Customizable to the Max, Yet Affordable – The Revolo Watches Concept
Having a watch that reflects your personality, that has been crafted to your desires, designed according to your own ideas and to your own taste… Sounds like a dream reserved for the happy few? It was the case until Revolo, a Dutch company founded in 2015, had the brilliant idea to let you design your own watch. Now every watch aficionado has the freedom to create something unique. You can choose from three case types, in three finishings, nine bezels, thirty-two dials, and more, much more. You can even choose between three movements, and create the watch that truly reflects who you are… and all this for a very accessible price!
Ming is the latest player in the hectic world of horological start-ups. But before we get down to the nitty gritty of the Ming 17.01, it’s worth giving you a quick rundown on the backstory behind Ming Watches. Hailing from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Ming was formed as a collective horological endeavour by a group of six watch enthusiasts and collectors, with the head of the pack being Ming Thein, a photographer, designer and collector with a penchant for anything and everything to do with watches. Now I know what you must be thinking: ‘Hold on, wait a minute. A watch collector creating his own timepiece? That’s quite the leap (and investment).’ But it makes perfect sense. Who better to make a watch than someone who is super into watches and the industry around them? This love means you’ll end up with a watch that reflects that passion. Exciting to think about, and riveting to talk about. So, let’s take a look at their initial release, the Ming 17.01 First and foremost, this is a very deliberate and carefully constructed watch. What it lacks in big name pedigree is amply offset by the modern, avant-garde look. The 38mm titanium case looks exceptional thanks to the outwardly sloped bezel, flared lugs and…
Editor’s Note: Seiko’s re-released ‘Turtle’ is rapidly becoming an essential in any self-respecting watch collector’s roll. And given the winning combination of heritage and quality at a supremely wallet-friendly price, we can see why. Seiko dive watches have a massive – at times fanatical – following. It’s these guys and gals who are responsible for giving the brand’s cryptically coded watches their colourful nicknames – the Tuna, Monster, Sumo and, in this case, the Turtle. Officially, the Turtles we’re looking at here are known as SRP775 (black gilt dial on bracelet), SRP773 (blue dial on bracelet) and SRP777 (black dial on silicone). From now on, collectively, we’ll just call them Turtles. But wait, there’s more. These SRP77 divers are actually reissues of the original Turtles – historic divers from the 6309 family, produced from 1976 until 1988. Not only is this new version a faithful homage to the original, it also represents nigh-on-unbeatable value for money. The case It was the broad, cushion-shaped case that inspired the watch’s nickname, because if you look at it from a distance and squint a little it resembles the shell of a turtle. Of course, the broad sides have a functional purpose as well, the ample flanks serving to…
Ancient Greek and Roman mythology furnish Bulgari with emblems from across the epochs, but their love affair with bold women in history also holds sway on their aesthetic. Like serpents, these dangerous beauties are sinful and sinuous — and nothing less than paradoxical. Fittingly, their latest Serpenti watch is a timepiece that can literally shed its skin. I regret not unravelling my tape measure to record the length of the thin double tour strap of the Bulgari Serpenti Skin, but it just felt so at ease on me I was happy to let it linger a while, almost unobtrusive except for its expansive curvature. This watch is a subtle charmer, and that was the point. Fabrizio Buonamassa Stigliani, Director of Bulgari Watches Design Centre in Neuchâtel, Switzerland, was evidently looking to diverge from the statement dressing of the potent Tubogas and explore personalisation and transformability with this first release on a leather or skin strap. Beyond choosing watch elements and one of the two straps the watch is accompanied by, the way your Serpenti Skin is wrapped to your wrist is uniquely your own. Whether anticipating a combatant or work ally, your snake head dial may be tilted towards a…