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Nicholas Wittcoff

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Split Dial Highlights Final Zenith Lupin III A384 Series

Zenith releases the third and final watch in a special series that debuted in the metal in 2019, but had its origins fifty years ago.

The new Zenith Chronomaster Revival Lupin The Third – Final Edition dramatically combines two dials of Zenith watches designed to echo the famed Zenith A384 from 1969.

The new Zenith Chronomaster Revival Lupin The Third – Final Edition

That original watch, depicted with a (then non-existent) black, grey and gilt dial, was seen on the wrist of a character in the Japanese anime series starring Arsene Lupin III. The same character, Daisuke Jigen, wears another Zenith A384 later in the series, again with a dial Zenith had not yet designed.

Zenith finally created a genuine Chronomaster Revival Lupin The Third watch in 2019, followed by a second edition in 2020, with each model depicting the ‘panda’ style dials seen in the animated series.

This year the watchmaker finalizes the series with this appropriately named debut—and the design is both unexpected and exhilarating.

The new watch, a limited edition of 250, combines the two previous Zenith dials in this Lupin III series. On the left, the watch features a semi-glossy black dial, grey counters and golden markers and hands from the first edition. On the right side Zenith places a white dial with contrasting black counters in the “panda” layout inspired by the second Lupin the Third edition. 

The new Zenith Chronomaster Revival Lupin The Third – Final Edition features a 37mm titanium case in the proportions of the original A384. Inside Zenith fits its superb El Primero 400 automatic integrated column-wheel chronograph (see specifications below). The rotor, according to Zenith displays an engraving of Daisuke Jigen through its sapphire caseback. We’ll show you the back of the watch as soon as we obtain images from Zenith.

This piece is limited to 250 pieces. Price: $10,000

 

Specifications: Zenith Chronomaster Revival Lupin The Third – Final Edition

(Reference: 95.L384.400/50.M384, Limited edition of 250)

Movement: El Primero 400 Automatic column-wheel chronograph with a frequency of 36,000 Vph (5 Hz) and a power reserve of 50 hours.

Functions: Hours and minutes in the center, small seconds at nine o’clock. Chronograph: central chronograph hand, 12-hour counter at six o’clock, 30-minute counter at three o’clock. Tachymetric scale. Date indication.
Case: 37-mm titanium, tonneau-shaped and water resistant to fifty meters.

Dial: Black & white special split color design. Hands and hour-markers are rhodium-plated or gold-plated, faceted and coated with beige SuperLuminova.
Bracelet: Titanium “ladder” bracelet and double folding clasp.

Price: $10,000

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The Watches

TAG Heuer Celebrates Autavia Anniversary with New Flyback and GMT

TAG Heuer adds three new TAG Heuer Autavia models to the now sixty-year-old collection, including two versions of a debut flyback chronograph and the first-ever three-hand Autavia GMT.

The new black-cased and black-dialed version of the TAG Heuer Autavia 60th Anniversary Flyback.

Specifically, TAG Heuer fits a new Caliber Heuer 02 COSC Flyback movement (with an impressive eighty hours of power reserve) into two new Autavia 60th Anniversary Flyback Chronographs while the new Caliber 7 COSC GMT movement drives a new Autavia 60th  Anniversary GMT Three Hands watch.

The new TAG Heuer Autavia 60th Anniversary Flyback. Chronograph, with silver ‘panda’ dial.

One of the two new flyback chronographs features a ‘panda’ style silver dial framed by a polished stainless-steel case. The second Autavia flyback chronograph debut features an all black dial and black DLC-coated case. As a reminder, the flyback function makes it possible to reset the chronograph hand and immediately restart a new timing event.

The new TAG Heuer Autavia 60th Anniversary GMT Three Hands, a COSC-certified chronometer.

For the premiere Autavia GMT watch, powered by a new Caliber 7 COSC GMT movement, TAG Heuer places a blue sunray-brushed dial and a blue and black ceramic bezel within a 42mm polished stainless-steel case.

The Autavia COSC GMT caseback shows an engraving.

TAG Heuer will deliver the 60th Anniversary Autavia Flyback Chronograph models on a black alligator leather strap fitted with a pin buckle. The GMT arrives on a stainless-steel bracelet with a steel folding clasp and double safety push buttons.

