The anno – annual calendar sandblasted

From ochs und junior -

Courtesy of ochs und junior

Available in either 39 mm or 42 mm.

The case is of Grade 5 titanium. The movement is based on the ETA 2824-2 with Ludwig Oechslin's modifications attached.

Priced at: 

CHF 5'596.30 — Incl. 8.1% VAT.
CHF 5'177.00 — Export price.

Here are the pertinents:

Case in Grade 5 titanium | Sandblasted and rhodium-plated dial with patina markers | Patina hour and minute hands | Second hand gold leaf coated | Rhodium plated date disk, month wheel and weekday wheel | Date, month and weekday display in patina | ETA 2824-2 | Black Ecopell calfskin strap, available in sizes small, medium, large, or extra-large | Non customizable | Warranty two years.

The THERMOSPHERE

From Hahnhart -

Courtesy of Hanhart

This is the latest special edition from Hanhart - the THERMOSPHERE. The case is of satin polished stainless steel and measures 42 mm in diameter. This is no mere desk-diver! Per Hanhart:

"Developed in collaboration with the Baden-Württemberg State Firefighters’ Association, the watch transfers key time markers from a breathing apparatus operation onto the rotating bezel.

In doing so, the model combines a robust operational aesthetic with a clear functional concept."

Courtesy of Hanhart

It is priced (reasonably) at $2.467 here in the lower 48.

Here are the pertinents -

CASE

DIMENSIONS
Diameter 42 mm
Height 12.95 mm
Lug-to-Lug 49 mm

MATERIAL
Stainless steel, satin/polished

BEZEL
Fluted blue bezel with ceramic insert
Triangle, indices and numerals coated with Super-LumiNova®
Can be turned counterclockwise

GLASS
Convex, internally anti-reflective sapphire crystal

CASE BACK
Screwed case back
Engraved limited-edition number „XXX/112“

WATER RESISTANCE
Water-resistant up to 30 bar/30 ATM in accordance with DIN 8310

MOVEMENT

CALIBER
Mechanical movement: Sellita SW 200-1 oder Soprod
28,800 A/h (4 Hz)
25 jewels

POWER RESERVE
38 hours after full winding

FUNCTIONS
Three-hand, hour, minute and second display
Genuine three-hand movement with date display
Special display designed to support emergency responders

DIAL

DIAL
Dark blue dial with modern Hanhart logo
Additional highlighted “1” at 12 o’clock to emphasise the European emergency number 112
Red Flame and Red Lion – Official Emblem of the Baden-Württemberg Firefighters Association

NUMBERS
Super-Luminova® coated

HANDS
Super-Luminova® coated
Skeletonized hour and minute hands

STRAP

STRAP
Rubber, textile strap or stainless steel bracelet
Lug width 20 mm

COLORS
Black, blue or stainless steel

BUCKLE
Folding clasp

Summer Repeat: She Loves America

I first ran this one in "the Blog fornerly known as Tempus Fugit" several years ago.  Sadly, it's as true today as it ever was. So for you, gentle reader, a cautionary tale about the perils of not developing local talent -

 

She Loves America… but America doesn't Love Her.

This was, albeit the short form, the sentiment that I heard from a blogger colleague of mine referring to the recently appointed replacement coming to "save" the North American subsidiary of "brand x".

I've written on this topic before, but with the inevitable annual "house cleaning" session that we are about to witness, it seemed like a pertinent topic again.  Please indulge me while I revisit the ongoing challenge faced by the watch industry in the US and Canada.  So basically, brand x is in Switzerland.  They have tried several different solutions, that like death can be broken down into specific stages:

1.  Go with a distributor for about 10 years.
Everything seemed to be going okay.  Sales were very, very strong.  But then they started to hear rumblings.  Their watches were showing up in many places that were not exactly "official retail partners" which is a polite way of saying "grey market".  How did that happen?  Simple, the distributor wrote very large orders to stores and store owners who in fact were doing massive amounts of trans-shipping.  In other words, although some of the watches were in the "front area", the majority of the watches were being sold out the back door before they even made it into the store's safe.  So a change had to be made.

