The UR-220 SL Asimov

From Urwerk -

Courtesy of Urwerk

Yes, that Isaac Asimov ; )

Per Urwerk -

Someone clawed at the torch, and it

 fell and snuffed out. In the instant, the

 awful splendor of the indifferent Stars

leaped nearer to them.

On the horizon outside the window, in

  the direction of Saro City, a crimson glow

began growing, strengthening in

 brightness, that was not the glow of a sun.

 The long night had come again.

 

Isaac Asimov “Nightfall” (1941)  

 

Stealth spaceship by day, luminescent installation by night, the UR-220 SL Asimov is the third variation of the 220 collection. Under the impetus of designer and URWERK co-founder Martin Frei, the model has undergone subtle changes in materials, colours, finishes and aesthetic characteristics. Against a predominantly black carbon backdrop, the UR-220 revisits a fascinating play on contrasts and luminosity. 

Courtesy of Urwerk

The UR-220 SL Asimov indicates the time by means of luminous truncated pyramid-type hour transporters. The cube shape featured in previous versions of the UR-220 resulted from meticulous work on URWERK's CNC machines. In this iteration, these elements free of any sharp edges are cast from a silicon mould and hand-adjusted to ensure their perfect finish. Their degree of hardness at the end of the process is close to that of ceramic. This technical expertise was developed by the Swiss company RC Tritec, which has 80 years of experience in the field.

Courtesy of Urwerk

The three hours transporters are therefore "made" of colour, specifically Swiss Super-LumiNova® Grade X1 BL. And it is at night that the transformation takes place, when they become phosphorescent. There is no engraving here, as the satellites and hour-markers are one and the same. They are light catchers, active pigments whose function is to capture each light unit and then restore them in the dark so as to achieve optimal nocturnal legibility. 

This new display underlines the technical nature of the time reading. It remains based on URWERK’s patented wandering hour satellite complication. The wandering hours are displayed on three rotating truncated pyramid-shaped transporters. Each in turn is inserted into a 3D minutes pointer which travels over the 120 degrees of the minute scale and at the end of the hour makes a big jump back to the "0" marker to welcome the next transporter. This powerful and swift retrograde minutes display is undoubtedly the most impressive ever in a wristwatch, notably featuring a minutes pointer openworked on all sides.

The dial also provides a power-reserve indication that can be read off on two subdials. The autonomy of the movement is indicated by these 24-hour gauges. During manual winding, the right-hand gauge is the first to indicate the mainspring degree of wind and once it has reached the maximum level, the left-hand indicator takes over. Split between two ‘reservoirs’, the power-reserve display is composed of 83 mechanical elements, testifying to the complexity of its development.

 

The back of the UR-220 SL Asimov features a digital Oil Change gauge appearing on two adjacent rollers. The wearer of the watch triggers this device by removing a protective pin and pressing a pusher to activate the counters that will display the mechanism’s active running time in months. After 39 months – three years and three months – a service is recommended and once this is complete, the URWERK teams reset the counter and replace the pin.

 

This UR-220 SL Asimov is a quintessential expression of URWERK-ian design construction in which interior and exterior are melded into a coherent whole. The inner or outer shapes, finishes and colours may be merged, shifted or flipped in either direction. The complex shape of the bezel, the slender, hollowed-out lines of the case middle, the strength of the crown at 12 o’clock, are all part of a horological layout exclusive to URWERK.