The watch’s black alligator strap with steel pin buckle is easily changeable by pressing the quick-release button.

Prices: $6,300 (silver dial flyback chronograph), $6,950 (black dial, black case flyback chronograph) and $4,200 (GMT).

 

Specifications:

TAG Heuer Autavia 60th Anniversary Flyback Chronograph (CBE511B.FC8279, silver ‘panda’ dial)

MOVEMENT: Caliber Heuer 02 COSC Flyback with 80 hours of power reserve.

DIAL: Silver dial with ‘panda’ style subdial, indexes and hands with off-white Super-LumiNova, rhodium-plated hour and minute hands.

CASE: 42mm polished and fine-brushed stainless steel, back ceramic bidirectional rotating bezel, sapphire caseback. Water resistance to 100 meters.

BRACELET: Black alligator leather with stainless-steel pin buckle.

Price: $6,300.

TAG Heuer Autavia 60th Anniversary Flyback Chronograph (CBE511C.FC8280, black dial, black case)

MOVEMENT: Caliber Heuer 02 COSC Flyback with 80 hours power reserve. .

DIAL: Black with indexes and hands with green SuperLumiNova.

CASE: 42 mm black DLC-coated, polished and fine-brushed, black ceramic bidirectional rotating bezel, sapphire caseback, water resistance to 100 meters.

BRACELET: Black alligator leather with DLC-coated pin buckle.

Price: $6,950.

TAG Heuer Autavia 60th Anniversary GMT 3 Hands (WBE511A.BA0650)

MOVEMENT: Caliber 7 COSC-certified GMT.

DIAL: Blue sunray-brushed, numerals and hands with white SuperLumiNova.

CASE: 42mm polished and fine-brushed stainless steel, blue ceramic and black 24-hour scale bidirectional rotating bezel. Water resistance to 100 meters.

BRACELET: Stainless steel with steel folding clasp and double safety push buttons.

Price: $4,200.

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The Watches

Omega Launches Speedmaster 321 Canopus Gold

Omega starts its new year by introducing a new Speedmaster 321 Canopus Gold.  The namesake white gold alloy, which Omega debuted in 2015, includes platinum, rhodium and palladium and is brighter and harder than traditional watch case white gold alloys.

The new Omega Speedmaster 321 in an 18-karat Canopus Gold case and bracelet.

The Omega Speedmaster 321 Canopus Gold release, meant to mark the Speedmaster’s 65th anniversary, is a particularly high-end version of the famed watch and not only is cased in 38.6mm gold, but also features a black onyx dial, white gold hands and a bezel filled with black Grand Feu enamel.

Omega designed the watch to closely echo the first Speedmaster (known as the CK2915-1). Thus collectors will note details such as the NAIAD symbol on the watch’s crown, which was specifically used to reference water-resistance in some of the first CK2915 models, as well as an applied vintage Omega logo and typography featuring an oval O as was found on the first CK2915 models. Collectors will also see the ‘dot over ninety’ (DON) and a dot diagonal to seventy.

The bezel is filled with black Grand Feu enamel.

Inside Omega places the revamped Caliber 321, a handcrafted remake of the original movement used inside the 1957 Speedmaster.

Omega’s manual-winding Caliber 321, now finished in Sedna gold PVD.

You might recall that Omega brought the manual-winding Caliber 321 back into production in 2019 with all the required technical specifications. However, today’s edition of the famed chronograph movement with column wheel is finished with a brilliant 18-karat Sedna gold PVD coating.

On the caseback, you’ll find the Omega Seahorse design engraved inside the sapphire crystal.

On the back Omega adds another tribute to the Speedmaster anniversary with an engraving of the Omega Seahorse icon. Omega added a new sparkle to the Seahorse’s eye, crafting it from a blue sapphire, a jewel that traditionally marks a 65-year celebration.

Omega offers the new Speedmaster 321 Canopus Gold watch on an 18-karat Canopus Gold bracelet. The watch arrives inside a special wooden box inspired by the original 1957 Speedmaster boxes.

Price: $81,000

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The Watches

Grand Seiko Expands U.S. Special Edition Sōkō Collection

Grand Seiko introduces two new U.S.-exclusive Special Edition timepieces to its Heritage Collection. The new models are extensions within the watchmaker’s Special Edition Sōkō collection introduced last year to celebrate the end of autumn and the sight of the first winter frost.

