It's Hard Not To Be Romantic About Watches - The Kontiki Bronze Diver

Courtesy of Eterna

I realize that the world of watch fans can be pretty tribal - Paneristis, Speedmasters, Doxaholics.

Watches are pretty personal, and it goes without saying that not unlike the Sorting Hat at Hogwarts chooses your house for you, in many instances you don't choose your watch, your watch chooses you. And the sorting hat (in tandem with Seregin's of San Francisco back in 2001) chose the Kontiki for me.

The version then was the 50th Anniversary Super Kontiki and it was soooo drip! (according to the young people awaiting sneaker drops in front of Bodega, drip = good). Regular readers will recall that career "trauma" and the realities of living in the most expensive city at the time compelled me to let it go. Regular readers will also recall that a very dear friend gifted me with a 1973 model -

And it remains a valued, trusted companion -

So it is safe to say that I am a committed ; )

But back to today's topic, the Eterna Kontiki Bronze Diver -

Courtesy of Eterna

While the current output of new models from Eterna is not nearly as robust as it once was, hope springs eternal for a comeback, and the Bronze Diver is as good a "spokeskontiki" as you will find ; )
The case is of bronze and measures 44 mm in diameter. The movement is Eterna's manufacture EMC 3902A.

To quote that other great commentator on watches -
Rakim (William Michael Griffin Jr.) of Eric B and Rakim from Follow the Leader:
"Am I eternal or an eternalist?"

It is, quite simply, the shit that killed Elvis!

And safe to say, I'm an Eternalist!"

Should, like me, you be so inclined?  Here are the pertinents -

Ref: 1291.78.51.1430

 

MOVEMENT
Calibre Maison Eterna EMC 3902A, power reserve 65h, 28’800 v.p.h, 30 jewels, 1 ball bearing

 

CASE
All brushed bronze, rotating bezel with green ceramic ring, case back secured with screw, sapphire crystal opening in stainless steel
 

CRYSTAL
Scratch-resistant, anti-reflective sapphire crystal
 

DIMENSIONS
∅ 44 mm / 14.05 mm
DIAL
Green, matt structured
 

STRAP & CLASP
Brown waterproof leather strap, bronze pin buckle
 

FUNCTIONS
Hour, minute, seconds

Feeling Blue (and Bronze) with the KonTiki

From Eterna -

Courtesy of Eterna

Despite the prolonged "Sleeping Beauty" that continues in Grenchen, there are still some wonderful time machines on offer from Eterna, and this is one of my favorites.

The KonTiki is one of those wonderful watches that seems to endure, and the latest options in bronze are definitely special.

The KonTiki Bronze Diver is of bronze and measures 44 mm in diameter. It is water resistant to 200 meters (if the legend on the dial is anything to go by).  The dial is particularly beguiling with a "frosted" texture and white applied indices.  The movement is Eterna's very own EMC 3902A, self-winding with a power reserve of 65 hours.

Should you be so inclined, the suggested retail is $3,580.  

Here are the pertinents -

MOVEMENT
Calibre Maison Eterna EMC 3902A, power reserve 65h, 28’800 v.p.h, 30 jewels, 1 ball bearing

 

CASE
All brushed bronze, rotating bezel with blue ceramic ring, case back secured with screw, sapphire crystal opening in stainless steel
 

CRYSTAL
Scratch-resistant, anti-reflective sapphire crystal
 

DIMENSIONS
∅ 44 mm / 14.05 mm
DIAL
Green, matt structured
 

STRAP & CLASP
Brown waterproof leather strap, bronze pin buckle
 

FUNCTIONS
Hour, minute, second

You Never Get Over your First Love

Eterna, on the whole, reminds me that we very seldom operate from a place of rationality.  And if we're being honest with each other, that runs true in pretty much every facet of the luxury industry.  Common sense tells you that, in essence, it's just a watch.  Calm down, collect your thoughts, be reasonable...

Courtesy of Eterna

Now my common sense tells me that Eterna is, at the moment, not exactly living its "best life".   If my inside sources are to be believed, there is no actual CEO pulling the levers, but rather a consultant who is, well... consulting.  And in the big scheme of things?  Nothing wrong with that, as my understanding they are in "Sleeping Beauty" mode, waiting for Prince Charming to plant one on them.  The head of the movement division has "moved on", and suffice it to say, nobody is entirely sure as to what's next.

But obsession is a very curious thing, and so long as it is kept in a relatively healthy perspective, I suppose that there are worse things to be obsessed about than the Kontiki Bronze Diver.  I can rationalize all that I want, but for me Eterna has always been a romantic connection.  Something that I have never been able to adequately explain in black and white.  It is, I guess, my own sense of Eterna sais quoi.

