The HYPE

So in the interest of full disclosure, I am one of the people behind the event you will read about below.

BaselWorld is nearly upon us once again.  And as I am sure you know, watch brands will not be restricted to Hall 1. 

This year, something rather unusual happened.  10 independent brands all agreed to work together and support each other in an open format that will be more accessible to journalists, potential retail partners and collectors.  To make this possible, these brands wanted a location that would invite curiosity and discovery, and they felt that there was no better place to do that than the lobby of the Hyperion.  What they wanted was a way to show their watches and connect with people without all of the noise, signage and HYPE found in a typical trade show environment.  What they wanted was something different - an opportunity to simply show their watches, to speak with journalists, collectors and retail partners honestly and openly without all of the noise.  A simple meeting where you can simply come and see the watches, and talk about them.

They didn't want a show, they wanted a collaborative space to share their creations, to meet with people one at a time, and to do it in a more stripped down environment.

It started out with the two brands that I represent - Minase and Sartory-Billard.  And then a few other brands heard about our idea, and they wanted a similar opportunity.  And The HYPE now involves 10 brands who will be working together during five days of BaselWeek - Thursday - Monday.

More details below -                                                                                                                                                                    

February 5, 2019

I wanted to take a moment to let you know about a special collaboration of small, independent and micro brands who will be hiding in plain sight at the Hyperion hotel during BaselWeek this year.

10 brands have come together to support each other and share their products with journalists, retailers, distributors and collectors in a less formal, more inviting atmosphere.  Come by the Hyperion (Formerly the Ramada) Hotel’s ground floor (in a secret location to be revealed in March) and experience the HYPE of BaselWeek 2019!

The following brands will be participating –

Minase                                              

Sartory-Billard                                  

Holthinrichs Watches                      

Lundis Bleus                                      

Straton                                               

Muse Swiss Art Watches                 

ISOfrane / Tropic                              

Vortic                                                 

GoS                                                     

Ophion                                              

The format is open and brands, their owners and representatives will be on hand to show their watches and share their opinions and insights. 

                               

-->

Seven Days with the Bell & Ross BR 123 GMT

I would love to tell you that this review will be fair, balanced and objective. That would be a lie. This will not be fair, it will not be balanced, and it will by no means be objective.

For you see, gentle reader, I have fallen in love. And love is seldom fair, balanced or objective. It is compulsive, often frantic and by no means relaxed in its most passionate moments. And my week with the Bell & Ross BR 123 GMT 24H has been like that first passionate relationship where your stomach dropped when the phone rang, the sound of the voice on the other end the only salve to your naked, raw emotions.  I think you're getting the picture - I LOVE THIS WATCH.

Okay, but like that torrid affair, so too my time with this timekeeper must come to an end.  But I would like to try my best to share (as best I can) some level-headed feedback about this beauty.

I am going to borrow the words (or at least the idea) of Adam Craniotes of Red Bar Group fame. Adam was trying to put into words his feelings of a specific watch made by IWC. And as we were imbibing in Union Square at the time, my memory can be forgiven for being less than 100% - he said it was as if IWC had cracked open his skull, rooted around in his brain, and created his dream watch. That is how I feel about the BR 123 GMT 24HR.  Very legible, not too busy, 12, 3, 6 and 9.  A date between 4 o'clock and 5 o'clock and a GMT function.  If I could have only one watch, this might well be it.

So let's start with the dial - pretty straight forward.  Black, silver applied numerals with applied indices in between.  Lume has been applied to the inner hands of the hours and minutes, and the tip of the GMT.  The numbers are big but not too big.  The indices are a nice balance.  The bezel is fixed and engraved with a 24 hour scale which pairs with the GMT hand to provide a second timezone.

The BR 123 GMT 24HR comes in at a respectable 42 mm.  More and more, I am coming to feel that this is the ideal diameter (at least for me).  It is substantial without being overwhelming.  The case is of stainless steel with a satin polish finish.

The curved lugs taper nicely and do not "over-shoot" the mark, but blend nicely into the shape of the wrist.  Unlike a lot of "military inspired" watches, this watch actually has some ergonomic consideration in the design.

The self-winding movement provides hours, minutes, seconds, the date and a GMT (second time zone) function.  All set smoothly and easily, and hand-winding the movement from a dead stop was like butter.  The time keeping was very, Very, VERY good.  The maximum deviation I experienced was +8 seconds over the seven day period.

