VIDEO: Is the Rolex GMT Master II 126710BLNR “Bat Girl” worth the waiting list?
The Rolex GMT Master II range is incredibly sought after. Known for their jet-setting origins, they spruced up the wrists of golden age pilots who appreciated having that extra timezone information to hand. Today, the undeniable appeal for this functional luxury asset remains. Rolex have previously injected a good bit of colour into the 24 hour bi-directional bezels of the GMT line with blue and red (Pepsi), brown and yellow or brown and black (root beer), red and black (coke), and the highly debated all blue (blueberry). But the most modern of the colour duos is found in the blue and black bezels – now limited to the Rolex GMT Master II 126710BLNR “Bat Girl”. The original reference, on a satin and polished oyster bracelet, was dubbed the “Batman” due to its bezel echoing the aesthetics of the superhero detective’s wardrobe. When discontinued, the watch was not entirely removed from the Rolex catalogue. It was instead upgraded to the new caliber 3285, with a more efficient Chronergy escapement that delivers an extended 70 hours of power reserve, and paired with a more formal appearing jubilee bracelet. Collectors didn’t exactly stretch their imaginations when they dubbed the new Rolex GMT Master…
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Seiko didn’t exactly have a slow 2020, but they might just have saved one of the best for last. Or did they drop the ball in the final yard? In their final release of last year, we saw the all new King Seiko KSK SJE083, a reissue of a watch from 1965 that is highly collectible – the King Seiko ref. 44-9990. The 1960s is a decade of the Japanese watchmaker’s history that isn’t as widely known as it should be, and that is one of the things that makes this release compelling. Because while you almost certainly know the present day behemoth that Grand Seiko is, you might not have heard of King Seiko before. King Seiko was established in 1961, the year after Grand Seiko, to create competition within Seiko as they pursued mechanical watchmaking perfection. That’s right, King Seiko and Grand Seiko competed against each other within the organisation, as well as on the world stage at various chronometry competitions. After the advent of the first quartz watch, however, (also a Seiko achievement), both King Seiko and Grand Seiko were put on hold as the firm focused its attention on the new technology they had pioneered. This…
Why does this seem like a natural combination, while all my logical senses tell me it’s wrong in so many ways? The Rolex Sea-Dweller ref. 126603 is methodically over-engineered in every functional capacity and yet, if we compare it to the similarly butch Omega Ploprof, it feels like the polar opposite, somehow managing to still exude an elegant, raffish air. With this Rolesor yellow gold version, make that an air of caddish insouciance, as it flaunts its capabilities as a tool watch by bringing the gold. To be honest, as a two-tone watch Rolex does the best job in the business imbuing the models (Rolesor? Not a proprietary alloy, it simply means two-tone) with an added zest of colour. It somehow feels completely natural, and more of a celebratory colour for their tool watch prowess. It may look like a watch designed for pure business attire and party flexing, but the Sea-Dweller is still very much a tool watch ready for action. While personally I do feel that 43mm is on the large side – its mere presence puts me one the edge of nervousness – I love the juxtaposition of badass tool with the polished silky smooth centre links…
Editor’s note: Today, Omega did what they had been hinting at for months: they launched eight new Speedmaster references across four models, all with the new Master Chronometer Calibre 3861. The four references include regular versions with Hesalite and Sapphire and precious metal versions in Omega’s proprietary Canopus gold and Sedna gold, all with options on bracelets and leather or fabric straps. The most significant updates for all eight references are the new caliber housed within, and the brand new bracelet design. The new movement looks like an evolution rather than revolution. The power reserve is improved from 48 to 50 hours, hacking seconds is now possible, and it’s generally more robust all round. The bracelet now features five links per row instead of three, and each row is slightly smaller, which is sure to make the bracelet even more comfortable. But to get a better idea of what’s changed, let’s have one last loving look back at the now superseded (and more affordable) generation of Omega Speedmaster. More to come on the new collection shortly. The Omega Speedmaster isn’t just another watch. It is an important part of the horological canon and, more importantly, the watch that went to…
