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Michael Thompson

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The Watches

Bulova Expands Classic Collection 

Bulova adds a handsome new automatic pocket watch and new automatic and quartz tank models to its vintage-themed Classic collection. All the new additions are inspired by Bulova’s own Sutton series from the early 20th century.

The new Bulova Classic pocket watch, with skeletonized automatic movement.

Pocket watch

The new pocket watch, offered in either silver-tone or gold-tone styles, measures 50mm in diameter and features an eye-catching skeletonized automatic Miyota movement with a 42-hour power reserve. 

The watch’s polished steel case and snap-open case back is nicely vertical-brush finished, recalling graceful, vintage styling of an earlier age.

Particularly note that the case’s architectural lines continue onto the watch’s chain, which includes a signature Bulova tuning fork clasp. Bulova makes the watch in either silver with blue-tone Roman numerals and markers or with a luxurious gold tone case and accents and grey Roman numerals and markers. Prices: $595-$695.

Sutton Tank models

Bulova’s new Sutton tank watches include one 33mm x 49mm rectangle stainless steel automatic model that boasts a new bracelet.

Made with a two tone design (silver-tone and gold-tone finish) with textured white dial, curved mineral crystal and an open aperture between the 6 o’clock and 9 o’clock positions.

The new Bulova Sutton Automatic tank watch, with a new bracelet.

Within that space we see the escapement of the 82SO Miyota automatic movement with 42-hour power reserve.

Placed on a matching two-tone silver and gold stainless steel bracelet, the watch sells for $550.

Also new are two quartz-powered tank watches, each measuring a smaller 21mm x 32.5mm size, and each featuring a stainless steel case with gold-tone finish, mother-of-pearl dial and curved mineral crystal.

One of two new quartz-powered Bulova tank models.

One model offers a diamond accented dial and is set on an alligator grain strap with matching stitching ($350).

The second version featuring Roman numeral accents and is set on a two-tone silver and gold stainless steel bracelet ($395). Bulova fits both the strap and bracelet version quick-release spring bars to allow for easy interchangeability.

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The Watches

Greubel Forsey Launches Thinner Balancier 

 

Greubel Forsey launches Balancier 3, a thinner and less pricey model within its double-curve-case Convexe collection.

The new Greubel Forsey Balancier 3.

The new 41.5mm x 13.55mm titanium watch retains the watchmaker’s emblematic arched bridge and multi-level architecture, but here the case lugs no longer have screws—a first for Greubel Forsey.

The watch’s three prominent bridges and its namesake balance wheel dominate the dial. One bridge houses the barrel, the second holds the large (12.6mm) balance wheel, and the third is attached to the seconds counter, supporting the hour and minute hands.

All the bridges feature Greubel Forsey’s signature hand finishes: a curved polished surface, polished bevels and hand-polished screws.

Both of the watch’s two series-coupled fast-rotating barrels (one turn in 3.2 hours) are also quite prominent at the top of the dial. The barrels provide a chronometric power reserve of three full days.

In another first for the Convexe collection, Greubel Forsey has placed the Balancier 3’s power reserve indicator on the caseback.

The watchmaker will make the new Balancier 3 with either a black or blue dial, each limited to eighty-eight pieces with a rubber strap or a Greubel Forsey titanium bracelet upon request.

Price: $182,000. 

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The Watches

Zenith Polishes its Defy Extreme 

Zenith adds a highly reflective mirror finish to a new model in its Defy Extreme collection.

The new Zenith Defy Extreme Mirror.

The very contemporary Defy Extreme Mirror reflects all colors with its fully mirror-polished metal exterior, familiar Defy angular case and polished integrated bracelet. The stark combination offers a dramatic, monochromatic option within the watchmaker’s rugged Defy chronograph collection.

Without colors, the new watch seems to blend with its environment. Zenith pairs the mirror-finish with an equally dramatic multi-layered open dial that features a sapphire center, finished to be both translucent and reflective.

The watch’s 1/100th-of-a-second chronograph scale features satin-brushed metallic elements, which retains the Defy’s easy-to-read dial, despite the watch’s metal-head theme.

Inside the watch the wearer will see an El Primero 9004 high-frequency chronograph movement, found in all the Defy Extreme models. The movement offers 1/100th-of-a -second time measurements with two independent escapements. One beats at 5Hz (36,000 VpH) for timekeeping while the second vibrates at 50Hz (360,000 VpH) to activate the chronograph function.