                                URWERK / UR-220 SL Asimov

Movement
Calibre:	Calibre UR-7.20, developed by URWERK
Winding:	Manually wound
Escapement:	Swiss lever
Frequency:	28, 800 v/h - 4 Hz
Hairspring:	Flat
Energy source :	Single mainspring barrel
Jewels:	59
Power reserve:	48 hours
Materials:	Baseplate in ARCAP P40, 3D minutes pointer in aluminium with bronze counterweight; central spring in steel. Hour transporter in aluminium; central carrousel and screws in grade 5 titanium.
Decorative finishes:	Hours studs moulded in Swiss Super-LumiNova® Grade X1 BL. Black-lacquered markers. Black circular-grained power-reserve bridge and module. Black shotpeened power-reserve subdial. Finely sandblasted carrousel and its cage featuring a circular satin finish and black rhodium-plated.  Finely sandblasted satellite cam with a circular satin finish.  Finely sandblasted PVD-blackened 3D hand SuperLuminova components: yellow glowing yellow for the hour transporters and hour-markers; white glowing blue for power reserves; green glowing green, red glowing green for the 60-minute marker and the end of the power-reserve scale. Polished screws.
Indications	Wandering hours on a satellite complication (URWERK patent).  3D retrograde minutes hand.  Double power-reserve indicator. Oil-change indicator on two rollers on the back showing the accumulated running time of the movement in months.
Case
Material:	Carbon CTP (Carbon Thin Ply) – 81 layers
Dimensions:	Width: 43.8mm; length: 53.6mm; depth: 14.8mm
Glass:	Transparent sapphire crystal
Caseback:	Black DLC-treated titanium and sapphire crystal glasses.
Water resistance:	Pressure tested to 30m/3 ATM
Decorative finishes:	Black DLC-coated shotpeened and sandblasted crown;  Black DLC-coated sandblasted crown guard;   Back: black DLC-coated sandblasted caseback;  Pin: satin-finished body with sandblasted engraving, polished needle;  Tinted sapphire crystals;  Polished screws.
Strap:	Vulcarboné© cured rubber, reference “Kiska” with black DLC-coated buckle; Velcro© fastening
Price:	CHF 147´000.-

A Limited Edition From Bamford London

While a lot of the collaborations get most of the press ink, I wanted to take a moment to share a limited edition from the Bamford GMT collection -

Courtesy of Bamford London

The perfect watch for those following the 3 Lions as they make their way to the quarter finals.

This is one of the Bamford London GMTs, but it is a limited series.  Priced at £916.67

Here are the pertinents -

TYPE: 

Automatic GMT watch with internal rotating bezel
MOVEMENT: 

Sellita SW330-1, 25 Jewels, 28,800 Vph, 42 hour power reserve
FUNCTION: 

Self winding mechanism with ball bearing, 3 O’Clock date position with quick date setting, second time zone by central hand
CASE MATERIAL: 

316L grade stainless steel, Sapphire Crystal glass with antiglare
CASE DIAMETER: 

40 mm
CASE THICKNESS: 

11.7 mm
CASEBACK MATERIAL: 

Stainless Steel
WATER-RESISTANCE: 

100m / 10 ATM
LUG WIDTH: 

20mm

The Multifort Patrimony Chronograph... In Blue

From Mido -

Courtesy of Mido

The case is of stainless steel (with rose gold pvd treatment) and measures 42 mm in diameter.

Courtesy of Mido

The movement is the self-winding/automatic Caliber 60 which is based on the ETA A05.H31, featuring two and a half days of power reserve.  Just enough for the weekend if this is your "going to town" watch (i.e. Monday - Friday).

Courtesy of Mido

This one definitely appeals to me. As my odometer is approaching 53, and I am firmly ensconced in the world of non-profit administration, I feel confident (barring a Lotto windfall) that I will never be walking into a boutique and placing my platinum card on the counter to purchase a solid gold chronograph, so this is within the realm of realistic possibility for yours truly. 

Courtesy of Mido

And the price?  

CHF 1,990 is the ask.

Leonardo Pens - Write Like You Mean It!

Words in papers, words in booksWords on TV, words for crooks
Words of comfort, words of peace
Words to make the fighting cease
Words to tell you what to do
Words are working hard for you
Eat your words but don't go hungry
Words have always nearly hung me

Wordy Rappinghood, Tom Tom Club, 1981

I am, admittedly, not a big fan of disposable pens. They're wasteful, they leak, they feel just like what they are - fairly flimsy pieces of plastic in your hand. So needless to say, I am a bit particular about what I write with.

In my day job, I have to write a fair bit. A lot of it is writing proposals for grants (funding) for our adult education program. And I have a confession to make - it is one of my least favorite things to do. It is stressful. If you can't write a compelling argument for the funding, you won't get it. Simply put - no money, no program, no jobs. So when my team and I are successful, I reward myself with a new fountain pen. 

Spoiler alert - we were successful with our latest application. So off I went to Broomfield Pen in Boston and discovered a brand I had never heard of before - Leonardo Officina Italiana (or for our purposes - Leonardo).

