The Legacy: When FOMO Is A Reasonable Response

From Gorilla Watches -

Courtesy of Gorilla

FOMO.  It's a term we hear bandied around quite a it. It speaks to the anxiety or fear of missing out on something when you have the opportunity to get it, but you worry that your decision making paradigm might not be efficient or quick enough for you to take possession of that which you truly desire. And for some watch collectors this can be worse than a failed relationship. As the old saying goes, there are plenty of other fish in the sea (yes, in today's climate change reality even that old chestnut is debatable), but missing out on the Original Gorilla Fastback has haunted me far worse than the unrequited love I had for a certain girl growing up in Northern Ohio in the early 80s.

With all that being said, allow me to acquaint you with the Gorilla Legacy. And I say this without fear of contradiction - this watch IS THE SHIT THAT KILLED ELVIS! (that's good).

Courtesy of Gorilla Watches

It's Déjà vu all over again!

The Legacy looks completely different, yet hauntingly the same.  Go figure! 

The case's vital statistics are as follows:

44 mm case diameter
48.5 mm with crown guards
13 mm case thickness
57 mm lug-to-lug

But it's not just about the dimensions, but rather the dimensions explored with the materials used to make said case:

Layered forged carbon case and bezel, anodized aluminum pinstripe, screw-down titanium crown for improved water resistance

Courtesy of Gorilla Watches

The case back is of titanium.

The movement is, as you've come to know and expect, a Miyota.  In this instance it is the 8215 (self-winding/automatic).

The price is reasonable - refreshingly so at $980 which if my reading is correct will include shipping.  

Here are all the pertinents, straight from Gorilla HQ:

CALIBER

Miyota 8215, self-winding, 3Hz/21.600 vph

FUNCTIONS

Hour, minute, sweeping seconds

CASE MATERIAL

Layered forged carbon case and bezel, anodized aluminum pinstripe, screw-down titanium crown for improved water resistance

CASEBACK

Titanium caseback, engraved

DIAL

Forged carbon, anodized aluminum, numerals printed with Super-Luminova™, hands and hour markers filled with Super-Luminova™

CRYSTAL

Scratch resistant sapphire, anti-reflective coating on both sides

STRAP

Bi-color Viton™

BUCKLE

Titanium pin buckle

CASE DIMENSIONS

44 mm case diameter
48.5 mm with crown guards
13 mm case thickness
57 mm lug-to-lug

WATER RESISTANCE

100M/330FT/10ATM

The Phantom Black

From Gorilla -

Courtesy of Gorilla

SOOOOOO Drip!

So that we are all 100% crystal-clear, I am a great fan of Gorilla and the watches that Lukas Gopp and Octavio Garcia put out. While everyone else in Watch Town is racking their brains as to how to push out a stainless steel watch with integrated bracelet as fast as they can, the dynamic duo behind the Fastback quietly go about their business, making watches that make sense to them - and certainly make sense to me and a very vocal online following.

Courtesy of Gorilla Watches

As mentioned, this is the Phantom Black.  A quieter, dare I say it - stealthier take on the Fastback.  (see what I did there?)

The Fastback collection is great for a lot of reasons, but Gorilla is more than just a collection of popular watches. It is a case study in setting your own agenda as a brand and having the courage of your convictions to see it through.

Viva Gorilla!

Now for those of you so inclined, you can pick up the Phantom Black for a refreshingly affordable price - $880 US!

Here are the pertinents -

MOVEMENT
Miyota 8215, self-winding,
3Hz/21.600 vph

FUNCTIONS
Hour, minute, sweeping seconds

CASE MATERIAL
Forged carbon case, ceramic bezel, anodized aluminum pinstripe, screw-down titanium crown for improved water resistance

CASEBACK
Titanium, engraved

DIAL
Matte dial, natural Super-Luminova™ printed numerals, anodized aluminum flange, Super-Luminova™ filled hour disc, minute hand, and hour markers

CRYSTAL
Scratch resistant sapphire,
anti-reflective coating on both sides

STRAP
FKM rubber, Cordura™

BUCKLE
Titanium pin buckle

CASE DIMENSIONS
44 mm case diameter
48.5 mm with crown guards
13 mm case thickness
57 mm lug-to-lug

