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Gary Girdvainis

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The Watches

Titanium U-Boat Capsoil Stands Out

All U-Boat watches can be can be recognized from a distance. All the creations, conceived and designed by Italo Fontana, stand out thanks to their large crown on the left-hand side of the case. The brand is proud of its “Made in Tuscany” factor. And each watch, powered by a Swiss movement, is created and assembled by the craftsmen at the Lucca headquarters.

 

The Capsoil Titanio DLC is cased in blackened titanium.

Among U-Boat’s best-known designs is its Capsoil collection, which features a movement immersed in oil to amplify the dial. A compensation bubble, which floats freely under the high-quality domed sapphire crystal, then allows the watch to adapt to external and internal temperature variations.

U-Boat’s latest Capsoil offerings include this 45mm titanium Capsoil Titanio Chronograph, made as two limited editions of 150 pieces each. The second version is cased in blackened DLC titanium.

Under the high-quality sapphire crystal a two-level black dial, with beige hands and indexes treated with SuperLuminova, visible sealing screws and a metal plate screwed at 6 o’clock to distinguish the Titanio model from all other watches of the range. The optical effect of the oil creates a more intense black and offers higher legibility.

Price: $3,100 and $3,200 (DLC version).

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The Watches

Zodiac Adds to Super Sea Wolf Series

Zodiac celebrates 140 years as a maker of Swiss-made dive and adventure watches with several new dive watches in its Super Sea Wolf collection.

As displayed earlier this summer at the Couture show in Las Vegas, these 42mm titanium-and/or steel-cased models channel much of the same utility that went into the original Sea Wolf’s 1953 design, but today also include a slew of technical updates.

The Zodiac Super Sea Wolf Pro-Diver Titanium.

One new model, the Super Sea Wolf Pro-Diver Titanium, reveals its appreciation of deep-sea diving through orange and green tones on the bezel and concave ring, and colorful accents on the black sunray dial. Superior luminescence means the dial’s markers and hands glow in the deep.

The classic Zodiac titanium case holds a Swiss-made automatic Sellita movement. Water resistance, as noted on the dial, is a solid 300 meters.

Zodiac supplies the watch with an ISO Diver’s certification, a brushed seven-link titanium butterfly-clasp bracelet and an orange and black matching strap. Zodiac also makes a steel-cased version. Price: $2,495 (titanium model).

The Zodiac Super Sea Wolf Compression Automatic Stainless Steel Watch.

The Zodiac Super Sea Wolf Compression Automatic Stainless Steel Watch is also perfectly proficient under the sea. While not Zodiac’s professional-diver level model, its impressive 200-meter water resistance rating will handle any moisture at the pool or the beach. And it will look terrific while doing so.

Its light blue accents, white dial and highly luminous markers and hands make the watch easy to read in any light. Price: $1,495.

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The Watches

HLA Watches Fund Hawaiian Lifeguards

Offering a direct association with the 50th U.S. state, HLA Watches puts the fun in functional with a series of colorful, highly water-resistant watches that also help fund the Hawaiian Lifeguard Association.

The HLA Watch, model 5412.

 

The sunniest brand within the user-friendly Time Concepts watchmaking group (which also includes Szanto, 420 Waldos and Bia), HLA designs feature 316L stainless-steel cases and are surf-ready with water resistance to 200 meters.

Need to time your boardwork? Each watch also offers a sturdy 120-click uni-directional bezel with screw-down crowns and case back. A scratch-resistant K1 crystal protects the collection’s impossible-to-miss SuperLuminova-embellished hands and indices.

Inside, you’ll find a solid Japanese quartz three-hand (plus date) movement ensuring accurate timekeeping for trivial – or lifesaving situations.

HLA watches are now available in red, yellow, white, blue and black dials, with straps available in black, red, yellow, white, blue, and light gray. Quick-release spring bars allow for straps that can be changed in seconds to create a new look that matches or contrasts the dial as you prefer.

These 42mm HLA watches are priced at $250 with a percentage of the proceeds of each sale donated to the Hawaiian Lifeguard Association to help fund the Junior Lifeguard program.

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The Watches

New Seiko Presage Series Echoes 1960s Styles

By Gary Girdvainis 

Seiko’s new Presage Style 60’s Series takes its inspiration from the Seiko original “Crown Chronograph” introduced in 1964. The watch, Seiko’s first wristwatch equipped with a stopwatch function, marked the beginning of Seiko’s chronograph wristwatch manufacturing.

The original Seiko Crown Chronograph, circa 1964.

While the new Presage Style 60’s Series combines the vintage feel of the 1964 version with modern updates, the new series does not include chronographs but instead creates a timeless look that will be always be comfortably in-style.

Seiko Presage Style 60’s reference SRPG07J1.

On their exteriors, the new designs real the vintage Crown Chronograph’s boxed crystal, faceted indexes and dauphine hands. The new Seiko Presage line also now offers nylon straps and, notably, offers a date display on most versions.

Inside, you’ll find the excellent Seiko 4R35 or 4R39 automatic winding mechanical movement ticking away at 21,600 vph with a 41-hour power reserve.

Seiko is offering seven variations, all crafted in stainless steel and measuring 40.8mm in diameter. The new series offers watches with dials in black, brown, ivory, and earth tones colors of blue and green reminiscent of the 1960s.

One version (above) offered in three color variations has the “heartbeat” cut-out dial highlighting the balance wheel and escapement ($525) with no date. The others have full-coverage dials ($575). Seiko applies its Lumibrite luminescent coating on all variations, and on some models the Lumibrite has a slightly faded color to enhance the vintage feel.

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Featured News

Watches With a Cause

By Gary Girdvainis 

The Maurice Lacroix Aikon #tide is made from #Tide plastics. This material, which includes fabric, rope and more, has been recovered and up-cycled for use as a watch case material.

Maurice Lacroix offers its Aikon #tide in ten colors on a white or black recycled strap.Truly a laudable ideal, recovering, reusing and recycling / upcycling is the wave (pun intended) of the future. More companies at-large, and a host of watch brands in-particular, are recognizing the value of conservation and recycling.

The Ulysse Nardin Lemon Shark

Whether this is an earnest effort by leadership concerned with the state and fate of the planet, or the more mercenary motivation of a marketing mantra is actually a moot point. Doing good is worth it, whether it comes from the heart – or feeds the bottom line.

Ulysse Nardin backs Ocearch’s mission to provide resources to better understand the shark’s role in the ocean’s fragile ecosystem.

Oris helps rebuild ocean reefs and invests in clean water initiatives, Ulysse Nardin supports the amazing work of Chris Fischer and the Ocearch research team gathering (and notably sharing) data on ocean going apex predators as well as sea turtles, Blancpain’s Ocean Commitment comes to life around the world in partnership with various scientific and oceanic entities to study and preserve various aquatic ecosystems. 

Other brands, like IWC, are vying for carbon neutrality in manufacturing, while Mondaine and others are using unusual sources to develop their own sustainable sources for environmentally friendly materials for cases and straps.

From my perspective as an avid outdoorsman and current resident of the planet, I appreciate these efforts and will continue to promote these relationships in our coverage and encourage more brands to engage as they are able to in conservation, philanthropy, and other altruistic endeavors. 

It’s About Time…to save the planet – one watch at a time…

This article first appeared in the Summer 2022 issue of About Time. 

 

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