2.  Hosanna!  We have the solution!  A young Swiss sales manager saddles-up and heads across the water to "take the situation in hand".  And like any great television sitcom, hilarity ensues!  Language and cultural miscommunication leads to acrimonious feelings between the "natives" and the "over lord".

Sounds pretty harsh?  Trust me, I've heard worse from both sides.  This situation is destined to fail for a number of reasons, but essentially what resonates is that:

To the parent company - The North American team sucks.  They are little children that clearly can't handle the job, and we have to "keep an eye" on them.

To the "home team" - Oh great, another "idiot son" sent to "train for the future" by running the North American subsidiary.  This genius can't even figure out where the toilet is!

Needless to say, things don't work out.  A year to three is about how long this usually runs.

3.  Okay,  let's hire someone to run our subsidiary.  And while everyone may love this person, they stand about the same chances as any new restaurant opening.  Because at this point, the feeling is that things better go right.  This person will usually be given about half the time to fix or establish the brand.    Very few people can do it, and those who can't?  Well don't worry, you'll see them working for a different brand inside of 6 months.

So what am I trying to say here?  PATIENCE needs to be the policy.  Your brand didn't go bad overnight, it was a slow, but steady process.  You will not be able to "fix" your brand overnight either.  Be realistic, and unless your Brand Manager gets caught with a dead body and a bath tub full of cocaine, give them a bit more time - good things, some times take time.

The Promenade - GOUTTE DE ROSÉE

From Czapek -

Courtesy of Czapek

This is the latest from Czapek. The Promenade - GOUTTE DE ROSÉE.

Courtesy of Czapek

The case is of yellow gold and measures 38 mm in diameter.

The movement is Czapek's automatic Calibre SXH5.

Limited to 25 pieces, and priced at 32,000.00 CHF (Excl. VAT)

YES! Mathey - Tissot!

There is a lot of snobbery in Watch Town and Watch Town adjacent. It often reminds me of the scene in Bottle Shock where the somewhat uptight English wine merchant brilliantly played by Alan Rickman defends his contempt for California wines (unknowingly) to California vinyard / winery owner played by Bill Pullman, and Pullman calls bullshit:

            "You're a snob, it limits you" 

I had the very great pleasure of meeting the folks at Mathey-Tissot at Time to Watches in Geneva last month. I picked up a modest (but damn good looking) Mathey-Tissot quartz piece. And I noticed some real beauties lurking nearby. And upon further reflection, I found this beauty.

Courtesy of Mathey-Tissot

This is the 1968. And while my quest for a birth year watch has proved fruitless for some time, this wonderful time machine quite well scratches the itch for me!

It is special.

The case measures 41 mm in diameter and is of stainless steel. The movement is Landeron's self-winding 73B. 

The asking price? So totally fair at $2,579.00 US.

I would highly, HIGHLY recommend that if you're in the market for something special, have a good look at the Mathey-Tissot 1968. 

There is a LOT of noise, posturing, and posing in Watch Town, but the 1968 absolutely strikes a chord with yours truly, it is something that stands on its own. 

I hope to have more Mathey-Tissot goodness to share in the coming weeks.

The People You Meet on Vacation...Nepro

Before I go too deep into Nepro's triumphant return, I'm gonna' hop into the way-back machine to 1978.

Way back when dinosaurs were roaming the earth, my grandfather decided that the one thing that every 10 year old needed was an LED watch.  So a very large, very chunky LED watch arrived and was given to me.

Courtesy of SMU Digital Libraries

I LOVED that watch, hitting the buttons incessantly.  It worked for all of a week before malfunctioning.  We sent it back to the folks at Texas Instruments and were told to wait a month.  Only to receive a BRAND NEW identical model less than a week later, swiftly followed by the original "repaired" model a week after that.  Spoiler alert - both watches died within a week of arrival.  

So when I came across the Nepro table at Time to Watches in Geneva, I at once felt pangs of nostalgia, hope, desire, and frankly? A fear of being "hurt" again...