This, gentle reader, is the Leonardo Furore Bronze. Or the Leonardo Rootbeer as I like to call it ; )

This pen is what I would call a "tweener". Not as small as most, and not as large as some. It is wonderfully comfortable to write with, and I would put it's size as "Goldilocks" - just right.

The nib for this pen is a Stub. I am not going to try and explain it intelligently, so I will leave it to the folks at Goulet Pens -

What is a stub nib?

• A nib with tipping material that’s ground flat on the end
• Produces a narrow line on the cross stroke, broad on the down stroke
• Mimics calligraphy (without doing anything different!)
• Different than flex nibs, which require pressure to change the line width

And I have to be honest, I'm kinda' digging it!  

Regarding fountain pens, I am not really a fan of cartridges unless you are traveling, and really not a fan of ultra-expensive pens that are sold in elaborate packaging with swanky bottles of "artisanal" ink, only to be equipped with somewhat anemic adapters to use bottled ink (which let's face it, is what you should be using!). To my way of thinking, it's like ordering a handmade suit and not opting for functioning button holes on the sleeve.

And that is another interesting approach that Leonardo has taken - a removable cap over the INTERNAL converter.  In other words, it is a fairly impressive reservoir that holds an impressive amount of ink. I've stripped a fair number of Pelikan pen pistons (let's face it, they're plastic), so I have to say that this is a great choice.

And as I know that there is another grant proposal on the horizon, I have already identified my next Leonardo, the Moment zero Pietra marina 

(gold nib) -

Courtesy of Leonardo Officina Italiana

Just remember, nobody of any substance or longterm consequence ever tweeted a manifesto, so write like you mean it!

Merci Lip!

Courtesy of Lip

Have you ever really wanted something, but just figured it would never happen?  I have been chasing Lip not unlike a jilted boyfriend the Sunday after the Junior Prom.  And they make a lot of watches that have caught my eye, but with this one, they have finally shot an arrow into my heart (metaphorically, not literally).

Quartz is many things - it is affordable, it is precise, and it is modern. But when I think about the Lip Churchill, I have to be honest - I feel a bit nostalgic. I feel the need for something a wee bit more tactile and mechanical. And it's as if the Montres Gods of the Mount Olympus that is Besançon heard me and now the Churchill is available with an automatic/self-winding movement! 

Courtesy of Lip

And gentle reader?  All is truly right in the world!

So if like me, you have been holding out for an affordable horological dalliance that will stick with you well past the Senior Prom and all for less than 450 Euro, then read on for the pertinents -

Case
steel 316 L, dimensions 46 mm x 26 mm, steel back case

Dial
silvered 2-tone, IP GUN hands and black arabic numerals, date at 6 o'clock

Glass
sapphire

Strap
22 mm dark brown genuine bovine leather

Movement
automatic SEIKO NH05B

Waterproof
30 meters

Warranty 2 years

Made in France - Besançon

Still Searching For Severin

I was reminded by a reader that yesterday, June 25, marked 13 years since Severin Wunderman passed away and left a gap in the watch industry that has yet to be filled (though many have tried). As mentioned frequently here before, I never got the chance to meet Mr. Wunderman, as I was still on the other side of the booth working for DOXA in the US when I learned of his passing. I reached out to my boss and asked if we should send a condolence message, and he freaked out and said "No, and never contact anyone in other brands!" Needless to say he was, and continues to be, a wee bit paranoid ; )

I sent a card anyway.

In the years since I left DOXA, I joined first the Fifth, then the Fourth Estate getting to meet many luminaries in Watch Town, and began to consult behind the scenes with brands both mighty and modest. And what I found fascinating was the number of people I encountered who had worked for Severin Wunderman during his Gucci and later Corum days, a group of men and women who still sometimes refer to themselves as "Severin's Children". 

I remember asking one friend who referred to himself as one of "Severin's Children"- 

"You're Severin Wunderman's son?" (I was a little green back then and easily impressed).

"No, but he was the person who really launched my career in the watch business".

I've met more people with similar stories than I've had hot meals in a given December. And I have borrowed some of the strategies that these folks have shared with me, and pay them forward to brands that I consult with, and have put them to work with my little project, the Oberlin Watch Company.

