MeisterSinger X Alain Silberstein

More specifically -

MeisterSinger X Alain Silberstein Edition Kaenos Grand Date, from MeisterSinger.

Courtesy of MeisterSinger

This is a new release from MeisterSinger in partnership with Alain Silberstein.

Courtesy of MeisterSinger

If the engraving on the case back is anything to go by, it appears to be limited to 225 pieces.

Courtesy of MeisterSinger

I believe the price is approximately $4,399. 

The case is of stainless steel and measures 40 mm in diameter. The movement is Sellita's SW400.

Reheated Leftovers - I Could Do It Better Myself - The Volunteer Media

 I Could Do It Better Myself - The Volunteer Media - An Update From Henki

I wrote this back when I still owned and operated Tempus Fugit. A fair bit has happened in that time. I opted out of a job with a brand, I sold Tempus Fugit to someone who handed it to someone else, and it now appears to not be publishing anything, I accepted the job I have now which is working for MassHire - we help people find jobs and train for new careers. It is very satisfying work albeit with very long hours. Owing to this the publication pace and nature of Henki Time is not as manic as others. With that said, I still feel I have something to say, and this piece is one that I think still rings true. So brand owners and brand managers - don't forget to support the volunteer press. 

Even when we say things that might cut a bit too close to the bone ; )

A much younger Henki teaching English in Villa do Conde Portugal in 1995. You might recognize the gentleman on the far right as the current Secretary General of the United Nations.

I Could Do It Better Myself - The Volunteer Media - An Update From Henki

Despite what some folks think, the majority of the press covering the watch business these days is of a voluntary nature.  This is largely the result of brands cutting advertising budgets, and people going back to former occupations, getting married, or finding better ways to earn a living and spend their free (and not so free) time.

So gentle reader, an inside look at a day in the life of Henki -

5:30 - Whether I like it or not, Tallulah (the older cat and Executive Publisher) is awake and waiting to be fed.  Sabrina (the younger cat and Editor in Chief) is waiting as well.  I head downstairs, turn up the heat in the house, and feed the cats.  I gulp down my morning tablets with a glass of water, have the first of several espressos and head back upstairs to the office.

5:45 - emails reviewed, and...
Not a sausage! 
Not only has watch advertising money dried up, watch brands are producing fewer and fewer models, and some have made their PR functions redundant.  News is scant, and unlike some of my colleagues in the Fourth and Fifth Estate, I prefer not to manufacture it.

6:15 - Go down and make a coffee for Wendy who is up and getting ready for work.

6:25 - I receive a follow-up email from the PR manager at Brand Y.  Y for "why won't you write a paid piece about us?", which I have explained a few times - I don't write advertorials.  I realize my unwillingness to do so is probably holding me back financially, but a man must have a code ; )

6:45 - Email in-box pings, and... 

Good news! I am the winner of the Nigerian National Lottery! Maybe I'll buy Watch Time from Ebner so I can finally have my own magazine!

7:15 - Finally I decide that as no news is forthcoming, I will write an editorial type piece. The Grey Market is always good for a few hundred words, and is showing no sign of slowing down.  Oh, wait! A PR staffer from Brand X has sent me a personal email with a story about a watch event featuring their brand, with several "Important and Respected" watch journalists who were flown in from New York and Europe a few days previous. The PR person feels that it would be great to have a story about this wonderful and glamorous event (lots of swag, 4 star meals, etc.) that I wasn't even invited to! I take a deep breath and decide it's easiest to not reply.

8:00 - Kiss Wendy and wish her a good day as she heads out the door.

8:35 - Hastily showered and dressed, lunch made, it's off to work.

8:55 - Parking lot duty.  Where I work we have very limited parking, and as such the students have been informed that they cannot park in the back lot.  Needless to say, it is a game of cat and mouse as several try to slip in anyway to avoid parking on the street.  This, in turn, prevents other staff members and board members (who have a meeting today) from parking.  While being the Director of Adult Education and Workforce Development has its perks, playing parking lot "sizzler" is not one of them ; )

9:05 - Call with my contact at the Dept. of Education office.  Nothing major, clarifications regarding programming made, and all seems under control.