The watch features a sapphire crystal and display back which shows a nicely engraved rotor bearing the Bell & Ross logo.  And the display back is perhaps the only thing that I would change.  I appreciate that people like to see the movement, and for some less expensive brands the reasoning is that it is cheaper to buy a display back case from the case manufacturer.  This is actually looking for something to critique, because the truth be known, the display back is something that most people now expect with the exception of a dive watch.

The strap is described as "weave rubber".  This is (along with the straps from ISOfrane) one of the most comfortable straps I have worn and is the perfect pairing for this watch.  All too often brands thing that a rubber strap has to be big, thick and heavy.  But again, it seems that the design team at Bell & Ross designed this watch with the idea that someone might actually WEAR it.

Very comfortable all day long.  And unlike many solid rubber straps, I did not get the icky, slimy feeling of "wrist sweat".

The watch strap is secured with a stainless steel buckle.  Slightly "angular" and with the flat prong the perfect pairing for the strap.  It is substantial and tactile - BUT - sensibly proportioned and well matched for the strap and the watch.

The watch is rated to a water resistance of 100 meters.  Needless to say I did not put that to the advertised limit, but feel confident of it's water resistance given the proximity to water the watch experienced with me.  On that note, the crown is NOT a screw down.  And this is something that I am seeing more and more as case design and gasket technology are getting better.  Again, many watch companies feel compelled to put a screw down crown on any watch that you might even wash your hands with, and frankly that is just silly.  This, like JEANRICHARD's Terrascope show that intelligent design goes a lot farther than simply blindly following the leader.

And now, sadly, the BR 123 GMT 24HR has departed and is on it's way back to Bell & Ross HQ.  I will put it as succinctly as I can - if you have the means - buy this watch!  You will not regret it!

What If? Update Number 8!

And a BIG THANK YOU goes out to MARVIN for joining the Tempus Fugit Initiative!

We are starting to get some momentum going here, Marvin is lucky number 13!

Our "Band of Brothers and Sisters" has grown to 12 with RESSENCE joining forces with Girard-Perregaux, JEANRICHARD, A. Manzoni & Fils, Kobold, Aquadive, ISOfrane, Xetum, Jardur, Gavox, the Oberlin Pen Company, SAVOY and Marvin!

What if?

Dear watch companies,

What if?

What if each one of you could take even $5,000 from your annual budgets and donate it to a common cause?  What if the mighty SWATCH, Richemont, LVMH, ROLEX, Sowind, Audemars Piguet, Patek Phillipe, Ulysse Nardin… what if you all came together with a reasonable contribution with the sole goal of trying to fix an "unfixable" problem?

What if 100 watch companies in the world each contributed $5,000 - or more - to fund rangers to protect elephants and rhinos from poachers?  What if based on that, we could then go to people with even more money?  What if your KINDNESS and willingness to do something that was totally selfless then triggered people like Phil Knight of Nike, or Oprah Winfrey, or Bill Gates - I mean, let's aim high here!  What if that all got so much money - and so much attention, that it would be better financially for a father to become a ranger, rather than to become a poacher?  

And what if that action, created a groundswell in China and Vietnam to help people understand that maybe, just maybe the preservation of a species is more valuable than a dubious aphrodisiac?

So, let's name some names - Biver, Hayek, Hoffmann, Sofisti (THANK YOU!), Stern, Marini, Raffi, Stas and all the rest of you -

Are you really interested in doing something great - or is it just talk and PR?  

What am I asking for?  $5,000 if you have it - for some of you big brands, that is WAY less than you spend on a month of advertising.  And as the saying goes, if you can't afford $5,000, give what you can!

Do you really want to make a mark in the world and not just talk about it?  Here is a chance to do it!

Who is in?

What If? Update Number 7!

And BIG UPS to RESSENCE!  Our "Band of Brothers and Sisters" has grown to 12 with RESSENCE joining forces with Girard-Perregaux, JEANRICHARD, A. Manzoni & Fils, Kobold, Aquadive, ISOfrane, Xetum, Jardur, Gavox, the Oberlin Pen Company and SAVOY!

And for those of you have have missed it ; )

What if?

Dear watch companies,

What if?

What if each one of you could take even $5,000 from your annual budgets and donate it to a common cause?  What if the mighty SWATCH, Richemont, LVMH, ROLEX, Sowind, Audemars Piguet, Patek Phillipe, Ulysse Nardin… what if you all came together with a reasonable contribution with the sole goal of trying to fix an "unfixable" problem?