WATER RESISTANCE
100M/330FT/10ATM

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

The Anti-Tudor

The North Flag -

Courtesy of Tudor

Regular readers will know by now that I am nothing if not contrarian. I was a Tudor fan from way back. Now to be clear, not in the growing a beard to be ironic (I grew mine to camouflage a weak chin), wearing "heritage brands" (who the hell can afford brand new Red Wing boots, and have you ever tried to walk more than a mile in work boots?) or pouring over historical data so that I can seem clever and witty at the next "meet up".  Yeah, I gotta' be me ; ). 
Editors note - if you ever see this author at a watch enthusiast "meet up" wearing a "trucker" hat, drinking a "budget" beer and trying to one-up those gathered on arcane, esoteric watch knowledge (particularly anything about mvt. references) you have the express permission of Tempus Fugit to smack him.

I am the guy who nearly pulled the trigger on a circa early 90s Tudor Sub back in Turku Finland in 1997, swapped an Omega for a vintage Tudor Prince and probably is not really swayed by the Black Bay collection with the exception of the GMT (probably because most of these "born again purists" poo-poo it from the comfort of their Brooklyn hangouts).

Courtesy of Tudor

I got introduced to the North Flag at BaselWorld 2015.  And it's ironic to look back, because at that time, it was the darling of the fair. But like that catchy pop record that rules the airwaves over the summer months, once September rolls around it is consigned to the odd iTunes "Shuffle" rotation.

Courtesy of Tudor

But for me, this one is still deep. A manufacture movement, a contrarian design - not a dive watch! And it is still The Shit That Killed Elvis!

Here are the pertinents -

• 

  Guarantee

  Five year guarantee
• 

  Case

  40 mm steel case with satin finish, open back with sapphire crystal
• 

  Movement

  Manufacture Calibre MT5621 (COSC)
  
  Self-winding mechanical movement with bidirectional rotor system
• 

  Power Reserve

  Power reserve of approximately 70 hours
• 

  Winding Crown

  Steel winding crown with TUDOR logo in relief
• • 

    Waterproofness

    Waterproof to 100 m (330 ft)
  • 

    Bezel

    Double bezel in steel and matt black ceramic
  • 

    Dial

    Black
    Power reserve disc at 9 o’clock
    Date at 3 o’clock
  • 

    Crystal

    Sapphire crystal
  • 

    Bracelet

    Steel bracelet with folding clasp and safety catch

Don't Call It A Comeback! Alain Silberstein Returns with Louis Erard!

There are a few people in the watch business who are truly missed when they leave or take a break.  One of them is Alain Silberstein.

Courtesy of Louis Erard

Regardless of whether you're into old school divers, gold 2 handers or G-Shocks, it is likely that at one time or another, you have clapped eyes on a Silberstein watch and felt something pull you in.

Courtesy of Louis Erard

Well, if you missed out back in the day, and your a little less than certain about buying pre-owned?  Well here's your chance!

This is the Louis Erard x Alain Silberstein -

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Movement Manual winding regulator with power reserve, ETA Peseux 7001 movement with Louis Erard RE9 complication, 10½’’’, Ø23.30 mm (Ø26.00 mm with module), height: 2.5 mm (4.7 mm with module), 17 jewels, 21,600 VpH (3Hz). Around 42 hours of power reserve. Top grade movement, Côtes de Genève decoration, blue screws and Louis Erard engraving

Functions HMS + power reserve
Hour hand on counter at 12 o’clock, central minute hand, seconds hand on counter at 6 o’clock, power reserve hand at 9 o’clock.

Case 

Stainless steel or stainless steel + black PVD, Ø40 mm, 3 parts, sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment on both sides, case back with screws, top grade movement visible through the transparent case back, water-resistant up to a pressure of 5 bars (50 m/165 ft). Specially-decorated case back crystal: Alain Silberstein X Louis Erard 1 of 178.

Dial 

Black and white matte or opaline (matte silver)

Hands 

Signature hands designed by Alain Silberstein. Red lacquered hour hand, yellow or blue lacquered minute hand, blue or yellow lacquered seconds hand, white or grey lacquered power reserve hand.

Strap 

Black calf leather with signature stitching in red or brown calf leather with signature stitching in blue, pin buckle in stainless steel or stainless steel + black PVD.

Collaboration Watches developed in collaboration with Alain Silberstein in two limited editions of 178 pieces.