I saw the Nepro on Saturday, befor the last day of the fair. And I was pretty much obsessed for the balance of my stay. Rational, reasonable thoughts were replaced by the absolute conviction that the Nepro was absolutely fundamental to my future happiness. Fortunately, one non-solar piece was found. Digital currency was exchanged, and it came home with me. 

Now in truth? I am not proposing that what will follow later this week will be a review. My attachment to my new Nepro LED watch is now a little too deep for me to be really objective. But with that said, it is my sincere hope that maybe - just maybe, you can go home again - and you're watch will actually make it to Christmas still working  - I have a good feeling about this one ; )

Stay tuned!

Numptys...

Per the Urban Dictionary -
Numpty:
Dialect, chiefly scots. A bumbling fool or one who is intellectually challanged.
(plural : numpties)
"they numpties couldnae organise a pissup in a brewery."
In reference to MSPs( members of scottish parliment). numpty by Gerry K. April 26, 2005

Courtesy of Audemars Piguet

Unlike most of my colleagues in the Fourth and Fifth Estates of Watch Town, I have held off on commenting on Hayek "the Younger's" latest thirst trap. By and large, I like Swatch, own a bunch, and even plumped for a Blancpain x Swatch as well as a Mission to Mars. They're fun.

And without going into the pros and cons of whether or not $420 American is wisely spent on this latest outing, I want to reflect on the shit-show that was Swatch's lack of common sense regarding the launch of the Royal Pop. Or to paraphrase James Corder's bon mots - Is human life only worth $420?

You can read his insightful commentary here, it is well worth your time -

https://www.watchpro.com/corders-column-somebody-could-have-been-killed-today-over-a-400-swatch/

While seeing crowds buzzing is good for business, I would like to think we have moved on from the Bernie Ecclestine / Hublot "if it bleeds, it leads" approach to marketing -

Courtesy of Hublot

And while many of us are sharing our feelings, curious to relate? It appears that neither Mr. Hayek, or Ms. Resta have been particularly forthcoming with coments following a highly anticipated, partially aborted launch capped off with near riots. Think I'm being overly dramatic? Simply put, riot police aren't typically dispatched to your neighborhood mall over a parking dispute, or a getting the wrong order at Orange Julius... 

While some folks will hopefully get and truly appreciate their new pocket watch, my sincere hope is that in Biel/Bienne and Le Brassus there might be just a wee bit of reflection on how this was handled, and maybe (doubtful, I know) maybe one of these two leaders can put their egos aside and accept the responsibility for the situation and offer some sort of acknowledgement.

I know, this is about as likely to happen as me being invited on an AP press junket ; )

Or to paraphrase the closing scene in one of my favorite films -

"Forget it, Henki. It's Watch Town."

Perhaps Just Under the Radar - The Epos 3408

Okay, spoiler alert - Epos has some really cool new watches coming soon. That's all I will say for now. But with that said, they have some true gems that might not be on your radar, but should! So let "the weekend of Epos" begin!

Courtesy of Epos

This is the Epos 3408. It is singularly perfect.

The case is of stainless steel and measures 39 mm in diameter. Simple, elegant, and wonderful.

Courtesy of Epos

The movement is the Peseux 7001.  Again, simple. But remember - simple is not dumb. Simple is elegant, only what is needed, albeit with a beautiful finish.

And finally? In these uncertain times, we are all more that a wee bit price sensitive. Well, Epos has you covered - priced at US$ 1'710 here in the lower 48.

Here are the pertinents -

Movement
Base Movement	Peseux 7001
Type	Hand-Wound
Execution	Decorated
Date Functions	None

Case
Material	Stainless Steel
Color	Steel
Diameter	39 mm
Thickness	5.9 mm
Lugs	20 mm
Front Crystal	Scratch-Resistant Sapphire
Back	See-Through Mineral
Water Resistance	3 ATM

Dial
Color	Muted Olive Green
Execution	Sunblasted
Hour Markers	Index Applied
Strap
Material	Leather
Color	Black
Buckle	Pin Buckle (Folding Buckle on request)

The BR-X3 Patrouille de France

From Bell & Ross -

Courtesy of Bell & Ross

This is the latest from Bell & Ross. For the past several years they have partnered with the Patrouille de France aerobatic team for a special watch. This year's version is limited to 250 pieces.