What continues to fascinate me, these many years later, is really how simple Mr. Wunderman's formulas were. But that's a topic for another day. Today I want to share a story that one of "Severin's Children" shared with me last December -

"It was back in 1997 when I was decorating the booth windows of our Baselworld stand. The windows had a big iconic GUCCI-G inside with one high heel shoe in the middle of this big G. We only displayed one watch in the entire window! It was around 10pm that I was flirting with an employee of our neighboring booth from Bucherer (not yet Carl F. Bucherer at that time). Her name was Beatrice. That's when she told me that I was a bit mean to let this "old" decorator work so late, and she told me that I should be ashamed of myself. Severin was wearing this four /five day beard and wasn‘t dressed in one of his suits, with the type of class that only he or Cary Grant had! There is no way that she could believe that this creative, fine, small, thin man and "great decorator" getting the booth ready was the boss of GUCCI timepieces! Then I told her that this old decorator was Severin. I asked her to try to imagine that Mr. Bucherer would be there decorating the booth with her right now, or Mr. Hayek Sr. was decorating the OMEGA booth. She didn‘t believe me at first and so I called Severin over and introduced him to Beatrice, who as it happened was probably the one of the most successful people at selling GUCCI timepieces in the Bucherer flagship store in Lucerne. And he immediately started to flirt with her in his own elegant way and invited us all for dinner. But remember; it was already after 10pm and this was 1997 in Switzerland. Usually restaurants at this time even in Basel closed their kitchens at 9:30/10:00pm, at that time especially one day before the official opening of the show. So he asked me to call Jeoffrey. Only insiders know that this was the preferred Indian restaurant of Severin in Basel which was run by the famous Jeoffrey, a wonderful gentlemen from Malaysia. And of course we not only got our table, but had dinner long after midnight. The next day Severin walked into the hall and to our booth in a suit with a class and elegance with his beautiful butterfly brooch, cigar at the ready. Yes, at that time cigars we‘re still allowed inside the holy halls of Basel... and then we started the the press presentation of the G-300 club, as well as a group of "only" 300 selected jewelers worldwide who were allowed to order and sell the G-Watch in gold! The press conference was such a huge success that so many journalists and attendees attended to our conference that they nearly had to cue up all the way to the Bucherer booth, where Beatrice was standing and waving over to Severin, who greeted her with a wonderful and beautiful smile that only he could have. We all miss this wonderful smile. I only recently saw it again in the face and eyes of his grandson. The spirit of Severin will always live on in all of us. And of course the G-300 collection was also sold by Bucherer in Lucerne. And guess which point of sale sold most of them in the whole world, and more specifically I mean which salesperson? Yes, that would be Beatrice! And that was part of the magic he had, Severin made all of us feel like part of his wonderful family!"

The Slim d'Hermès Squelette Lune

From Hermès Horloger -

Courtesy of Hermès

Here are the pertinents -


CASE
Large Model (GM), ø 39.5 mm, round
Caseband and caseback in beadblasted grade 5 titanium (Ti 88%) Bezel in 950 platinum (≈ 11.49 g)
750 white gold crown and pusher
Anti-glare sapphire crystal and caseback

DIAL
Skeletonised
Black-gold sunburst flange and grey-transferred minutes track Blue PVD-coated hands

MOVEMENT
Ultra-thin H1953 Manufacture Hermes movement Mechanical self-winding movement, crafted in Switzerland

FUNCTIONS
Hours, minutes, double moon-phase at 6 o’clock

BUCKLE
Grade 2 titanium (Ti 99%) pin buckle, 17 mm

STRAP
Matt graphite alligator

Doing Good - SEVENFRIDAY and Micah's Voice

Autism is something that touches more people that you might think. What had (in my coming up) been widely misunderstood (and often misdiagnosed or not diagnosed at all) is becoming more and more understood, but autism still presents unique challenges. 

Those of my vintage may remember Shawn Stockman from his Boyz II Men days. What they may not know is that he and his wife, Sharhonda, created the Micah's Voice charitable organization. The mission of Micah's Voice (per their website) -

With the core belief that each child has unique abilities and gifts to share with the world, Micah’s Voice provides hope and inspiration to families dealing with a diagnosis of autism. Through programs that provide education, awareness, support and financial assistance for those in greatest need, Micah’s Voice empowers families and gives a voice to these special children, so that they can enjoy the best quality of life possible.

