Kickstarter – Get Back To Basics With Vintage Inspired Watches From Baltic
It seems there is no shortage of watch projects on Kickstarter these days. Whilst some elicit a yawn at best, others genuinely try to do something cool and unique and have gone on to become real success stories, like REC Watches. Today we’re showing you a highly anticipated project that has just launched from newcomer Baltic Watches, featuring two seriously cool, neo-vintage style watches with step-cases inspired by the minimalist designs of the 1940’s.
Grand Seiko had big news at Baselworld 2017 – and not just the epically proportioned (and named) Hi-Beat 36000 Professional 600m Diver’s watch. No, the really big news was that for the first time since 1960, Grand Seiko would stand apart as its own brand. It was the logical next step for Japan’s premier watch brand, which only launched globally in 2010 but has been rapidly building boutiques ever since. Aside from changes to brand position, strategy, company structure and all that jazz, for watch fans the major shift is that Grand Seiko watches will no longer read “Seiko/Grand Seiko” on the dial. A break from tradition and a cleaner dial design in one fell swoop. Nice job Grand Seiko.
A. Lange & Söhne’s Richard Lange Jumping Seconds is an unusual and very serious watch. The jumping seconds, or deadbeat seconds, is perhaps the most stealth complication out there – most people would assume the ticking seconds hand is powered by a battery rather than intricate gearing. It’s also a complication that’s finally enjoying its day in the sun, with brands like Jaeger-LeCoultre, Jaquet Droz and Grönefeld all releasing their take on this once-obscure complication. Lange’s version adds a regulator-style dial and some classical German good looks. The A. Lange & Söhne Richard Lange Jumping Seconds Australian pricing The Richard Lange Jumping Seconds, in platinum, $120,000 
Editor’s Note: Working in watches, one of the most common complaints is poor aftersales support. If you believe every horror story you hear, servicing or returning a watch for any reason can be outrageously expensive, horrendously slow and the result can be of questionable quality. And while it’s best to take these tales with a grain of salt (did you really expect your high end chrono to be as simple and cheap to service as an old Toyota?), the reality is that too many brands overlook the unglamorous service centre in favour of the shiny new boutique. There’s one exception – Rolex. Here’s what I found when I visited their (then new) Melbourne Service Centre early last year. One of the biggest issues in this industry is what happens to a watch long after it leaves the boutique on the wrist of its happy new owner. Aftersales support and servicing may not be as glamorous as releasing shiny new watches, but it matters. A lot. There’s no quicker way to ruin goodwill towards a brand than with a negative service or repair situation, and from the anecdotal stories I hear it’s happening all too often, with common complaints including long wait…