Although it was a limited edition a few years back, it appears to still be available.  For those so inclined, here are the pertinents -

Ref: 1291.78.51.1430

MOVEMENT
Calibre Maison Eterna EMC 3902A, power reserve 65h, 28’800 v.p.h, 30 jewels, 1 ball bearing

CASE
All brushed bronze, rotating bezel with green ceramic ring, case back secured with screw, sapphire crystal opening in stainless steel
 

CRYSTAL
Scratch-resistant, anti-reflective sapphire crystal
 

DIMENSIONS
∅ 44 mm / 14.05 mm
DIAL
Green, matte structured
 

STRAP & CLASP
Brown waterproof leather strap, bronze pin buckle
 

FUNCTIONS
Hour, minute, second

I for one would really like to see a feel-good, love story-triumphant comeback.  But for now I will live with my obsession.

"The thing about the old days: they the old days."

Disappointing Is pretty much the best word I have to sum up the latest release from Eterna, the newest iteration of the KonTiki.  In this instance it is a ladies model.  And at least from my own perspective, it is what is sometimes symptomatic of the struggles brands go through to try and stabilize the boat in turbulent times.

What is intriguing in the press release is that Eterna goes to great lengths to extol the virtues of the earlier ladies KonTiki, but in looking at the "before" and "after" images, it would seem, to quote Slim Charles in The Wire -

Courtesy of HBO / The Wire

So here is some of the "before" -

Courtesy of Eterna

And to assure you, the customer, of the "bona fides" of the new ladies KonTiki -

Courtesy of Eterna

Well, that was then, this is now -

Courtesy of Eterna

Courtesy of Eterna

Courtesy of Eterna

Courtesy of Eterna

Courtesy of Eterna

There are some very nice touches to this collection, and in fairness, as a man I am clearly not in this particular demographic as a potential customer.  So myself, I'm not feeling it.  But then again, as I said, I am not the target customer ; )

So as ever, here are the pertinents, draw your own conclusions.  

MOVEMENT
Sellita SW200-1, power reserve 38h

CASE
Polished and brushed stainless steel

CRYSTAL
Scratch-resistant, anti-reflective, sapphire crystal

DIMENSIONS
∅ 36.4 mm/11.10 mm

DIAL
White MOP, endowed with 7 diamonds (Top Wesselton, 0.07 carats)

Light silver, Opaline 

STRAP & CLASP
White rubber, alligator imitation, pin buckle

Polished and brushed stainless steel and PVD 4N, Folding clasp 

FUNCTIONS
Hour, minute, second, date 

The Super KonTiki Chronograph

From Eterna -

Courtesy of Eterna

I joined a cult back in 2001.  It wasn't anything I planned.  I had just finished a particularly grueling dentist's appointment.  Not feeling too sharp, I wandered San Francisco's downtown and found

Eterna - You coulda been a Contender

From On the Waterfront (1954):

Charlie: Look, kid, I - how much you weigh, son? When you weighed one hundred and sixty-eight pounds you were beautiful. You coulda been another Billy Conn, and that skunk we got you for a manager, he brought you along too fast. 

Terry: It wasn't him, Charley, it was you. Remember that night in the Garden you came down to my dressing room and you said, "Kid, this ain't your night. We're going for the price on Wilson." You remember that? "This ain't your night"! My night! I coulda taken Wilson apart! So what happens? He gets the title shot outdoors on the ballpark and what do I get? A one-way ticket to Palooka-ville! You was my brother, Charley, you shoulda looked out for me a little bit. You shoulda taken care of me just a little bit so I wouldn't have to take them dives for the short-end money. 

Charlie: Oh I had some bets down for you. You saw some money. 

Terry: You don't understand. I coulda had class. I coulda been a contender. I coulda been somebody, instead of a bum, which is what I am, let's face it. It was you, Charley.

And at this point, I am tempted to start referring to the Eterna KonTiki as "Terry".  So many possibilities, so many opportunities, so many "jumps" for the quick buck.  So much impatience.  So little realized.

If it sounds like I take it a little personally, possibly I do.  And that is the unreasonable attachment that we as watch fans have to the watches and the companies that produce them.  Some other examples?

Bremont in and of itself is no better and no worse than most of the other brands out there.  But with a few models that hit a chord, and with someone as talented as Mike Pearson pushing that message and working as tirelessly has he has, Bremont has taken something ordinary - a watch - and driven a level of customer and watch fan engagement that they continue to remain on most people's radar and able to survive a sometimes unforgiving marketplace.  

Glycine has a signature model as well - the Airman.  Through many, many iterations it continues to be identifiable and desired.  The Airman is not unlike potato chips - hard to limit yourself to just one. So why has Glycine's Airman continued forward and upwards while Eterna's Kontiki continues to drift in the kiddie pool with all of the "little kids" with weak bladders?  Lack of focus and commitment.

NOMOS - Clearly, easily identifiable watches with a limited collection and a few options.  In a not so dissimilar approach to Henry Ford - you can have any color you want so long as it's black (or white).

If you want one, you just might have to wait, and NOMOS is okay with that.  Limited availability will actually serve to stimulate demand.  Remember - we are not sheep, we want something hard to come by ; )  You don't see a lot of NOMOS watches in the Grey Market.