9:35 - Call from reception, someone is interested in learning English, could I come down and speak with them?

10:30 - Class break time.  I try to speak with each of the four teachers, make sure everything is under control.

10:45 - Back to work on the grant application.  It is due on Friday, signatures are needed from the boss, and I still need to nail down the budget.

12:15 - Text message from brand manager in Switzerland.  Could I recommend a sales manager in Florida.  I file that under "not pressing" and dive back into "grant writing land".

12:30 - Lunch with the teaching team.  Brief ad hoc meeting to review a few items coming up.

13:45 - Call from former student of mine who is interviewing for a job. Would I act as a reference?

2:30 - 30 minute walk around the surrounding area to clear the head.

3:25 - Personal email pops on my iPhone, and I see that the watch from Brand X that three of the big outlets already wrote about 2 days ago is suddenly now a press release for "the rest of us".  I delete the message.

4:15 - draft of the grant application is finally ready to be reviewed by the boss.

4:45 - The phone rings just as I am leaving the office.  Meeting arranged for Wednesday morning to review our proposed adult education program with a new partner one town over.

5:15 - Stop at Trader Joe's for dinner items.

5:35 - Feed the cats dinner, scoop out the litter box, make a coffee and fire-up the laptop.

5:55 - Complete text edit for one of the brands that I "side-hustle" for, and respond to a customer query for another.  Yes, the watch in question is available, yes, it does cost that much, no there will be no discount!

6:17 - Phone rings, it's Japan (not the whole country, but one of the brands with whom I have a relationship) with an urgent request for a special event, could I help organize it?

7:25 - Dinner is nearly ready, and Wendy arrives home after a long day.

9:26  - Story lined up for tomorrow involving a review of a new brand's watch.

10:25 - After 15 minutes of futility, I give up trying to read any more of the book I've been working on since Christmas.  Turn out the lights and off to sleep.  Tomorrow is another exciting day in watch media!

The Transfer Window Has Opened...

At Richemont and Panerai -

Courtesy of Richemont

It is now official, Emmanuel Perrin will be the CEO of Panerai effective April 1. He will take over from Jean-Marc Pontroué.

Up to this point, Mr. Perrin has been in charge of Richemont's Specialist Watchmakers division. But with the earlier move of 

Jérôme Lambert back to Jaeger‑LeCoultre was perhaps a foretelling that the Specialist Watchmakers division might not continue on in its previous format.

With Watches and Wonders around the corner, there is sure to be other news coming from other brands, so stay tuned ; )

The Peninsula Professional Mannar

From Bangalore Watch Company -

Courtesy of Bangalore Watch Company

This is a limited edition (50 pieces) and part of a larger release that I'll be covering in more detail in the coming days.

Courtesy of Bangalore Watch Company

The case is of stainless steel with a matte black PVD coating. It measures 44mm in diameter and 31mm lug-to-lug. The height is 13.75mm.

Courtesy of Bangalore Watch Company

The movement is Sellita's SW200-1.
The strap is described as: Fluoroelastomer high-density Rubber, and is 20 mm wide.

The other members of the Peninsula Professional collection are priced at (I believe) $1,250. With that said, I have to assume that the limited edition Peninsula Mannar is priced higher, but I am only able to pull the (again, I believe) price in Rupees - Rs.186,000. Having checked two different currency exchanges it appears to be a bit over $2,100 USD. Obviously subject to the whims of the Tariff Happy current occupant of the White House ; )

Confirmation - Gallet Is With Breitling

In their latest round of purchases, Breitling have now confirmed the rumors - they are the new owners of Gallet. You can read the Fratello interview with Georges Kern here -

https://www.fratellowatches.com/breaking-news-breitling-acquires-another-historic-watch-brand-its-gallet/

 

This was a move that was foretold by Miss Tweed -

https://misstweed.com/articles/breitling-to-unveil-gallet-revival-next-month

In truth, it is pretty hard to say how this will all play out for the brain trust in Grenchen. Breitling, in and of itself is doing well if the reports are to be believed. But trying to resuscitate two essentially defunct brands is a very different thing than reinvigorating an existing one.

