Review – Grönefeld 1941 Remontoire with Bespoke Dial – Best Men’s Watch at GPHG 2016
My wrist is a lucky one as I get to test a lot of seriously brilliant wrist watches. Whether it’s the understated Galet Square Tourbillon Double Spiral from Laurent Ferrier, the magnificent Datograph from A. Lange & Söhne, the ultra-thin and über-clean Piaget Altiplano in white gold, or even the € 60.000 Euro impressive Grand Seiko Spring Drive 8-Days, I get to test (and enjoy) some of the most spectacular timepieces of our time. When I got the call from my fellow countrymen Bart and Tim Grönefeld, that they finally secured a 1941 Remontoire for me to test, I was delighted and excited. Here are my thoughts on the Grönefeld 1941 Remontoire that now also comes with bespoke dials featuring guilloche and translucent enamel.
The story in a second: The Bell & Ross BR 03-92 Diver transitions smoothly from the sky to the sea. In the time I spent with the Bell & Ross BR 03-92 Diver I came to think of it as an armoured car. Not the conspicuously bulked up and blinged-out vehicle beloved by the A-list, instead this diver is more akin to the subtly strengthened Land Cruiser, one that looks significantly like the regular model, but can handle IEDs and assault rifles. To me that’s what this Bell & Ross is — a super tough take on the brand’s famous instrument watch. The case It’s the case that really earned the armoured car analogy. From a quick glance, the BR 03-92 Diver shares the same 42mm steel case, but look closer and you’ll notice that quite a lot has changed to earn that 300-metre water resistance rating. The sapphire crystal is significantly super-sized, at 2.85mm thick, and the caseback, with its four screws, is a millimetre thicker than regular, non-diving models. And while these modifications would go largely unnoticed, the block crown guards and solid unidirectional bezel give the dive watch game away. The dial Bell & Ross dials have…