The asking is $8,100.

Here are the pertinents, straight from Bell & Ross -

Movement : Manufacture. Automatic Mechanical Movement. Power reserve of approximately 70 hours.

Functions : Hours, minutes and seconds. Date window at 3 o'clock and power reserve indicator at 9 o'clock.

Case : 41 mm wide. 13.30 mm thick. Satin-finished and polished steel. Screw-down crown. Crown guard. Decorative side pillar and bezel in blue anodised aluminium with micro-blasted finish. Sapphire case-back featuring a custom metallised Patrouille de France logo.

Dial : Three-plate construction – matt black base, blue and white skeletonised applique, matt black insert – with polished and rhodium-plated “Baignoire-style” applique indices, filled with white Super-LumiNova® BGW9 Grade X1 (blue glow). Patrouille de France logo at 6 o'clock. Power reserve window featuring the colours of the French flag (blue, white and red). Skeletonised rhodium-plated hour and minutes hands filled with Super-LumiNova® BGW9 Grade X1 (blue glow).

Crystal : Sapphire with anti-reflective coating.

Water resistance : 100 metres.

Strap : Openworked black rubber and blue ultra-resilient synthetic fabric.

Buckle : Pin. Satin-finished and polished steel.

The calendario quattro anni (cqa)

From ochs und junior -

Courtesy of ochs und junior

In honor of their 20th anniversary, ochs und junior has released an annual calendar good for four years.

This is a pre-order item, deliveries are anticipated to begin in October. Initial price is: CHF 6,900 – Export price 

CHF 7,460 – incl. 8.1% Swiss VAT

Here are the pertinents -

Case:

Grade 5 titanium, 40 mm  

Dial: 

circular graining in oj blue patina with markers decorated with white gold | Hour and minute hands, adorned in white gold | Second hand in orange | Date and month display in orange  

Movement:

ETA 2824-2 

Strap: 

Enzian in Ecopell calfskin, with or without orange stitching, available in sizes small, medium, large, or extra-large 

Weight: 

65 g (with buckle and strap) 

Warranty: two years 

Non-customizable.

The BR-03 Green Steel

From Bell & Ross -

Courtesy of Bell & Ross

This is the latest in the BR-03 family. A three-hand automatic with date - in green.

The case is of stainless steel and measures 41 mm in diameter. The movement is self-winding with a power reserve of 54 hours.

Here are all the pertinents -

Movement : Calibre BR-CAL.302-1. Automatic Mechanical Movement. 54-hour power reserve.

Functions : Hours, minutes, seconds and date.

Case : 41 mm wide. 9.65 mm thick. Satin-finished and polished steel.

Dial : Green sunray with black gradient, coated with glossy lacquer. “Baignoire-style” applique indices and numerals filled with white Super-LumiNova® X1 (green glow). Skeletonised rhodium-plated hour and minute hands filled with white Super-LumiNova® X1 (green glow).

Crystal : Sapphire with anti-reflective coating.

Water resistance : 100 metres.

Strap : Black-coloured box calfskin leather and black ultra-resilient synthetic fabric.

Buckle : Pin. Satin-finished and polished steel.

Priced at $4,100.

The Rallye Méca Quartz Chronographe GPFH 2026

From Lip -

Courtesy of Lip

This is the latest from the folks in Besançon. A new take on their Rallye chronograph collection.

In their own words -


LIP Rallye Chronograph Grand Prix de France Historique – Limited Edition 2026

The house of LIP has created a third exclusive model, in a limited and numbered edition, co-branded with the Grand Prix de France Historique to celebrate its third year as the Official Timekeeper. This season’s inspiration comes from the cyan blue run-off stripes that are iconic on the Circuit Paul Ricard.

The case is of polished stainless steel, and measures 39 mm in diameter.

The movement is a meca quartz.

Limited to 1,906 pieces, and priced at €349.00
Tax included.