And enter SEVENFRIDAY, who have previously supported the efforts of Micah's Voice and are doing so again with a very special limited edition -

Courtesy of SEVENFRIDAY

Limited to 100 pieces, and priced at $998 US, here are the pertinents -

DIMENSIONS
Case: 45x45,6mm (HxW)
Thickness: 12.95mm
Strap: 26 to 22mm
Crown diameter: 7.5mm

MOVEMENT
Automatic Skeleton TMI-Seiko NH70
40 hours power reserve

CASE CONSTRUCTION
Two piece, stainless steel bezel, case and crown
3ATM water resistance

CASE BACK
Specifically designed polycaronate chip cover, celebrating the collaboration between SEVENFRIDAY and MICAH’s VOICE foundation

DIAL
Four layers construction
Gradient grey semi-transparent CR39 eyewear lens
Printing relief in white, “little bit louder now” motto in white, Micah’s Voice smiley logo in
yellow at 6h
Circular brushed intermediate ring, cut out indexes from 2 to 10h, SEVENFRIDAY logo in relief printing
Double layer dial ring, beveled inner circle in brushed rhodium with 12 luminous printed tracks  Outer plate in hard sandblasted gun metal finishing

GLASS
K1 hardened mineral

FEATURES
Watch in connection with the SEVENFRIDAY App, thanks to an NFC chip embedded in the caseback, allowing secured authentication and registration
Yellow luminous painting on hour and minute hands

STRAP
Premium quality Calf skin leather, yellow stitching details towards the case, mobile loop in yellow leather

You can find more information on Micah's Voice here -

https://micahsvoice.org 

And here's the info on the collaboration, straight from SEVENFRIDAY -

SOMETIMES AT 7F WE CAN BEHAVE LIKE ADULTS,
WHEN IT’S TO HELP CHILDREN

When our friend Shawn Stockman, of BoyzIIMen fame, asked us to help him and his wife Sharhonda raise funds for their charity Micah’s Voice, we put away childish things and came up in 2015 with the P3/01, a 99-piece limited edition, with the whole money going to support autism awareness, a whopping USD 100,000! And we threw in a unique custom guitar to be auctioned off for good measure!

You see, when it comes to our friends and children, we are happy to grow up just enough to come up with ideas and especially funds to help those in need.

It started in 2014 when we helped our friend Mark Suttcliffe and Prior’s Court to raise over GBP 100,000 which funded the build of an outdoor activity area for children and young adults diagnosed on autism spectrum disorder. Then, we partnered with Handicap International and raised enough funds to demine an area equivalent to 20 football pitches in Laos. You see, we all want children to play and kick a ball safely, with the only risk of explosion one of joy when scoring a goal!

Well it’s now time to behave once more , to put on our suits and ties and look all grown up again!

Proudly introducing the new T1/02 Micah’s Voice, a novel limited edition of 100 pieces, with proceeds going towards this foundation to educate and support children and their families, suffering from autism spectrum disorder.

Not only will you get a brand new and original T-series, with all the mod cons you have come to expect from SEVENFRIDAY, such as our unique NFC authentication and signature animation ring. This time you will discover a distinctive four-layer construction and semi-transparent dial, using a special gradient grey eyewear lens, with a cute white print relief motto which reads “little bit louder now”.

And the whole underlined with a smile-like curve, just to remind you that thanks to your generosity, you will bring a welcome smile to someone who really needs it. And to ensure we make you grin too, we also include with this special watch our friend Riley, the 7F bear with an attitude.

So go on, behave now, it’s for the children!

BaselWorld IV - The Revenge!

So with resolutely modern aplomb, BaselWorld decided to be true to their DNA while being disruptive!

Translation?  It does not appear that the organizers have learned a damn thing. 

You may recall that way back when, there was a trade show for watches and jewelry hosted in a fairly large Swiss city located at the point where Switzerland, Germany and France shook hands. The show was popular and well attended. But slowly, almost imperceptibly at first, attendance began to wane, brands began to stop participating, retailers stopped visiting... you get the idea. Now the fair organizers themselves would say things like- "we've listened to our customers, and we're going to change!  Lower prices, yaddah, yaddah, yaddah."  Because the truth is, it's the same thing that they've been saying for the past several years. 