Grand Seiko says its designers were inspired by the clear blue skies over the Sea of Japan during the early winter months for the dial of this Hi-Beat 36000 model (SBGH295).

And as you might expect, both of the new models feature light blue dials.

The first new watch, the Spring Drive SBGA471, features a light blue vertically textured dial designed to mimic the frozen trunks of bamboo trees of the Arashiyama bamboo forest, according to the watchmaker.

This model, Grand Seiko SBGA471, features an icy blue vertically textured dial inspires by frozen trunks of trees in the Arashiyama bamboo forest.

With its distinctive power reserve indicator, this watch’s dial is framed by Grand Seiko’s 44GS 40mm case (here in titanium), first seen fifty-five years ago and characterized by the watchmaker’s expertly rendered flat and mirror polished surfaces.

The second is the SBGH295, a 40mm steel-cased Hi-Beat 36000 Grand Seiko watch with an escapement that vibrates at 36,000 beats per hour. This watch’s blue dial is framed with a mirrored, multi-sided case inspired by Grand Seiko’s first automatic watch, the 62GS, from 1967. Grand Seiko’s superb Zaratsu polishing and a bezel-free, fairly wide dial opening characterize the case.

Collectors may recognize the blue dial from the Grand Seiko “ice blue” dials introduced on the first U.S. Limited Edition collection in 2018.

Grand Seiko Automatic Spring Drive Caliber 9R65.

The movements

Grand Seiko powers each of the new Sōkō Frost limited editions with specialties of the Grand Seiko house. In the Spring Drive model you’ll find caliber the 9R65, which combines the high torque of a mechanical watch with Spring Drive’s unique integrated circuit control system.

Grand Seiko Hi-Beat 36000 Caliber 9S85.

As noted, Grand Seiko places its 9S85 Hi-Beat caliber inside SBGH295. The movement oscillates at a rate of ten beats per second (36,000 vph) and yet still maintains an impressive power reserve of 55 hours.

Both watches are water resistant to 100 meters, and each is equipped with a matching metal bracelet and a crocodile leather strap with three-fold clasp push button release.

Prices: $6,000 (SBGA471 Spring Drive) and $6,900 (SBGH295 Hi-Beat).

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TAG Heuer Celebrates Chinese New Year with Special Edition Carrera

To celebrate the Chinese New Year, TAG Heuer this week launches a limited edition Carrera Year of the Tiger Edition sporting blue tiger stripes on its dial.

The new TAG Heuer Limited Edition Carrera Year of the Tiger.

The Carrera’s gold-plated hands, markers and date box gleam amid the three-dimensional stripes that cut across the dial. TAG Heuer dial makers have created the eye-catching dial using horizontally brushed metal coated with blue PVD treatment (light blue stripes) and painted textured metal (darker stripes).

The same blue hue appears on the watch’s blue calfskin strap that TAG Heuer has accented with a stitched double gold color border.

TAG Heuer has even pictured a blue tiger in attack mode on the clear sapphire crystal back. Beneath that tiger you’ll see the automatic watch’s rotor and the description “ONE OF 300”.

This 41mm steel-cased special edition TAG Heuer Carrera Three Hands is the latest model within the Carrera collection update initially seen this past October. As with that model, TAG Heuer’s Caliber 5 automatic movement powers the Year of the Tiger Edition.

TAG Heuer is selling the limited edition in a blue lacquered box that features the same blue tiger-stripe design as the seen on the dial. Price: $3,750.

Specifications: TAG Heuer Carrera Year of the Tiger Limited Edition
(Ref. WBN2050.FC6506)

Movement: TAG Heuer Caliber 5 automatic (ETA or Sellita base).

Dial: Blue ‘tiger stripes,’
blue flange with 60-second/minute scale, 
rose-gold-plated applied indexes and polished hands and logo.

Case: 41mm steel with polished case and fixed bezel, polished solid rose gold standard crown. Special engraving “LIMITED EDITION” and “ONE OF 300” Blue and black tiger decal. 
Water resistance to 100 meters.

Bracelet: Blue calfskin leather, 
rose gold matte effect stitching, steel folding clasp with double safety push buttons.

Price: $3,750.

 

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