As the quartz crisis, the downturn of '08, and countless other shifts have taught us, brands go dark for a reason. Some come back, others? Not so much.

We shall wait, and we shall see.

Understanding And Knowing Are Two Different Things

What we have understood is that Harry Truman was the first US President to own a Vulcain Cricket. 

Original photo credit to ACME Newspictures, inc. (Public Domain).

This is very much a case of "two things being true at once". In the picture above (dated February 2, 1951) you will note two future Presidents of the United States - Dwight David Eisenhower on the left, and Lyndon Baines Johnson on the right. While we cannot be certain of what is on Ike's left wrist, it appears to be a Vulcain Cricket that the Senator from Texas is wearing. 

This was nearly two years before President Harry Truman would be presented a gold Vulcain Cricket by the White House News Photographers Association in 1953.

Original photo credit to ACME Newspictures, inc. (Public Domain).

So where, when, how, and why did LBJ first come to own his first Vulcain Cricket? In truth? At this point nobody knows. Or to put it another way, those who know won't say. And those who will say?

They don't know.

My updated book, The Cricket and the Presidents - An Anecdotal History is available now.

The Cricket and the Presidents - An Anecdotal History

The Luminor Destro Otto Giorni

From Panerai -

Courtesy of Panerai

So it goes without saying that while my first (intentional) horological purchase was from Omega, and my first true watch obsession was the Vulcain Cricket, a solid third place was Panerai. And in fairness, this was Panerai writ large. 

 

Courtesy of Panerai

I bought my first (and to date, only) Panerai when I was working at Tourneau in San Francisco. I say first because I do hope to have another one - serious negotiations are currently being held at the highest level with my piggy bank.

That Panerai was something special, if not perfect. It was a B-series, hand-winding Luminor. I had bought it as a pre-owned item while working for Torneau in San Francisco. After about 3 weeks of wearing, the crown stripped and it had to go back for service. Thus a painful month or two was spent anxiously waiting for its return. In the end we were reunited, but as I have learned through the paths my life has traveled, nothing is necessarily permanent. Although no longer with me, that Luminor still ocupies a space (and absence) both physically and emotionally. And just when I thought I was over this heartbreak, Panerai comes out with something that has stirred up that longing.

Courtesy of Panerai

The Luminor Destro Otto Giorni is something worth obsessing over. It ticks the old-school Paneristi boxes in that it is of stainless steel and measures 44 mm in diameter. But then, to quote that other great commentator on watches, James Brown, Panerai "takes it to the bridge"!

For those unfamiliar, per the Planetary Group:

Fans of James Brown will recognize the phrase “Take it to the bridge!” from a few of his recordings and many of his live performances. For James Brown, the bridge is an instrumental section that features a new melody and rhythmic line, such as in “Sex Machine”. It creates a break for the listeners’ ears, a new context that freshens up the original riff when the band returns to it, and sometimes makes space for James Brown to dance.

And this is just what Panerai has done! They've taken the original Luminor, and coaxed something special out of it.

First? The decision to go "destro" (that's left for you, and I don't think it's political). It adds that special bit of "Panesequa". But then we get to the movement, and the unfortunate fate of my B-series winding crown comes to mind. Every day you must unscrew the screw-down crown to wind the watch, then screw it back down. This causes wear. Moreover every time you do so, you give more opportunties for your watch's arch nemeses to invade the inner sactum - grit and moisture being the chief offenders. But what if you could go eight days between unscrewing, winding, and screwing back down? Or to use the Italian - Via otto giorni? Sounds pretty great to me.

So let's get down to details - the Luminor Destro Otto Giorni is not an impulse buy, priced at $8,100. But then again, when you consider just what $8,100 is getting you, it seems in line with what other brands have going in that price category. But I would go further - there are very few brands out there with an 8-day movement. And about that movement? It is hand-winding (mechanical) the P.5000 calibre, boasting a power reserve of 8 days.

For myself? I'm obsessed, thank you very much!

Possibly just under the radar, but that makes it fun!

