The General Purpose MIL - W - 3818

From Siduna -

Courtesy of Siduna

This is the latest offering from Siduna.

Courtesy of Siduna

A fabulous military inspired time machine from my favorite Nordic watch brand.

The case is water resistant to 200 meters and measures 39 mm in diameter and is of  austenitic stainless steel. The movement is Soprod's self-winding P024. Available with either a leather or nylon strap and very attractively priced -

$425.79 with nylon strap

$473.58 with leather strap

Love Overdue - the Expedition Chronograph

From Siduna -

Courtesy of Siduna

I am a Siduna fan. And I'll go further, I am a big fan of one of the partners at Siduna, Francis Jacquerye.  Yes, watches are made by brands. But more importantly, brands are made up of people. And having spent some time with Mr. Jacquerye, I can honestly say that I take a great deal of pleasure when I wear my Siduna Standard Issue Compax Chronograph.

But today I am excited to share with you the newest offering from Siduna, and one that I suspect you will really want for yourself.

Courtesy of Siduna

The Expedition Chronograph is a bi-compax chronograph with a bit of what Thierry Henry in Ted Lasso referred to as va-va-voom!

The case is stainless steel and measures 42 mm in diameter.  The movement is listed as Valjoux's 7753 top grade. 

You want this.

It is currently available for pre-order at a friendly price of (approximately) $1,485.  The first deliveries are anticipated for early December (if I have read that part correctly).

Here are the pertinents -

Reference

490 CPN

Description

Self-winding chronograph with hours, minutes and running seconds. Compax chronograph feature with minutes and seconds.

Dial with machine turned pattern, dark blue. Printed Arabic numerals and telemeter scale.

Water resistant case in austenitic stainless steel, screw-down crown, 5 bar (50m/165ft static). Flat sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating.

• Diameter 42.0mm
• Thickness 13.5mm
• Lug width 20.0mm
• Lug end to lug end 50.7mm
• Buckle width 18.0mm
• ISO 764 magnetic resistance 4,800 A/m
• ISO 1413 shock resistance
• ISO 22810 water-resistance 5 bar (static 50m/165ft)

Movement

• ETA/Valjoux 7753 Top grade
• Adjusted in 5 positions: CH, FH, 6H, 9H, 3H
• Incabloc shock protection
• Glucydur balance wheel with Anchron alloy hairspring
• Nivaflex NM mainspring
• Nivarox pallet lever and escape wheel
• Diametre 13 ″ ¼‴ (30.0mm), thickness 7.9mm
• Power reserve 48h
• Rubies setting 27

Too Small To Fail - Siduna

The watch world is full of bullshit.  There, I've said it.  The polite way to put it is "hyperbole".
I tend to speak plainly, which does not always endear me to those who guard the hallways of Watch Town with jealousy and venom.  But a few brands have really made an impression.  And one brand that I have taken great pleasure in following and finally buying one of their pieces, is Siduna.

And the object of intense desire for me was the M3440.  

A wonderfully simple bi-compax chronograph.  I was lucky enough to get to test drive one during BaselWorld last year -

http://www.tempusfugit.watch/2019/04/overtime-with-siduna-m3440-professional.html
I saved my pennies, nickels and dimes and when I had enough I was able to pick up my own during the District Time show in Washington DC last Autumn.  Mine is lucky # Hachi (that's 8 to you).
I am a social worker/English teacher and I honestly cannot afford to buy everything that catches my eye.  With the exception of a SWATCH, each watch I buy requires a plan, some savings, some discipline.  So it has to be special.  And the Siduna chronograph is just that, special.


Siduna is a two-man band composed of -

Courtesy of Siduna

Peter Wadbro, the watch maker who assembles each chronograph.

Courtesy of Siduna

And Francis Jacquerye, the designer who also happens to handle administration.  They are truly a dynamic duo.  And they do not do this from some idyllic Swiss workshop.  No, Siduna is based in what I have come to call the "Copenhagen / Malmo" metro area.  In Landskrona, Sweden, to be precise.
Currently, Siduna gives you the option to have a chronograph.  In fairness there are more options than just that.  You can have the standard Compax model, or the Flyback version.  In addition, there is a tuxedo version which Siduna refers to as "Harlequin".  

Courtesy of Siduna

Siduna offers a wonderful watch at a fair price.  No goofy promotional partnerships, no instafamous hucksters, no faux-friends of the brand.  

The watch world is full of brands that want to sell you something - a marketing partnership, a celebrity endorsement, a lifestyle.  In fairness, Siduna wants to sell you something as well -

A Watch.

Siduna - Too Small To Fail.

District Time! Washington DC's Watch Show

Now point of full-disclosure, I do work with or represent a few of the brands that will be participating in District Time next Saturday and Sunday.

What brands will be there?

Attra
AVeritas
Ardor & Forge
Balticus
Bertucci 
Boldr
Caliper
Collins
Direnzo
EMG
Gavox
Groupo Gamma
Hager
Hemel
HKED
ISOfrane
Kingsbury 
Lesablier
McDowell Time
Minase
Minuteman
Nodus
NTH
Ocean Crawler
Origin
Patton
Raketa
Roebuck
Sartory Billard
Siduna
Straton
Traska
Tsao Baltimore


And quite a few others!