The U2 Dragon Lady

From Hager -

Courtesy of Hager

Now as previously mentioned, I am somewhat pre-disposed to liking Hager.  I am friends with the owner, and I wear and enjoy several pieces of the Hager collection.  In many ways you could say that I am an unofficial, accidental ambassador.  But owing to that, this is not a review or "unbiased" bit of feedback.  To be clear, I am VERY biased!

I have been wearing and enjoying the U2 Dragon Lady since BaselWorld when I was hanging out with Mr. Hager Watch Company himself (he's the good-looking guy on the right).  So again, let's be clear, I AM BIASED ; )

So this will be a "just the facts" announcement, with two little, very biased opinions at the end.

Courtesy of Hager

Here are the pertinents, direct from Hager -

Movement

Caliber: Seiko VK64 Hybrid Chronograph movement that combines technologies found in quartz and mechanical movements.

Functions: Quick correction of day and date, hours, minutes and Tachymeter hand that doubles as a second hand, date display at 6 o’clock. Chronograph: 60-min timer at 9 o’clock, 24-hour counter at 6 o'clock.

Total Diameter: 13.5 linge (30.80mm x 29.10mm)

Height: 5.10mm

Accuracy: +/-1 second a day, less than +/- 20 seconds per month at normal temps. Requires watch cell 394 (SR936SW). The battery life is about 3 years with normal operation.

Technical Data

Material: 316L Marine grade stainless steel

Diameter: 41mm

Height: 16mm to top of the crystal

Length: 51mm lug to lug

Lug Width: 22mm

Finish: Brushed with polished sides and beveled edges

Water Resistance: 200m/660ft

Case Back: Solid steel screwed

Crystal: Domed, scratch-resistant sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment

Dial: Black dial with faceted hour markers

Bezel: Tachometer scale engraved on the metal bezel to enhance the legibility of the dial

Hands: luminance baton hour hands and tachymeter aircraft shaped hand

Crown: Recessed screw-down signed with company logo

Bracelet: Stainless Steel with brushed links, two button clasp and slide lock extension.

Courtesy of Hager

So now for the personal stuff - which again, is biased.  The U2 Dragon Lady is priced at $650 US.  And I think that is a fair price for what you are getting.  

Second biased opinion - the choice to use the decision to use the Seiko VK64 Hybrid Chronograph movement was a very, very good one.  Frequent readers may recall that I bought a Straton Chronograph during BaselWorld that also featured a Hybrid movement.  And I love both of these watches for that movement as much as any other reason.  I love chronographs, I hate servicing (or paying for the servicing) of them.  Quartz accuracy, and no obnoxious "tick-tick-tick".  The chronograph hand sweeps.

So should you be of a mind, check it out here, you have been referred by a VERY BIASED source ; )

https://www.hagerwatches.com

The BR V2-92 Military Beige

From Bell & Ross -

Courtesy of Bell & Ross

This one for me is pretty special.  It combines a lot of different Bell & Ross elements together and unites them into one comprehensive piece.  Looking at it gives me the feeling that the designers at Bell & Ross climbed inside my emotional memory bank and tapped into 3 key visceral memories and combined them into my ideal watch.

Memory number one is the idea of a diver style watch that DOES NOT have a black dial.  As a (decidedly) younger man, I was very partial to diver style watches, but to be honest?  EVERYONE had a black or even a blue dial.  I wanted something different, but could never really find one that fit the bill.  White was nice enough, other colors while intriguing felt a little "too" different.  Around that time, I was a regular habitué of Seregin's in San Francisco, and the legendary Francis Z was the resident watch nerd.  You could count on Francis to find that piece that had that extra little something, and it bears mentioning that he is the man that coined that now infamous phrase amongst the watch cognoscenti -

            The Shit That Killed Elvis!

Francis was a devotee of one specific flavor of Bell & Ross, and that would be the beige dial.  He was not averse to other color dials for other brands, but for him beige was what made Bell & Ross tick.  Francis walked me through several trades, upgrades, and was my wife Wendy's accomplice when she bought a watch for me for Christmas one year that required Francis to use some truly remarkable acting skills.  Following that we were friends, bonded by an action that was born of kindness.  Francis's favorite watch was this one -

Courtesy of Bell & Ross

The BR 123 Original.  Wendy and I had moved to Santa Barbara from San Francisco and I had returned back for a business visit and popped into Seregin's only to be informed that Francis had passed away after a brief but intense battle with cancer.  I'd like to think that the BR 123 was with him when he left for his next adventure.  Suffice it to say, he would have loved the BR V2-92 Military Beige.