Courtesy of TheTimeChanger

This is a new collaboration piece from TheTimeChanger and Alain Silberstein.

Per TheTimeChanger -

THETIMECHANGER X ALAIN SILBERSTEIN

€1,890.00

• Professional retrograde chronograph watch
• Flyback and Rattrapante (split-seconds) functions
• Chronometric precision

2 numbered limited series:

• Black dial watch: 150 watches
• Blue dial watch: 150 watches

It's important to understand that this is not some ordinary quartz chronograph. Again, per TheTimeChanger -

A UNIQUE MOVEMENT

This quartz movement is powered by two silicon MEMS micromotors. Fully programmable, this movement enables the creation of complex horological complications, such as retrograde hands with flyback and retrograde (split-seconds) functions for chronograph mode.

Mechanism: Programmable MEMS micromotor, made in Besançon
Mode: Retrograde Hour + Minutes
Functions: Flyback and rattrapante (split-seconds)
Water Resistance: 5 ATM
Casing: stainless steel with PVD treatment*
Crystal: anti-reflective sapphire for excellent readability
Diameter:** 42mm and Thickness : 11mm
Weight: 64g

And a pretty cool video -

What Happens Next...

It is clearly a time of uncertainty. In fairness? The uncertainty in Watch Town is the least of the world's problems, but with that said...

Availability -

As Brendan Cunningham pointed out in his most recent post at Horolonomics, things are looking like they are not getting better any time soon -

Horolonomics.com

On the production side, this has an immediate impact on brand's ability to manufacture and deliver watches in a timely manner. Now some might immediately say that this means a renewed interest (and price increase) on the pre-owned market. Sorry to be a naysayer, but - Nay! The uncertainty that the world is feeling right now is at such a level that pretty much everyone is hanging onto their money.

Politics -

We are undoubtably at one of those rare turning points in global history. Sorry to be so dark and gloomy when watches are supposed to bring us joy. Here in the US, it has been something curious to watch. During Trump I, a lot of well-respected retailers and distributors lost a lot of business due to publicly aired political opinions.

You'd hear stories about the brand employee or manager being frogmarched out of the BaselWorld halls owing to a bit too much alcohol and an ill-advised comment or comments within earshot. 

Moreover, lifelong business friendships disintegrated overnight during Trump I and the COVID pandemic that overlapped Trump I and Biden. People who would look forward to meeting and talking would first trade barbs, then actively avoid each other. Several privately owned retail outlets on both sides of the political divide paid a heavy price. And that's to say nothing about the retailers who put their faith in selling Russian made / marketed watches. 

Think I'm full of it? I know more than a few TESLA owners who are regretting their purchases.

Economic Reality -

I can only offer accurate commentary on things here in the US. I am (currently) the Executive Director of the MassHire Career Center in the Merrimack Valley (Lawrence, MA). Our primary function at the Career Center is to help people either get jobs, or enroll in training and / or education that will help people get into/back into work. Let's just say that we are feeling anxious ourselves. So when the people who are there to help you when you need help, are potentially in need of the same help? Let's just say that the safety net is starting to unravel. And this is something that is being felt across all industries, whether they are private, public, non-profit, governmental. The uncertainty is not being "selective".

So I don't think anyone sees a quick resolution. We're all going to have to wait and see.

And most importantly?

We ALL need to listen to the voices of our better angels. Now more than ever.

Leaving The Party While It's Still Full - Jack Carlson

News broke yesterday that Jack Carlson of Rowing Blazers will be moving on to his next adventure. And in all honesty, for many of us who started as fans, became loyal customers, and then got to know Jack a little bit - it's somewhat bittersweet.  

It is not everyday that a brand like Rowing Blazers comes along.       

                   

In the time since Rowing Blazers launched, several other brands have come and gone. A few quite surprisingly so. So yes, the success of Rowing Blazers took a bit of luck, but luck tends to favor the well-prepared.

Jack Carlson is many things - a champion rower, Doctor of Philosophy (Archeology at Oxford), author, and creative director. And perhaps paramount to his success, and that of Rowing Blazers - he is a genuinely nice guy.