If you think about Glycine and NOMOS - what is the common thread?  Consistent design and consistent communication about what that message is.

So if I were trying to resuscitate the KonTiki (and I have no doubt that the management in Grenchen are thanking their "personal God" that I am not), I would go about it like this:

1.  Trim the fat - pick one "look and feel" with MAYBE 2 options - not 5 or more.  When you offer 1 or 2 options it becomes much easier to identify the KonTiki.  When you offer it in "33 flavors" it confuses the market place and it makes it challenging to move the amount of production required to offer so many variations.  Think I'm kidding?  This is the SuperKontiki collection for this year:

Now in fairness you would be aware of these pieces if you followed the watch press, but you'd be pretty-much stuffed if you tried to find them on Eterna's website, which begs another question.  Seeing as you made all of these nice, new, shiny watches, don't you want people to be able to see them on your website?  This also does not take into account the KonTiki Royal...

2.  Taking those two versions - PUSH THEM LIKE CRAZY!

3.  Begin a communication program to tell the story about the KonTiki to those who don't know it.

4.  Re-connect with the vintage KonTiki community in a meaningful way - asking bloggers and journalists to share a KonTiki story in a competition to win a watch is not engaging with CUSTOMERS.  True fact here - we (watch bloggers and journalists) are not your target market, we are the conduit through which you might reach your target market.

5.  Chill the f^%$k out and show some patience!  Make a model with 2 variations and be willing to wait it out.  It will sell if you don't panic and off-load it to the grey market after 3 months.

Don't Be Afraid of the Dark

The latest iteration of the Super KonTiki from Eterna.

If you read this blog even semi- regularly, you will know that I worship at the Church of the KonTiki.

So, I think interesting things are hopefully on the horizon. I will be reporting live in the very near future.

Courtesy of Eterna

But for now, until I have more clarifications from the source, this is the scoop from Eterna -

Super KonTiki

Revival of an icon - Eterna launches new Super KonTiki models inspired by original

Since 1962, the name Super KonTiki has been synonymous among divers for outstanding reliability and precision. Today, the first diver's watch with a rotating bezel from the House of Eterna is a timekeeping icon both on land and below the surface. This year, the original celebrates its much-awaited revival with several new models, including the Black edition, limited to 888 watches.

Courtesy of Eterna

When Eterna developed its first KonTiki models back in 1958 to commemorate a daring expedition across the Pacific, a unique success story for the art of Swiss watchmaking began. The watch line rapidly established itself as a benchmark for extreme sportiness, absolute reliability and precision, ruggedness and resilience. It has remained so to this day, almost five decades on.

Even the earliest KonTiki steel cases were water-resistant to 200 metres. In 1962, Eterna also developed
the Super KonTiki for professional divers, the first diver's watch with a rotating bezel. Its large, highly legible
Roman numerals supplied divers with the information they needed to time decompression stops correctly
during ascents. Now, in 2015, Eterna pays tribute to this unmistakable icon of timekeeping both above and below the surface with the launch of new Super KonTiki models inspired by the 1960s’ and 1970s’ originals. The new watches have unmistakably inherited the solid case with its contoured sides, as well as the characteristic rotating bezel with its chunky, knurled edges, from their predecessors. The triangular indices, shaped like a compass needle, are likewise a stylistic element that characterized the first KonTiki watches. The robust, strikingly sporty exterior combined with the reliable automatic movement predestines the Super KonTiki to be the ideal companion for modern adventurers and explorers who attach value to having their own individual sense of style. 

One watch, three straps
For all those in search of something special, Eterna presents the Super KonTiki Black Limited Edition. For this version, limited to just 888 watches, the case comes shrouded in mysterious, jet-black. The orange-coloured, SuperLuminova-coated hands and luminescent dots adjacent to the hour indices stand out even more prominently against the likewise jet-black dial and guarantee perfect legibility whatever the lighting conditions. The Super KonTiki Black Limited Edition comes with a black milanese bracelet, a black nato strap with a central orange stripe that exactly matches the colour of the hands, and a black leather strap.

Super KonTiki / Technical specifications - 1273.43.41.1365 

Movement - Sellita calibre SW200-1
Case - Stainless-steel with PVD, 45mm
Dial - Black
Strap - Black nato, leather strap and black milanese
Functions - Hours, minutes, seconds, date 

Anxiously Awaiting the Kontiki

I LOVE the KonTiki.  I can't really help it, it is not a rational kind of love.  And therefore I am sure that I join several people out there anxiously awaiting the newest KonTikis to arrive.  There have been a few blog posts from others.  And I did get to see some previews in Basel and when I visited ETERNA back in May.

For now, I will content myself with my favorite so far.  This is the 1973 -

Courtesy of ETERNA

Fear not fellow-KonTiki lovers!  The folks at ETERNA will have you covered!