And spoiler alert - 

I honestly do not know that next year's BaselWorld will really be significantly any different than previous episodes.

We shall wait, and we shall see.

21 Years Later, The Bubble Hasn't Burst

This is the Bubble X-Ray -

Courtesy of Corum

It is hard for me to look back to 2000 and not remember all of the buzz and excitement that the Corum Bubble created. In fairness, there were plenty of doubters and more than a few haters.

I can honestly say that for my part, I was on team Severin with this one, but I appreciate that it clearly wasn't everyone's baby.

Well, 21 years later and the Bubble clearly has a whole new raft of fans, and the skull is back!

Limited to 88 pieces, the case measures a robust 47 mm in diameter, and is of PVD treated stainless steel. The movement is the CO 082, which is self-winding/automatic.

Alain Silberstein Returns to Besançon!

 

Courtesy of Utinam

Or perhaps he never really ever left!

I had the opportunity to visit Utinam's workshop and boutique in Besançon back in November 2019 and meet Philippe Lebru as well as a young clock maker from New Jersey! 

I know that Switzerland is where most people travel mentally when thinking of watch making, but for my money there is a certain magic about Besançon that is hard to really get your head around until you spend some time there.

Courtesy of Utinam

This is the latest bit of magic to spring forth and is a wonderful mash-up of the horological whimsy of Alain Silberstein and the structural awesomeness of Philippe Lebru - the Kontwaz Bauhaus 2.

Courtesy of Utinam

There have been some nice watches to come forth from the Silberstein collaboration with Louis Erard, but this clock really speaks, or in this case - sings to me!

Courtesy of Utinam

So welcome back to Besançon Alain Silberstein, or perhaps you never really left ; )

In Case You Missed It...

So I realize that the majority of folks in Watch Town, and those who are "Watch Town Adjacent" live with the unflinching conviction that the sun rises and sets at Hodinkee. So it would be understandable for those who were privy to the launch of the Rowing Blazers / Seiko mash up drop yesterday and didn't act fast might have missed out on a pretty cool sport watch that has already sold through the Rowing Blazers online store -

Courtesy of Rowing Blazers

Regular readers may remember Rowing Blazers from such disparate and non-watch related stories as -
http://www.tempusfugit.watch/2018/01/beyond-jacket-rowing-blazers-and-their.html

and
http://www.tempusfugit.watch/2018/06/rowing-blazers-pop-up.html

and
http://www.tempusfugit.watch/2019/08/the-official-tempus-fugit-blazer.html

and
http://www.tempusfugit.watch/2020/12/dear-santa.html

and
http://www.tempusfugit.watch/2017/06/blazers.html

and
http://www.tempusfugit.watch/2017/12/show-your-colors.html

and
http://www.tempusfugit.watch/2020/06/the-shit-that-killed-elvis-rowing.html

and
http://www.tempusfugit.watch/2020/09/what-to-wear-on-your-journey-or-look.html

Long story short, if like me you are a fan of Rowing Blazers efforts and you are not a habitué of certain media outlets, you might have missed out as the three versions sold out very quickly.

Well, your pal Henki has some good news for you. As a member of the press (someone who not only did a brief stint at J-school but remembers the importance of research as opposed to waiting on the press release that might never come), I thought I would do something wild and crazy and dig beyond what never showed up in my in-box. Lo and behold (Seiko) sports fans! If you went to bed last night feeling as if you got the fuzzy end of the lollipop, you can still (as of this writing at 6:00 AM Eastern on Friday, June 18) pick up a Rowing Blazers x Seiko sport watch -

Courtesy of Rowing Blazers

Because at the Seiko site, they are still available -

Courtesy of Seiko

So if you missed out on the drop, here's hoping that our attempts at egalitarian, FREEMIUM coverage will help you cop one of these pretty drip divers for yourself, even if you don't claim membership in the cult of the big H.

A very, very happy Juneteenth to all of you, and enjoy your watches!

Bell & Ross X Alpine F1 Team BR V3-94 A521

This is one of the latest releases from Bell & Ross to help celebrate their partnership with the Alpine F1 Team -

The BR V3-94 A521 -

Courtesy of Bell & Ross

Here are the pertinents -

Limited Edition of 500 pieces.