I am the proud owner of more Rowing Blazers gear than I really have space for, but I wouldn't trade any of it. A lot of it is because it looks great (even on my declining form) and it is well-made. But it's more than that. What makes Rowing Blazers great is what makes any iconic brand truly great. It's the people. And Jack and his team created something truly magical, something beyond a brand. Rowing Blazers is much more - it has became a club that you would want to be a member of. Inclusive, fun, and joyful -

The individual ideas for collaboration were wonderful - Babar, US Rowing, the NBA just to name a few. But I think it is even more telling to look at the arc of Rowing Blazers as a whole. It has become a touchstone for so many brands and designers since.

My only regret is not getting the Croquet Stripe blazer while it was available, but you never know, it might come back someday ; )

To be clear, Rowing Blazers will continue on, and I suspect will remain at the forefront. But it will not be the same. That is neither good or bad, but it is fact.

I am grateful that I've had even a small glimpse into this wonderful world as a loyal customer and fan. And if I'm honest, I am happy for Jack Carlson - not everyone gets the opportunity (to quote Valentino Clemente Ludovico Garavani) to "leave the party while it's still full".

So thank you Mr. Carlson, you have made my sartorial life so much more than it might have been ; ) 

Going Back To Go Forward - Tempus Fugit!

Four words I swore I'd never say in relation to watch show attendance -

"I'll be in Geneva!"

Now before you call the "thought police" that manipulate the guest list at Watches and Wonders, relax - they still have not invited me ; )

I will be working (to quote that other great commentator on the watch industry, Dolly Parton) 

"Two doors down."

Technically one door down if I've understood the map provided by Time to Watches. I will be working the booth at Ollech & Wajs, so if you find yourself in Geneva, come by to see us!

And I have to say that I am feeling rather enthusiastic about watches again - and that is a bit of a welcome feeling. And that feeling brought me back to this time machine -

And yes, there is a story to it. And like any good story that I have about Watch Town, discovering cool watches, and meeting new friends, it's a story that involves Roderich Hess. Although it's been (I believe) 7 years now, parts of it seem like yesterday. Auguste Reymond was still in its birthplace of Tramelan. Lorenz Aebischer was still in charge, and there was a real feeling to the brand. The building was very, very cool but definitely in need of some attention / refurbishment. Two watch makers were on site along with administration folks. It was a humble, honest and sincere enterprise. 

Well, that was then. It is inevitable that things can and must inevitably change. Sometimes for the better, sometimes not so much. You can't live in the past, but by that same token you should not forget it, or try to ignore it.

In the end, Auguste Reymond went to new owners, and moved down the hill to the Biel/Bienne suburbs. But I remember it for what it was, something special.

A watch ultimately is a thing, an object. But like so many things that come and go in our lives, this watch for me is also a talisman. It reminds me of the importance of friendship, of commitment, and of working together - just the way I saw Lorenz and his team work together in sometimes overwhelming circumstances. 

I was passionate then. Somehow over the last few years that passion was lost. But oddly enough, an upcoming trip to Geneva seems to be just the tonic to put the bounce back in my step!

So as you go about your day today, pick a time machine to wear (if you have a collection) that reminds you of something special, something that will inspire you, something that will make you smile.

And remember - although nothing lasts forever, your memories are yours for keeps!

Tempus Fugit -

Henki 

26 Years Later... The Cricket and the Presidents Second Edition

 It's finally ready!

More than 100 pages of Vulcain / Presidential history!

Hard cover, but designed to be read, not stuck on a shelf!

This is a self-published project, and will be available for purchase through the Oberlin Watch Company website -

                www.oberlinwatch.com

Pre-order pricing is $45 US plus shipping.

The 1870 CE Black & Blue

From Cornell Watch Company -

Courtesy of the Cornell Watch Company

This is the latest from the Cornell Watch Company. Two new takes on the debut 1870, this time with either a blue or black dial.

