An old dog has learned a new trick with the new NON-limited Omega Speedmaster ‘Silver Snoopy Award’ 50th Anniversary
It goes without saying that fans of Omega Speedmaster are some of the most ardently passionate people within the watch community and, indeed, the general population. As a watchmaker, Omega understand and foster this enthusiasm, and have this year acknowledged the legions of Speedy supporters with a very special new release. To commemorate one of the most important moments in Speedmaster history, the Biel-based brand has produced the all-new Omega Speedmaster ‘Silver Snoopy Award’ 50th Anniversary, and this old dog has a very new trick up its sleeve. Behind the sapphire caseback of the Omega Speedmaster ‘Silver Snoopy Award’ 50th Anniversary is a mechanical animation when the chronograph is activated that shows Snoopy seated in his Command and Service Module (CSM), making a journey to the far side of the Moon. The moon itself is ‘painted’ onto the sapphire crystal caseback using a “micro-structured metallisation” process, and sits in front of a disc with the Earth on it, creating a sense of distance between the two. The Earth disc sits directly behind the 9 o’clock running seconds sub-dial and, as a result, will rotate just as the Earth does, except once every 60 seconds. Surrounding the Earth disc is the…
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Audemars Piguet’s Royal Oak Concept line can easily be not just confusing, but confounding when you first come across it. The case shape is so alien … who is it even made for? When the first Concept was released in 2002, it more resembled a piece of lab equipment from a sci-fi movie than a watch, which is a topic Andrew discussed with Michael Friedman, Head of Complications at Audemars Piguet, recently in a lively Zoom call. Over the last 18 years, the Concept has undergone many changes, and, in the process the Concept enigma has deepened rather than crystallised. However, the collection slowly begins to make sense once you understand its purpose. The watches, which truly represent the pinnacle of modern technology and design, are few and far between, often acting as a compromise between new-world manufacture and old-word principles. The Concept is for the now, and now we have the latest addition — the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Flying Tourbillon GMT in blue. Calling what encapsulates the watch a ‘case’ feels like a massive disservice. Its architecture is so deliberate and sculpted that it deserves something a lot closer to ‘fortress’, or ‘eighth wonder of the industrial world’.…
Whenever we look at a watch’s specifications online, we generally find the usual suspects – case diameter and thickness, depth rating, type of crystal, number of jewels in the movement and so on. But this information omits perhaps the most important detail; the ‘lug to lug’ measurement. Although commonly discussed within the enthusiast community, very rarely are the lug to lug measurements of a watch listed within the provided specifications from the brands. What is lug to lug? Zach, slow down buddy, what exactly is lug to lug? For the uninitiated, the lug to lug measurement of a watch is the measurement in millimeters from the top most extremity of the case lugs to the bottom. Not to be confused with lug width, which is a measurement between two lugs on the same side of the case, and which are crucial for determining strap width. Case study #1 – When lug to lug helps a watch wear smaller DOXA SUB 300 (42mm x 45mm) The recent re-release of the SUB 300 is a great example of a professionally sized watch that is capable of flattering any wrist. With DOXA’s Flying Saucer-like profile, this sleek and superb diver is a great…
Seiko’s “Save The Ocean” program is an important one, helping raise much-needed funds for the conservation of the planet’s oceans. You can check out a couple of the places that benefit from Seiko’s work here and here, but today we’re looking at the watches that help raise money for these critical programs. This year, it’s all about the Seiko SRPE33K and SRPE39K, two references that offer what might be the most imaginative and spellbinding dial of the year at this exceedingly affordable price point. The Seiko SRPE39K is based on the classic Seiko turtle shape, the same as last year’s Seiko SRPD12K “Save The Ocean” edition, but with a couple of important changes. While the bracelet and movement remain the same, the key difference is in the shimmering blue dial, and the inky black ceramic bezel that elevates this watch into some very competitive territory. Similarly, the Seiko SRPE33K features the same blue gradient dial, with the faint outline of stingrays as though just below the water’s surface, and an eye-catching ceramic bezel. Even if you’ve already got a couple of Seiko watches in your collection, these two new offerings from the Japanese watchmaker are some of the most impressive pieces…
A round watch case like few others, sharp angles, quirky Japanese design and a Swiss movement? Surely that can grab your attention, even in these weeks of big stories from Switzerland. At a time when just as many gravitate towards the well known, we have the ones that turn towards another path, a path less crowded, where you will find small manufacturers like Minase. In the Akita province of northern Japan, Minase, more atelier than maison, produce around 500 watches a year – of which the Divido, unusually, is the only round watch, rising to fame a while back on the wrist of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at the G7 summit, in the very same purple-blue we are looking at today. The brand has only existed since 2005, with a strong following in Japan, under the ownership of Kyowa Co, a specialist tool maker that had expanded into precision watch parts. With its perfect size of 40.5mm and a strong angular case design, there is a wealth of details few other small manufacturers dare enter into production – and in these intricate details the Divido truly shines. A case architecture and finishing that also shines in the physical…
Editor’s pick: The Grand Seiko SBGR319 limited edition for the Asian market presents a new take on the brand’s world-renowned snow-driven aesthetics. Almost a year ago, Felix did a video review of this incarnation of a winter-themed dial (along with a fetching red horizontally striped variant, the SBGH269) that presented a fresh new layer of snow to the brand’s Heritage Collection. Here, we dive a little deeper into the SBGR319, which remains an exceedingly tempting snow-themed option that is not THE snow-themed option that has become a legend, the Snowflake. The case The case is a millimetre or two larger than the usual suspects of the collection, at a compact 42mm. Unlike the SBGA211, the Grand Seiko SBGR319 is not as light as a snowflake. Instead, it opts for a more wrist-present stainless steel that provides a greater sense of heft on the wrist. It does, however, share the same case format as the SBGA211, with a distortion-free mirror polish performed on the bezel, case sides and tapered facets of the lugs. The rest is beautifully satin-brushed – though ever cognisant of less obvious details, the section we do not really see where the bracelet meets flush to the case is also mirror-polished and…
I am utterly perplexed by the Maurice Lacroix Pontos Chronograph Monopusher. This is a watch, released to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Pontos range, that encompasses some of my favourite features across the ages of horology, amalgamated into one. Stealthy black, chunky yet not too large, both contemporary and vintage, with a chronograph dégradé dial. Oh, and why not throw in an in-house chronograph movement and a monopusher for the hell of it. Ordering one sandwich with all your sweet and savoury favourites would end in disaster, yet the Pontos seems to pull it off. I’m hungry for it. With a well-shaped and compact 41mm case, the dark wrist presence is one of exclusivity. This limited edition Pontos Chronograph has imaginative detailing and a design language that somehow manages to be harmonious, with a timeless quality and a feeling of stealth. Hats off to the design department at Maurice Lacroix for pulling off this feat, which starts with a luxurious dégradé face peppered with details. The dial If the year was 1942, and this was inside a 36mm gold case with a silver dial, we would be looking at a classic monopoussoir, whereas this black PVD version would be sketched…