So that is two.  Emotional trigger number 3?  It's gotta' be the strap!

Courtesy of Bell & Ross

To quote my friend Francis?  It IS the Shit that Killed Elvis!  There is more to this third emotional element, but that dear reader is a story for another day ; )

You can certainly get this time machine with a stainless steel strap if that is your inclination, but for me the strap just pulls the whole thing together quite nicely.

So a sincere thank you to Bell & Ross for reminding me about why I love watches.

Here are the pertinents, straight from the source -


Movement: calibre BR-CAL.302. Automatic mechanical.

Functions: hours, minutes, seconds and date.

Case: 41 mm in diameter. Satin-polished steel. Bi-directional rotating steel bezel with anodized black aluminum ring and 60-minute scale. Screw-down crown. Sapphire case back.

Dial: beige. Black painted numerals and indices. Metal skeletonised Super-LumiNova®-filled hour and minute hands

Crystal: ultra-curved sapphire with anti-reflective coating.

Water-resistance: 100 metres.

Strap: elastic canvas strap or satin-polished steel bracelet.

Buckle: folding for metal bracelet.

The Flieger Klassik 40 Handwinding - in WHITE

From STOWA -

Courtesy of STOWA

There are fliegers, and then again, there are fliegers that are (in their own way) flights of fancy.  Please forgive the alliteration, but once again the team at STOWA have taken a standard idea that we all feel we know and understand, and given it a little tweak.  

We all know that pilot's watches are always, every time, 100% black dialed... usually ; )

Now I am certainly someone who appreciates tradition.  My high school soccer team never made it past the first round of the high school playoffs each of my three years on the varsity, while our club team (made up of EXACTLY the same players) made it to the "Final Four" of he Northern Ohio state championship 2 out of 3 years.  Sometimes tradition gets so embedded in us that it truly holds us back ; )  

But not so for the STOWA Flieger Classic Handwinding.  This is the Shit That Killed Elvis!  You can get a black dialed flinger anywhere - even from STOWA.  But this?  This is a bit special.

Here are the pertinents, straight from STOWA -

Case

Diameter:

40,00mm

Height:

10,20mm automatic and 9.20 mm in handwinding

Strap width:

20,00mm

Lug-to-Lug size:

48,60mm

Waterproof:

up to 5ATM 

Weight:

70 gr. (leather strap), about 120 gr. (metal bracelet)

Materiality

Case:

Stainless steel, fine matt, ground by hand

Dial:

white colored, black printed, Superluminova C3

Hands:

black matte, Superluminova C3 or real temperature blued steel hands

Movement

Caliber:

ETA 2824-2 automatic or 2804-2 handwinded

Mechanism:

mechanical, automatic or hand wound

Specific features:

screwed case back, date, hands and numerals on dial with Superluminova C3

Two Exciting New Models from Sartory Billard

Now before we dive into these two new models, I have to make sure that it is clearly disclosed that I do have a business relationship with Sartory Billard in terms of marketing, sales and communication in North America.  Having said that, I do feel that these two new models are intriguing, interesting and offer something special at a great price.  BUT - once again - I do work with Sartory Billard, so I want to make sure that readers are aware of this relationship.

Now part of what is both great and frustrating about working behind the scenes with some brands in a consulting role is that you often have a jump on your colleagues in the Fourth and Fifth Estates to be able to break news.  I believe that there is such a thing as ethics, and owing to this I have waited to give other outlets first crack at the bat to share these two new models from Sartory Billard.  But as I am also a fan, as well as a consultant, I wanted to share some of my own opinions about the new SB04 models from Sartory Billard.

Courtesy of Sartory Billard

This is the SB04 Blue Polished Titanium

Automatic Swiss movement, 26 jewels, 4Hz.
40 mm (without crown) 316L stainless steel case
11 mm thick
Sapphire crystal
The dial is made of polished titanium.

Courtesy of Sartory Billard

And this is the SB04 Meteorite.

The specs are essentially the same, but in this instance the dial is of meteorite.

My understanding is that with both of these models, the hands are made by hand by Sartory Billard.

I have reached out to confirm pricing, and will update this post when I have it for both models.

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.