Per the folks at Cornell Watch Company -

Two new models join the original 1870 CE, both featuring grand feu enamel dials made by Donzé Cadrans, Switzerland's premier maker of such dials. The 1870 CE Black features a black enamel dial complemented by gilt-style printing and gold-plated hands, while the 1870 CE Blue has a navy blue enamel dial paired with white printing and rhodium-plated hands. Both watches still feature the 39mm stainless steel 1870 case and a hand-finished Schwarz Etienne ASE 200 movement, and they are fully assembled here in the United States by the RGM Watch Company. 

 

These watches will be produced in extremely limited quantities due to the complexity of making the dials and both are priced at $12,950. The original 1870 CE remains priced at $11,950. 

Here are the pertinents -

Case

Dimensions:

39mm x 10mm at case, 11.3mm at crystal
48mm lug-to-lug
20mm lug width

Material:

Mix of brushed and polished 316L stainless-steel

Bezel:

Polished, smooth

Winding Crown:

Double gasket

CrystalBox-style raised sapphire crystal (front)
Flat sapphire crystal (back)

Water Resistance:

50m



Movement

Calibre:

Schwarz Etienne
ASE 200
Manufacture automatic movement with micro-rotor

Functions:

Hours and minutes
(Sub) small second at 6 o'clock
Stop second

Decoration:

Brushed solid gold plaque on micro-rotor
Radial brushing on bridges
Perlage on mainplate

Technical Characteristics:

86-hour power reserve
33 jewels
3 Hz (21'600 Alt/h)
Adjusted 5 positions
Balance wheel with fixed inertia, produced by Schwarz Etienne
Spiral hairspring with flat Philips terminal curve

Dial and Hands

Material:

Donzé Cadrans grand feu enamel dial
Thermal blued steel, rhodium and gold plated hands

Technical Characteristics:

Crafted by hand
Enamel repeatedly fired between 1472-1652°F (800-900°C)
Thermal blued steel hands fired between 536-572°F (280-300°C)

Strap & Buckle

Producer:
Handmade by Velle Alexander

Material:
Matte American Alligator

Technical Characteristics:
Zermatt black leather lining
Curved lug end
Quick-release

Buckle:
316L stainless steel
Velle Alexander exclusive

Spending Time With The Mühle Glashütte Sportivo Travel GMT

All good things must come to an end, maybe...

Okay, before we go too far into this, I have to go back to where and when I first encountered the Sportivo Travel GMT. I was wandering through the booths at the Wind-Up show in New York this past October. I had briefly spoken with Damir Armstrong of Duber Time - the US distributor for Mühle Glashütte at the Watch Time event the night before, and as I waded through the masses of the Wind-Up show the next day, I was on a mission. I had to have a second look at something that had caught my eye and beguiled me. 

If you wanted to spend a quality minute or two on Saturday at the WindUp show, you had to commit to pushing through a throng of folks, three to four bodies wide, several wearing backpacks stuffed beyond a fully-prepped paratrooper just before jumping into Normandy. You had to show commitment ; )

Courtesy of Mühle Glashütte

So needless to say, after struggling past (I'm sorry, but in all honesty) some less-than fresh smelling folks, and dodging latte splashes and hurdling baby strollers (what the hell were these parents thinking?) I had Damir walk me through the the GMT Sportivo, and that more than anything else I saw in New York stayed with me.

So fast forward to "nowish" and the Sportivo Travel GMT found its way to the North Shore for me to spend some time with it.

Courtesy of Mühle Glashütte

Mühle Glashütte makes some fancier pieces, not least of which is my ALL-TIME favorite - the Robert Mühle Mondphase Limited Edition. And although what I am about to say may seem contrarian, this versatility is why I far prefer the offerings from Mühle Glashütte. And this is why I find the Sportivo Travel GMT such a perfect counter point to the (let's be honest) very high priced pseudo sport models offered by their neighbors in Glashütte.

So let's dive in, shall we? (see what I did there?)

Let's start with the basics - the case is of stainless steel, and measures 42.5 mm in diameter; with a height of 11.4 mm.

The level of quality in the case finish is of an impressive level - brushed and polished stainless steel. And yes, aesthetics are important. But just as important if not more so? The engineering that often goes unseen, and can be under appreciated or even taken for granted.