Overtime with the Siduna M3440 Professional Compax Chronograph

Editor's note - this review originally began the week before I left for BaselWorld, and I wore the Siduna during the fair alternating between my Minase 5 Windows and my Sartory Billard.  I then wore it for an additional 2 weeks following the fair.

Since the announcement of the launch of the new and improved Siduna, I have been very anxious to get my hands on one and put it through its paces.  As I was getting packed-up and ready for BaselWorld, the folks at Siduna asked if I'd like to take one of their new chronographs for a test drive during the fair, and so I took the M3440 along with me.

During the fair, I wore a few different watches, and as I was "working" on behalf of Minase and Sartory Billard, I wore those watches while on duty at The HYPE.  But I switched to the Siduna M3440 for my time inside Hall 1 and other press appointments.  

Now as my photography skills are, I have been led to understand, somewhat lacking, here is a nice shot directly from Siduna so you get a flavor for the M3440 -

Courtesy of Siduna

So you get the idea.  I got a lot of double-takes and comments like -
"I thought you were a social worker, how'd you afford a Type XX", etc.  Upon closer examination, several people were struck by the level of finish, as well as the look and feel of the watch itself.  

Well, let's get back to the review itself -

I will concur with my colleagues in the Fourth and Fifth Estates on the build quality of the M3440.  It is first rate.  The case is definitely in the "Godilocks" category when it comes to size - it is just right.  It measures 40 mm in diameter, with a case height (or thickness) of 16.1 mm.  The unidirectional bezel extends slightly beyond the confines of the case diameter, measuring 42 mm in diameter.

(apologies for the dust spots, I did not give the watch a complete wipe-down for each photo).

The watch has presence, but I don't feel like a poser wearing it.  It is a "wrist-appropriate" size.  And although it has some stature owing to its height on the wrist, it is nothing to forbidding.

The case itself is of stainless steel, austenitic stainless steel to be more precise.  And just what is austenitic stainless steel?  Well, per Wikipedia:

Due to their crystalline structure austenitic steels are not hardenable by heat treatment and are essentially non-magnetic

Now before everyone goes off having a Eureka moment, let's just clarify that 316l falls into this category.  But it is still kind of a fun way to describe the steel type as opposed to the typical numeric designation.

The case back is solid, not a display back and I am profoundly grateful for that.  It maintains true to the overall aesthetic and the original inspiration for the watch.

And just what is the inspiration?  Well, curious to relate, Siduna is now based in Sweden.  But it wasn't always so.  Siduna started out life as a Swiss brand, and then it went the way of so many, shuttering due to the decline of the mechanical watch business.  But  Siduna then found a new home in Sweden and recently the brand changed hands one last time and is now back in business and making watches.  The case of the M3440 is based on a somewhat "standard" case of it's time, incorporated into a watch that was used by the Svenska Flygvapnet (that's Swedish Air Force to you) in 1973.  The original design, per Siduna, was from Ervin Piquerez's SA design, circa 1968. And if it bears similarities to cases of the same era from Breguet, Heuer, Lemania and Bucherer (among others) that is because it was a pretty standard solution.  

The bi-compax chronograph ran smoothly, re-setting was tactile and precise.  The time keeping beyond reproach, in short?  Everything worked as advertised.

The movement is based on the Valjoux's 7750, and again, before all the Pointdexters out there feel the need to express their expertise on this matter, and how it couldn't possibly be, blah, blah, blah...
Relax, it is not exactly an "off the shelf" solution.  In Siduna's own words -

Our movements are based on an automatic ETA 7750 with Top finishing. They undergo several substantial modifications in a small workshop from La Chaux-de-Fonds, such as the removal of the date mechanism and the relocation of the minutes subsidiary dial from 12 o'clock to 3 o'clock thanks to a proprietary module, and an upgrade to blue screws. The calibre 13 Phi received additional modifications on the back side to add the fly-back function.

The crown is screw down, and bears the markings of the famous (albeit esoteric) Compressor model that was, you guessed it, produced by Piquerez.  And for those of you so inclined, a pretty solid piece of research on the subject can be found here -
https://medium.com/sidunawatch/piquerez-from-drivers-to-pilot-watches-961957c25d5d?fbclid=IwAR0na59MUz1ZIzwBzRHNlAMsfm-yQtb5kUv-ws-Kv-6SXmFyhsjr0Z2DAiI

But, important to note that although the crown bears the markings of the Compressor, it is not the same function, it is aesthetic, but I think pays a nice, subtle homage to the original case.

Now last, but not least?  The strap!  The strap is a very, very nice bit of kit!  This one is the Havana Brown version.  Curious to relate, it was a very comfortable strap right out of the box, whereas some straps can be a bit stiff even after the "get ready roll" -

So here's a friendly tip from your old pal Henki, who learned it from his old pal Rod:  if you have a strap that you feel is too stiff (calfskin!  I would not necessarily recommend this approach with anything exotic), simply roll the strap ends up like a tube of toothpaste.  And boom!  You're ready to rock!  The strap itself was smooth, supple and extremely well finished.  The perfect pairing to the M3440.  It is completed with a signed Siduna buckle -

Quite smashing!