What if 100 watch companies in the world each contributed $5,000 - or more - to fund rangers to protect elephants and rhinos from poachers?  What if based on that, we could then go to people with even more money?  What if your KINDNESS and willingness to do something that was totally selfless then triggered people like Phil Knight of Nike, or Oprah Winfrey, or Bill Gates - I mean, let's aim high here!  What if that all got so much money - and so much attention, that it would be better financially for a father to become a ranger, rather than to become a poacher?  

And what if that action, created a groundswell in China and Vietnam to help people understand that maybe, just maybe the preservation of a species is more valuable than a dubious aphrodisiac?

So, let's name some names - Biver, Hayek, Hoffmann, Sofisti (THANK YOU!), Stern, Marini, Raffi, Stas and all the rest of you -

Are you really interested in doing something great - or is it just talk and PR?  

What am I asking for?  $5,000 if you have it - for some of you big brands, that is WAY less than you spend on a month of advertising.  And as the saying goes, if you can't afford $5,000, give what you can!

Do you really want to make a mark in the world and not just talk about it?  Here is a chance to do it!

Who is in?

What If? Update Number 6!

And the good folks at SAVOY have signed on to the Tempus Fugit Initiative - joining forces with Girard-Perregaux, JEANRICHARD, A. Manzoni & Fils, Kobold, Aquadive, ISOfrane, Xetum, Jardur, Gavox and the Oberlin Pen Company!

And because it never gets old -

What if?

Dear watch companies,

What if?

What if each one of you could take even $5,000 from your annual budgets and donate it to a common cause?  What if the mighty SWATCH, Richemont, LVMH, ROLEX, Sowind, Audemars Piguet, Patek Phillipe, Ulysse Nardin… what if you all came together with a reasonable contribution with the sole goal of trying to fix an "unfixable" problem?

What if 100 watch companies in the world each contributed $5,000 - or more - to fund rangers to protect elephants and rhinos from poachers?  What if based on that, we could then go to people with even more money?  What if your KINDNESS and willingness to do something that was totally selfless then triggered people like Phil Knight of Nike, or Oprah Winfrey, or Bill Gates - I mean, let's aim high here!  What if that all got so much money - and so much attention, that it would be better financially for a father to become a ranger, rather than to become a poacher?  

And what if that action, created a groundswell in China and Vietnam to help people understand that maybe, just maybe the preservation of a species is more valuable than a dubious aphrodisiac?

So, let's name some names - Biver, Hayek, Hoffmann, Sofisti (THANK YOU!), Stern, Marini, Raffi, Stas and all the rest of you -

Are you really interested in doing something great - or is it just talk and PR?  

What am I asking for?  $5,000 if you have it - for some of you big brands, that is WAY less than you spend on a month of advertising.  And as the saying goes, if you can't afford $5,000, give what you can!

Do you really want to make a mark in the world and not just talk about it?  Here is a chance to do it!

Who is in?

What if? A third update!

And we have a few more participants in the effort to aid wildlife rangers in the battle against poaching -

KOBOLD, Aquadive and ISOfrane have joined the initiative!

Keep it coming watch brands!

And thank you!

Wrapping up the Aquadive Bathyscaphe 100

We have now gone well beyond the normal 15 day review period!  And frankly, I wish that this review could go on and on.

I have now worn all three of the current models - the NOS Diver, the Bathyscaphe 300 and now the Bathyscaphe 100.  Thus far, I would have to say that the Bathyscaphe 100 is my favorite in terms of frequent/everyday wear.

It is clearly a good size watch, but it does not overwhelm the wearer's wrist.  at 43 mm wide by 49 mm length you would expect a rather unwieldy, almost "discuss-like" look and feel, but the Bathyscaphe 100 has a very pleasant appearance on the wrist.  I think a lot of this is due to the 60s/70s design influence that you also see in the DOXA SUBs of today.  There is certainly a "high point" at the top of the crystal where the watch's height is at its peak - 15 mm in thickness.

The performance has been first rate.  The greatest deviation I experienced was + 2 seconds.  This was confirmed by getting a "rate reading" from a local watch maker in the area.

The movement is the ETA 2836 - 2 without the day function found in other versions of this movement.
The hour, minute, second and date functions work flawlessly.

Like its "big brother", the Bathyscaphe 100 also has an HRV (Helium Release Valve) subtly located between the lugs at the 6 o'clock position.  This is perhaps one of my favorite features.  I am not a diver, and swim only on special occasions, but the "cult of the dive watch" is made up of plenty of people living in "dry environments".  Whether a professional "Saturation Diver" working under the waves, or a "Desk Diver" preparing status reports and crunching numbers, the Bathyscaphe 100 is a nice option for either occupation.