The Sportivo Travel GMT is rated to a depth of 30 bars - that's 3 ATM (atmospheres) or more specifically 300 meters.

Under the hood, the Sportivo GMT is driven by a nicely customized Sellita SW 330-2. How customized? Glad you asked!

The specs on the Mühle Glashütte website break it down -

Movement: SW 330-2 Mühle Version, automatic, Mühle version with woodpecker neck regulation, own rotor, characteristic surface finishes, stop-second, fast date correction, 56-hr power reserve.

And now here is where the NOMOS fanboys and fangirls will whinge - "But it's not a manufacture movment..."

Well, allow me to relate a few sad realities about owing a watch with a manufacture movement - service, movement failure, high service cost, long service wait times. This is the reality. So when we are talking about a watch that you actually intend to, I don't know, actually wear... well you might want to consider how you want to spend your money, and time ; )

The timekeeping of the Sportivo Travel GMT has been quite good, very steady, not real variances. And that's as it should be.

The strap is an interesting design choice, and clearly speaks to the actual intended use of the watch.  

It is crafted of canvas and rubber. The rubber portion is textured to ensure that the strap is breathable, not slippy, and most importantly in less wintery-weather? It won't be slimy.

The strap is similar to what I have seen from Hirsch. And as many of you know, Hirsch straps are not exactly inexpensive, and are highly praised for their quality.

Now all of these are important things, but ultimately you could have a perfectly engineered watch, but if it is uncomfortable to wear, it will either sit in your dresser, or be traded or sold for something else.

After several weeks, I can honestly say that it is one of the most comfortable watches I have worn in some time. 

But now I need to get a little personal. Because despite all of the wonderful craftsmanship (both artisanal and technological), the Sportivo Travel GMT hit (and still hits) me with a visceral sucker-punch. 

What do I mean by visceral?

Per Merriam-Webster:

1. : felt in or as if in the internal organs of the body : deep. a visceral conviction. 

2. : not intellectual : instinctive, unreasoning.

Visceral Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

When you work with and around watches, and most of your waking hours are spent trying to describe them, sell them, market them? It can become a bit like, well, work...

Courtesy of Watch Charts.com

The Swatch Calypso Diver is not exactly an horological marvel. It's a plastic cased quartz watch with a plastic strap that I think I bought at the May Company in the Midway Mall in Elyria, Ohio back in 1985. That watch strangely meant quite a bit to me, even more in hindsight. I had moved out of the family home, I was 17 years old and staring down the reality that I would have to work nights and weekends at the now defunct Selenti's Pizza, while going to Oberlin High School, haplessly chasing a soccer scholarship that the OHS coach spent zero effort to help me with. Let's just say that one year probably still resonates more with me than any one before or since.

More than anything else I remember about that time was that I wanted to do more, wanted to see more. I knew that there had to be more out there than Northern Ohio, and the dream of travel, learning a new language, living in a different country with a different culture? This started as an aspirational notion that evolved into an obsession.

When I wear the Sportivo GMT, it hits me on so many levels. Now I realize that the point of a watch review is to be objective, but sometimes things are more personal. And my feeling is that the right watch (which is different for each wearer) does more than tell the time. And for the Mühle Glashütte Sportivo Travel GMT is more - it is a time machine. 

The Mühle Glashütte Sportivo Travel GMT is very well priced at $2,999.00 on the canvas strap, and $3,249.00 on the stainless steel bracelet.

Here are the pertinents, straight from Mühle Glashütte -

Movement: SW 330-2 Mühle Version, automatic, Mühle version with woodpecker neck regulation, own rotor, characteristic surface finishes, stop-second, fast date correction, 56-hr power reserve

Case: Brushed/polished stainless steel, Bidirectional rotating bezel with black ceramic inlay, Double anti-glare sapphire crystal, Transparent case back, Screw-in crown, Water-resistant to 30 bars.

Strap: Waterproof canvas/rubber strap with stainless steel pin buckle or stainless steel strap with butterfly clasp

Dimensions: Diameter – 42.5 mm; Height – 11.4 mm

Dial: Black, Applied indices, Hour markers and hands coated in Super LumiNova