Zenith customizes each model in the Defy Extreme collection with a specially decorated rotor. On the Defy Extreme Mirror, the star-shaped winding rotor is finished in a silvery-grey metallic tone to match the case and dial elements.

Zenith attaches the new watch to the wrist with a black Velcro strap and a rubber strap, which can be easily swapped with the steel bracelet using the quick strap-change mechanism on the back of the case.

Price: $26,100.

Specifications: Zenith Defy Extreme Mirror 

Movement: Zenith El Primero 9004 with a frequency of 36,000 VpH (watch) and 360,000 VpH (Chronograph). 

Power reserves: 50 hours (watch) and approx. 50 min (chronograph).

Functions: Hours and minutes in the center,  small seconds at 9 o’clock. 1/100th of a second chronograph with a central chronograph hand that makes one turn each second, 30-minute counter at 3 o’clock, 60-second counter at 6 o’clock, Chronograph power-reserve indication at 12 o’clock. Special oscillating weight with satined finishings.

Case: 45mm polished steel, water resistant to 200 meters, flat sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment on both sides, caseback with transparent sapphire crystal.

Dial: Mirror tinted sapphire with three silver-colored counters, hands and markers are rhodium-plated, faceted and coated with SuperLuminova SLN C1.

Bracelet: Full interchangeable strap system. Full polished metal bracelet with folding clasp. Two straps included: 1 Rubber with folding buckle and 1 Velcro.

Price: $26,100. 

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Featured News

Citizen Opens Multi-Brand Flagship Store in New York 

Citizen Watch America last week opened its first-ever U.S.-based multi-brand flagship store in New York City. Offering a wide range of all the Citizen Watch America group brands, which include Citizen, Bulova, Accutron, Frederique Constant, and Alpina, the 7,000-square-foot, three-story flagship is situated at 605 Fifth Avenue, near Rockefeller Center.

Designed by architect Ken Park and his award-winning New York-based firm Kenneth Park Architects, the store features a large video display that can be seen from the street, showcasing watches in apparent three-dimensional views. Inside, a seamless twenty-feet-long wall highlights Citizen’s watchmaking history.

Citizen also teamed with Paris-based Japanese architect, Tsuyoshi Tane (ATTA – Atelier Tsuyoshi Tane Architects) to create an artistic installation called Light is Time, which features thousands of suspended movement baseplates that glitter in the light.

In the store, the first two floors display a full range of watches from each of the Citizen group brands, including timepieces available exclusively at the flagship location.

Next year, Citizen will unveil a museum archive and a dedicated space for events and community programs.

“We are proud to join the ever-growing Fifth Avenue shopping district and introduce Citizen Watch America group brands through an innovative and immersive experience,” says Jeffrey Cohen, President of Citizen Watch America. “This is our first-ever U.S. multi-brand flagship and there is no better place than New York City to capture the inclusive worldview of our company as it serves as the most iconic intersection for citizens from across the world.”

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American Brands

Benrus Revisits Ultra-Deep 

Benrus revives one of its best-selling dive watches with the new Benrus Ultra-Deep, a recreation of one of the watchmaker’s historic models from the 1960s.

The new Benrus Ultra-Deep.

Originally created in response to the rise of scuba diving for sport, the Benrus Ultra-Deep retains the 36.5mm case size of the original model’s ‘compressor’ case. Such cases, built for the U.S.-based Benrus by Swiss-based Ervin Piquerez, would become more water resistant as the diver went deeper because the caseback would pressurize. Modern screw-down cases fulfill the same role in new watches.

The revived Benrus Ultra-Deep also retains the dual-crown design found on the original model.  

One crown rotates an inner timing bezel instead of an external bezel, which makes it less likely the bezel will be shifted by mistake, leading to timing errors under water.

Also note the same cathedral-style hour and minute hands and magnified date window as the original.

The new models of course benefit from numerous technical updates, including a screw-down winding crown, C3 SuperLumiNova hands and dial markers. Inside, Benrus fits a reliable Soprod P024 automatic movement. The watch arrives on a high-end Jubilee-style stainless steel bracelet and also includes a blue nylon NATO dive strap.

Price: $1,095. 

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