The level of finish work is beyond reproach.  The bezel is solid and tactile, but smooth in function.  The clicks are solid - and quite reassuring, and the bezel's height and mass ensure easy operation.

Courtesy of Aquadive

And because I feel that a better photograph is in order, with Aquadive's permission, here is a professional shot of the Bathyscaphe 100 - with the optional mesh bracelet.  This bracelet is available for an additional $99.00 US (according to the Aquadive website).  The Aquadive that I tested came with the standard ISOfrane strap with an Aquadive buckle. They also kindly included both a blue and an orange strap, so I have been mixing and matching a bit.  I have to say that the ISOfrane straps are really about the best "rubber" strap I have worn.  Better than Panerai's, and light years away from several others.  And the hint of vanilla scent is a great touch!  The thickness of the strap lends itself to the very "tactile" nature of the Bathyscaphe 100 - and in fact to all Aquadives for that matter.

And speaking of tactile, the applied indices are a particularly nice touch.  They remind me of the DOXA SUB 5000T and they really enhance the look and feel of the dial - and greatly enhance the effect of the lume on the watch face.  This is consistent with the Bathyscaphe 300.

I think with a lot of watches out there, it is sometimes hard to understand (apart from inflation) why the cost what they do.  In some instances you can point to a manufacture movement, COSC certified movement, precious metal, etc.  In others it is down to the brand name. But in the case of Aquadive, it is actually pretty easy to see where the money "is".  Moreover, when compared to other comparable watches, it is difficult to understand why it might not cost more.

Every Aquadive case is CNC'd in Germany.  These are not "stock" cases bought from a case maker.  The finish and attention to detail is extremely good.  The finish and quality of the case is better than several SWATCH and LVMH cases I have seen lately - sorry but it's true.

In summing up this particular Aquadive, I would have to say that although it is currently only available online (i.e. direct sales), I suspect that it will not be long before retail stores will want to carry it.  There is something about the Aquadive that is hard to convey in 2 dimensional images.  It has more to do with not just the feel of the watch, but the way that you interact with it - again I'll say it - tactile.  For the money  ($1,990 direct) I have really not seen anything out there in the dive watch offerings to compare to it.  And lastly - it is easy to lump Aquadive into a "reissue"/ "reedition" classification, but would really be selling it short.  This is a modern dive watch that dollar for dollar really exceeds everything else out there right now, and is comparable to watches costing twice as much.

For those of you who like all the specs - here they are courtesy of Aquadive:

TECH SPECS

Functions 
Hours, minutes, seconds, date at 3 o'clock

Case
German made and CNC machined Solid Stainless steel case, Stainless steel screw down case back. Limited edition of 500 pieces engraved ***/500. 43 mm diameter excluding crown, 49 mm from lug to lug, 15mm height. Water – resistant to 1000 meters (3300 feet). Integrated automatic Helium Release Valve (HRV) at 6 o'clock.

Movement 
Swiss Made ETA 2836-2 , Hours, minutes, sweep second, Self-winding mechanism with ball bearing rotor, Date, corrector, Stop second device Regulator system ETACHRON and regulator corrector, Novodiac Incabloc shock protection, 28.800 vibrations per hour; 4 Hz.25 Jewel, adjusted in 5 positions with an individual certificate that accompanies each watch.

Bezel
43mm stainless steel uni-directional rotating bezel, 120 clicks, laser-cut ratcheting spring, scratch-free Ceramic insert, engraved with elapsed time markings. 31mm Sapphire crystal

Strap/Bracelet
Aquadive stainless steel bracelet based on a vintage Aquadive design, with automatic ratcheting dive suit extension; or an optional stainless steel Mesh bracelet at $99.00.

Weight
130 grams excluding strap/bracelet

Warranty 
2 year limited warranty

15 Days with the Aquadive Bathyscaphe 100

And as I say goodbye to my "Tovarich", a new friend has swum up.

15 days with the Aquadive Bathyscaphe 100 begins now.

Niceties - The Aquadive Bathyscaphe 300

It's the little things that make a watch purchase special.  Sometimes, it's no packaging, or certainly poor packaging that can sour you to a watch without even considering the watch itself.  Sometimes the packaging is 100 times better than the watch itself.  And then sometimes - as in the case of Aquadive, the packaging strikes just the right chord -

The box is nice, flip open, holds the warranty card, the watch of course, and a few surprises -

Any guesses?  Another hint -

If you haven't guessed - it's replacement spring bars!  Made in Switzerland, of course!