Movement: calibre BR-CAL.301. Automatic mechanical.

Functions: hours, minutes, small seconds at 3 o'clock and date. Chronograph: 30-minute counter at 9 o'clock, central chronograph seconds. Tachymeter scale on the flange.

Case: 43 mm in diameter. Satin-finished and polished steel. Bi-directional rotating steel bezel with anodised black aluminum ring and 60-minute countdown scale. Screw-down crown. Crown guard. Sapphire case-back.

Dial: black. Applique numerals covered with Super-LumiNova®. Metal skeletonised Super-LumiNova®-filled hour and minute hands.

Crystal: domed sapphire with anti-reflective coating.

Water-resistance: 100 metres.

Strap: carbon-effect blue and black calfskin leather or satin-finished and polished steel.

Buckle: folding. Satin-finished and polished steel.

The MASTERPIECE Gravity Get's A Refresh

This is Maurice Lacroix's latest version of their MASTERPIECE Gravity -

Courtesy of Maurice Lacroix

The case is of stainless steel and measures 43 mm in diameter, and water resistant to 5 ATM (165 feet or 50 meters).  The movement is Maurice Lacroix's  ML 230, which is self-winding (automatic) providing hours and minutes at 2 o'clock, and small seconds at 4 o'clock with 50 hours of power reserve.  The dial is described as silver sun brushed, with a dark grey sundial for the small second display.

The Hydrosphere Greg Lecoeur Edition

From RESERVOIR -

Courtesy of RESERVOIR

This is a limited edition of 50 pieces.  The Case is of bronze and measures 45 mm in diameter.  The water resistance is rated to 250 meters, and is equipped with a helium release valve.  The movement is ETA's 2824 with a proprietary module (retrograde seconds and jumping hours don't just "happen").

Courtesy of RESERVOIR

And just who is Greg Lecoeur?  Perhaps one of the most active and well known underwater photographers active today.

The price listed is just south of $5,000. And that purchase price also includes a dive with Mr. Lecoeur himself!

Here are the pertinents -

– 45mm, bronze Case with satin finish 
– Blue dial with sundial finish, white index, magnifier on the jumping-hour window 
– Self-winding mechanical movement, 37 hours power reserve 
– Complications: Retrograde minutes, jumping Hour, Power Reserve 
– Patented proprietary 124-pieces module on ETA 2824-2 caliber 
– Anti-reflective sapphire crystal 
– Unidirectional, ceramic rotating bezel with double scale for reading the time at different diving depths before and after the retrograde minute hand’s return 
– Helium Valve 
– Stainless steel screwed back, screw-down crown, watertight up to 250m 
– Black rubber strap screwed onto the body 
– Additional blue NATO strap provided, mounted on bronze stirrups

The Kingsley MKI

This is, admittedly, a wee bit of a teaser. For those of you unaware (and for my sins, I am in this group), there is a pretty groovy watch brand quietly working away in Birmingham, England. Craig and Rebecca Struthers are the pair behind a refreshing alternative to what the Media Mavens of Watch Town are so anxious to collectively jam down your throats. 

For your consideration, the Kingsley MKI -

Courtesy of Struthers Watchmakers

Struthers doesn't exactly make "off the peg" watches. Every watch is made to order and allows for personal customization options.

If I were picking, it would be the one pictured above.

I will be following up with the folks at Struthers to try and get a deeper bit of background on what they are up to.  

As regards the Kingsley MKI (in rose gold), here are the pertinents -

Specifications for The Kingsley

Movement

manual-wind recommissioned vintage Omega from the 1950s, rescued from the bullion industry and stripped back to basics. Refinements include traditional hand engraved acanthus leaf scrolling, additional jewelling and precision regulation

Case

38mm and available in sterling silver, 18ct gold or platinum. The solid case back is hinged and opens to reveal the hallmarks and movement beneath a crystal back

Dial

all in precious metal and available in MKI, MKII and vitreous enamel variations

Strap

a wide range of leathers and colours are available, please contact us for details

Presentation case

this watch is presented in a case hand-made in Scotland by award-winning bespoke designers and cabinetmakers Method Studio, along with a unique build book photo documenting the creation of the watch