Everyone will remember the toilet paper shortage of 2020, as panic buying took hold of people around the world, but watch collectors will remember another shortage. The apparent global scarcity of Casio G-Shock GA2100-1A ‘CasiOak’ models from retailers’ displays, with a frenzy of buying that led to the humble G-Shock selling way above its retail price on the secondary market. If you told me in 2019 that a standard production G-Shock was going to effectively have a wait list, I wouldn’t have believed you. But then again, I wouldn’t have believed much of what was going to happen in 2020. But why is it so popular? It’s a mix of form, function and the watch that it reminds us all of. And by that I mean it looks good thanks to being less visually chunky compared to other G-Shock references — it is comfortable on the wrist thanks to it’s 11.3mm case profile and it serves up the eternally popular octagonal bezel. What’s not to love? Casio G-Shock GA2100-1A ‘CasiOak’ price and availability: The Casio G-Shock GA2100-1A ‘CasiOak’ is $260AU, and is currently available. However, due to it’s popularity, it might be worth calling ahead to your local authorised dealer to…
The Rolex Sky-Dweller is an underrated watch. Hell, you can still sometimes find precious metal examples of this hefty-cased wristwatch in Rolex boutiques. Try doing that with a Daytona. But unlike many other Rolex pieces, the Sky-Dweller is a complicated companion despite its relatively simple design. In fact, while you might not immediately suspect it, this is the single most complicated Rolex according to its movement. Featuring the pretty remarkable Rolex in-house caliber 9001 (which holds more than a dozen patents in its design), the Sky-Dweller offers the time, date, second time zone, and month on its display, which also makes it an annual calendar. How does it display the month? Above all of the stick indices around the dial is a small aperture that you might miss if you weren’t looking at it, which displays the month in red. There are 12 hours in a day, but also 12 months in a year, so Rolex decided to make the hour markers slightly more useful than they are normally. The ring you see at the 6 o’clock position displays the second time zone, with the red arrow you can see just below the Rolex crown at 12 o’clock. But how…
Editor’s note: There’s no doubt that the Bulgari watch department is having a very big year. So far they have got hearts racing with the launch of their record-breaking Octo Finissimo Tourbillon Chronograph Skeleton Automatic, the new Octo Finissimo in satin-polished steel, and then their remarkable High-End Watch novelties. And if that wasn’t enough, there is also the new entry point to the realm of Swiss-Italian watchmaking that is the Bulgari Aluminium collection. This is everything you need to know. Bulgari has revived a late ’90s classic with the new Bulgari Aluminium collection this year. A great blend of daily and luxury wear, these lightweight watches pack a heavy punch. While watch designs can be quite homogenous in a traditional industry, the new Bulgari Aluminium 2020 models are welcome revivals with their distinct Bulgari aesthetic. The case(s) These new models are fabricated in a great everyday material: aluminium. While aluminium is not considered a luxury material, when done right, it can provide a luxury experience on the wrist. The lightweight aluminium makes for an elegant yet sporty and smart-casual aesthetic. You certainly won’t miss the fact that this is a Bulgari watch. The brand name can be found on the…
If you’re a regular reader of Time+Tide, you’ll know we’re big fans of the Seiko 5 Sports x Street Fighter V Editions. We first took a look at the full collection, before zeroing in on the Blanka green machine and the Ken red rocket models, and now we’re going to take a closer look at the Ryu edition. It’s an interesting watch, not just because of its Street Fighter connection, but because it’s probably the most wearable/least bonkers watch in the entire collection. When you strap the Seiko 5 Sports SRPF19K Ryu to your wrist, you’re getting a more subtle nod to the fight game franchise and that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Consistent with the rest of the collection, the case measures a tidy 42.5mm in diameter and offers the same 100m of water resistance and houses the automatic 4R36 movement within. But the stark white of the textured dial, that matches the white fabric strap, creates the perfect textile canvas for the bold black and red “Coke” bezel. The white of the dial and strap are said to be inspired by Ryu’s Judo uniform and works a treat as an “if you know, you know” reference to his…
The Seiko 5 Sports x STREET FIGHTER V Editions were one of the feel-good highlights of 2020. Taking the tried-and-true template of the 5 Sports collection and combining it with one of the most successful fighting game series in history proved a winning combo – both for watch collectors and fans of the combat franchise. Seiko released six different references, each a nod to one of the main characters in the game: Blanka, Ryu, Chun-Li, Guile, Zangief and, of course, Ken. The Ken edition is a particular eye-catcher with a fully black case that contrasts well with the gold crown, outer bezel, and hands, that reflect the character’s distinctive blonde hair. In a nod to his uniform, the textile strap is bright red, matching the dial and bezel highlights, making the watch a coherent tribute to the muscle-bound warrior. To further deepen the connection to the character, Ken’s special move “Shoryuken” is also printed on the caseback. With 100m of water resistance, and powered by the automatic 4R36 movement, the 42.5mm case size is thoroughly wearable and would make for a reliable if slightly flamboyant daily watch. Seiko 5 Sports SRPF20K Ken price and availability: The Seiko 5 Sports SRPF20K…