timepieces are not all created equal. In fact, the first time that Michael realised he wanted to own the herculean dive watch was when he saw one completely disassembled, and he appreciated just how different and unique the construction of the Deepsea is. As Michael explains, the Deepsea needs to be capable of withstanding quite monumental pressures when being submerged underwater at depths of up to 3900 metres (12,800 feet). As a result, 126660 uses 5mm-thick crystal and an inimitable case design, which utilises two pieces of titanium that are essentially sandwiched together. Now, you may be asking, “How did Michael manage to see a Deepsea completely disassembled?” Well, that’s because he previously worked for Rolex in their Melbourne service department, and has seen his fair share of these awesome watches stripped down. In addition, Michael also mentioned that the Deepsea’s movement, Rolex’s calibre 3235, is very reliable and easy to service, and the dial of the professional diver’s watch has excellent legibility.