But just to keep things interesting, I had pre-ordered an Erika's Original strap  -

And Erika herself delivered it to me in Basel!

It gave a fun bit of twist to an already super-dope watch!

And for those of you unfamiliar, the straps made by Erika's Originals are The Shit That Killed Elvis!  Yes, they are that good.  Throw away your shitty old NATOs and get ahold of the real thing!

Back to the M3440, here are the pertinents, direct from Siduna -

DIMENSIONS 

• Bezel diameter 42.0 mm
• Lug width 20.0 mm
• Case thickness 16.1 mm

MECHANICAL MOVEMENT

• ETA/Valjoux 7750 base
• Thickness 7.9 mm
• Self-winding mechanism
• 25 bearing synthetic rubies
• 28'800 alternances per hour (4 Hz)
• Seconds stop
• ISO 764 Anti-Magnetic
• ISO 1413 Shock-Resistant

CASE

• Austenic stainless steel, satin brushed
• Double-domed aspheric sapphire crystal, anti-reflective coating on the inside
• Screw-down case back, individually numbered
• Screw-down crown
• ISO 22810 Water-Resistant
• Pressure-resistant to 10 bar

FUNCTIONS

• Hours, minutes and subsidiary seconds
• 30 minutes and ¼ seconds chronograph

DIAL AND HANDS

• Matte black dial with recessed subsidiary dials
• 5 minutes indices with Super-LumiNova® BL C3 Grade A
• Numerals with Super-LumiNova® BL C3 Grade A
• Hour and minute hand coated with Super-LumiNova® BL C3 Grade A

LIMITED WARRANTY

• 2 years

The M3440 is also available in a Flyback version, the one I wore and reviewed is the standard.  Both are extremely well priced, with the Compax priced at € 1,480 without VAT.  It gets a very solid two thumbs up from this reviewer, without a doubt one of the best automatic chronographs I have worn in some time.

Siduna Prepares for Takeoff!

Courtesy of Siduna

So in the interest of transparency, I think it's important to acknowledge that I am predisposed to liking the soon to be shipping Siduna chronographs.  I personally like one of the owners, I think he is a sane, rational, kind person in an industry filled with quick buck artists.  He cares about what he does and his work shows that.

Having said all of that, this chronograph is something special.

Courtesy of Siduna

It comes standard with a pretty bitchin' rubber strap.  And for those who missed it the first go-round, the Siduna is a bi-compax chronograph, measuring 42 mm in diameter and of stainless steel.  The movement is Valjoux's 7750.

It is simple, elegant, and surprisingly affordable at the pre-order price of € 1,674 ex VAT for the "standard", and the flyback version is slightly more at  € 2,106 ex VAT.  But keep in mind, these are limited time prices, so if you are even leaning towards one of these, RUN, don't walk!  They will be gone quickly.

Here are the pertinents -

Technical Specifications

Dimensions and Weight

• Bezel diameter 42.0 mm
• Lug width 20.0 mm
• Case thickness 16.1 mm
• Weight without strap 92 g (3.24 oz)

Mechanical movement

• Based on ETA/Valjoux 7750
• Thickness 7.9 mm
• Self-winding mechanism
• 25 bearing synthetic rubies
• 28'800 alternances per hour (4 Hz)
• Seconds stop
• ISO 764 Anti-Magnetic
• ISO 1413 Shock-Resistant

Case

• Austenic stainless steel, satin brushed
• Double-domed aspheric sapphire crystal, anti-reflective coating on the inside
• Screw-down case back, individually numbered
• Screw-down crown
• ISO 22810 Water-Resistant
• Pressure-resistant to 10 bar

Functions

• Hours, minutes and subsidiary seconds
• 30 minutes and ¼ seconds chronograph

Dial and Hands

• Matte black dial with recessed subsidiary dials
• 5 minutes indices with Super-LumiNova® BL C3 Grade A
• Numerals with Super-LumiNova® BL C3 Grade A
• Hour and minute hand coated with Super-LumiNova® BL C3 Grade A
  

Limited Warranty

• 2 years

 

The Return of Siduna!

I have been very lucky over the years spent writing the Tempus Fugit blog in that I have had the very rare and real joy of meeting some wonderful people and learning about their projects.  And this latest project that relaunches the Siduna brand is something that reaffirms my passion for what I do.

Courtesy of Siduna

Siduna is now based in Landskrona, Sweden and will be offering some really good looking chronographs. 

Courtesy of Siduna

Their first launch is due to hit in November (I believe) and will offer two versions,  the M3440UC Professional Uni-compax Chronograph, and the M3440FB Professional Flyback Chronograph.
 

Courtesy of Siduna

Both models are currently in pre-order status and slated for delivery in November of this year.  

The case measures 42 mm in diameter, is of satin brushed austenic stainless steel. bi-compax layout and and 60 minute bezel.  The movement is Swiss, self-winding.

More to come shortly, stay tuned!