And to make sure that you have a personal connection to your Bathyscaphe 300, and you are fully aware of its condition before it left on its trip to your door, here is a calling card -

You can see the "bona-fides".    And mine is still holding true - I do not have the benefit of a watchmaker's timer, but if my calculations are correct, we are holding true at + 3 seconds.  COSC is all well and good, and I am not saying that this replaces it - but consider this - it gives you the same info - a rate, and it doesn't add several hundred dollars to the price!

Only a few days left in the 15 - stay tuned!

15 Days with the Aquadive 300

The nice folks at Aquadive were good enough to send me the Aquadive Bathyscaphe 300 for a 15 day review.  With BaselWorld approaching, this will probably be the last review for February.

Just the thing for a rainy day in Santa Barbara - I know what you're thinking - "is there such a thing?"  Well yes there is!

So this morning I strapped on the Bathyscaphe 300 , and prepared to face the elements.  

15 Days with the Aquadive Bathyscaphe 300 begins now - stay tuned!

Something to hang on to

A watch strap is, for many of us, an afterthought. It holds the watch to your wrist, every few years you change it. You see signs in town and at the mall saying "watch straps and battery replacement while you wait". But sometimes a watch strap is more - much more. Back in the 1960s scuba diving was becoming much more of a true recreational activity. No longer the pursuit of the rich, or of the professional or military. But with this new surge in popularity came a refusal to accept the "standard issue". When ISOfrane was introduced back in the 1960s it truly revolutionized the dive watch. I realize that this is a big statement for a strap and not the watch itself, but it really did. Prior to the ISOfrane, dive straps solid chunks of rubber. No ventilation, hard and unforgiving. The ISOfrane was designed with ventilation to ensure that the skin could breath.

You can read more about ISOfrane here - they also sell direct!
www.isofrane.com

Karl Shreeve's Aquadive

This is the first of what I hope will be a recurring section of the Tempus Fugit blog - a sort of "guest blog".

A bit about the contributor - Karl Shreeves has travelled around the world, participated in some of the world's most challenging dives, gets paid to do what he loves as an underwater photographer, is rated a "Legend of Diving" and contributed to Peter Millar's Diving With Legends book.

I met Karl back in 2007, before I started working for DOXA Watches. It seems fitting that he is the first contributor here. He is generous to a fault, thoughtful, intelligent and in all honesty looks a lot better than me. Despite all of this I am proud to call him a friend! In all seriousness, I am very pleased that Karl is sharing his story here.



Thank Goodness for Mothers

A few years ago, my mother surprised me with the pocket watch on the left. Manufactured in 1900 (about), it is a gold plated Centra Lanco, inscribed on the interior with Metal Plaque Lamine Garanti 10 Ans, Centra Lanco 1399. She’d had it restored and it runs (well, sort of – I don’t push my luck.)
The watch on the right is a dive watch I’d bought in1975 or 1976 and used until it flooded on a dive in the Bahamas, in the mid 1980s. At that point, I tossed it in a drawer and forgot about it -- until 2008, when I was online and landed on a picture of a Jenny that looked identical to it. I had to check with the one person I know who knows way too much about watches – James – and sure enough, he confirmed what I suspected: Jenny released watches in the US under the name “Aquadive.” Could have some collector value – if I could find it and get it restored.

As far as I knew, it was long gone. But, an email to my mother with the picture proved otherwise. Moms don’t throw away anything that relates to their kids, and a few days later it showed up. With James help, technicians at Jenny restored it – astoundingly, they still had parts after 30+ years (I guess watch technicians don’t throw anything away either).
In truth, both watches only exist because of my mother, and they have a scuba-related connection for me. The Aquadive is obviously a watch I used to use diving (I wear it but I don’t dive with it today.) The Centra Lanco? Today, the Dutch ABC islands are among the Caribbean’s top travel and scuba destinations; I had the pleasure of visiting Curacao in connection with an article I wrote for Skin Diver magazine. When my great grandfather carried the watch, he owned a plantation and landhouse called Savonet, on Curacao. The island’s tallest mountain, Mt. Christoffel, was on the property. After he passed away in the 1960s, the plantation eventually became the center of today’s Christoffel national park – a popular stopover for visiting divers and nondivers.


An editor's note - as some of you know, DOXA is owned by the Jenny family. Karl sent his watch to me and I took it with me to BaselWorld in 2008. Mr. Jenny senior and his son, Romeo Jenny both recognized it immediately, and were pleased to help Karl with his watch.

For those of you divers out there, I urge you to check out Peter Millar's book.