VIDEO: This Seiko 5 Sports collab delivers knockout appeal with Street Fighter’s Ken
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…
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Seiko has by no means had a quiet year, but there was one collection that demanded attention. The all new Seiko 5 Sports x Street Fighter V Editions turned heads for all the right reasons, taking inspiration from the legendary fighting game, and turning six of the main characters into watch designs. These fighters included Ryu, Ken, Chun-Li, Guile, Zangief and, last but certainly not least, the green machine himself, Blanka. Like the rest of the collection, the Blanka edition uses the typical Seiko 5 Sports template as a starting point, measuring 42.5mm in diameter, housing the automatic 4R36 movement and offering a solid 100m of water resistance. Where this edition stands out from the rest, however, is the bright green and orange lashings found across the watch that match Blanka’s larger-than-life character. The streaks of electricity running through the bezel (and the whirlpool dial) are a nod to Blanka’s special move, “Electric Thunder”, while the hour markers are inspired by his razor-sharp teeth. The edges of the strap and the minute track are both bright orange, in reference to his almost fluro hair. What a fighter, and what a watch to honour him! Seiko 5 Sports SRPF23K1 Blanka price…
Memory is a funny thing. Mainly because of what and how little we do actually remember. This is, in part, explained by the serial-position effect (please don’t click away from this page, this isn’t as boring as it sounds), which is the theory behind why we remember the start and end of events, but not much about what happens between the two. As 2020 has likely been a pretty tough time, you should try to improve what you remember of it by finishing it off with a bang. It might not be possible to have a huge party, but you can finish the year with a rush of adrenaline by getting a new watch. And if you’re in the Southern Hemisphere’s summer right now, we’ve got one pretty good suggestion – the green Longines HydroConquest on rubber strap. This video shows exactly how things will go, should you buy it from the Longines online store. The packaging, the ceremony, it’s all part of the online-buying experience. At 41mm in diameter, it’s nicely sized and arrives on a very comfortable rubber strap for all wrists. Powered by Longines’ in-house and dependably rock-solid L888 caliber, it boasts a more than decent 64…
Hublot is a brand that does not always get its horological due. The movements that the brand does not produce in-house are horological footnotes compared to the movements that they do. At their core, Hublot are a bold, brave and forward-thinking manufacturer, and an excellent example of this temerity is the Meca-10 movement. As its name suggests, the caliber provides a long-lasting 10 days of power reserve and offers a distinctly Hublot aesthetic in form and finish. It’s quite the marvel in the metal, and a feast for the eyes for even the most seasoned gearheads. This is why it is proudly displayed front, back and centre of the Hublot Spirit of Big Bang Meca-10 Black Magic. Measuring 45mm in diameter and 14.5mm thick, the black ceramic case is horological sorcery on the wrist. A sizeable watch, with the industrial feel of the Empire’s Death Star, this is surprisingly one of the more tame designs from Hublot. While they are more than capable of injecting colour into their ceramic creations, here they have elected for stealth appeal through an almost entirely black aesthetic. The only deviations from black can be found in four aspects of the watch. The H-shaped screws,…
Hublot don’t do things by half. If they do something, they do it full throttle, and you can see that in the in-house movements they produce. You won’t find a simple three-handed caliber; no, instead you’ll find chronographs, tourbillons and some of the most impressive power reserves in the game. Of their in-house movements, this year the famed Meca-10 movement has been adapted to fit into the new home of the tonneau-shaped Spirit of Big Bang case. This has required a movement architecture redesign to fit like a glove into the curved case of the SOBB, and it’s hard to argue that it doesn’t look good. In particular, the Hublot Spirit of Big Bang Meca-10 Titanium shows off the movement with an attractively industrial contrast against the blackened bridges and darker metal of the case. The 45mm case is beautifully curved to meet the contour of your wrist, not sacrificing any comfort despite the uncompromising design. Thanks to the skeletonisation of the movement, you are able to see entirely through the watch, with the dial side showing off the power reserve indicator and time, while the winding barrels are engagingly visible through the caseback. It is a technical tour de…
It isn’t an uncommon occurrence for old watch brands to be revived. But for a brand to be resuscitated by the great-great-grandson of the founder is a rarer event. With Eugen Wegner, that’s exactly what happened. The brand was founded way back in 1897 in Gdańsk, Poland, and became successful selling pocket watches and marine chronometers to satiate the demands of those working in the shipping and docking industries nearby. In 2017, the name Eugen Wegner returned to watch dials, thanks to the work of Jonas Bley (the great-great-grandson), who has since gone on to produce a number of heritage-inspired watches including the Eugen Wegner One. The case is inspired by a pocket watch that the brand produced in 1909, but adapted slightly to be worn on the wrist. Measuring 43mm in diameter and 13.6mm thick, with heavily polished case sides, it isn’t a small watch, but it certainly isn’t uncomfortable. The dial is white lacquer, which offers a stunning canvas against the heat-blued steel hands contrast, delivering a pop of colour to the dial. Inside, meanwhile, a Valjoux 7750 caliber powers the timepiece to demonstrate this certainly isn’t a case of style over substance. It all adds up to…