The Watches – International Watch Magazine

The Watches January 19, 2022

Grand Seiko Icy Dials Celebrate Anniversaries

Grand Seiko celebrates the twentieth anniversary of its first GMT watch and the fifteenth anniversary of its premiere Spring Drive chronograph with two new watches.

Both debuts technically echo ongoing designs within Grand Seiko’s Sport collection, but present themselves with dials created to recall winter scenes in the mountains that surround the Shinshu in central Japan studio where Grand Seiko design and manufactures the watches. Similarly, both watches feature blue dial accents meant to echo the bright blue color of the winter sky in Shinshu.

The new Sport Collection Grand Seiko GMT 20th Anniversary Limited Edition (SBGE275).

One of these new watches, the Sport Collection Grand Seiko GMT 20^th Anniversary Limited Edition (SBGE275), is a 44mm steel watch with a large GMT hand that allows the wearer to read a second-time zone while a third time zone can also be displayed using the 24-hour bezel.

The power reserve and date are the only other displays interrupting the dial’s wintry white and blue scene. With Grand Seiko’s generous use of Lumibrite on the bezel, indexes, hour, minute, and GMT hands, all displays remain visible in darkness.

The Sport Collection Grand Seiko Chronograph 15^th Anniversary Limited Edition (SBGC247) is the busier of the two new debuts.

The new Sport Collection Grand Seiko Chronograph 15th Anniversary Limited Edition (SBGC247).

Framed by a 43.5mm titanium case, the dial’s icy white coloring serves as a backdrop to three subdials. Grand Seiko protects the much-lauded Spring Drive Chronograph GMT Caliber 9R96 inside this watch with heightened anti-magnetic casing and a fortified titanium case.

Both movements, including the Spring Drive GMT Caliber 9R16 inside the GMT-only model and the Spring Drive Caliber 9R96 inside the chronograph GMT, offer hyper-accurate timing, with accuracy to plus or minus ten seconds per month or 0.5 seconds per day. Both also feature an 18-karat gold Grand Seiko lion emblem on the oscillating weight. (See specifications below for details).

The Grand Seiko chronograph, automatic Spring Drive Caliber 9R96, showing the Grand Seiko lion emblem in 18-karat yellow gold on the oscillating weight.

Look for the Sport Collection Grand Seiko GMT 20^th Anniversary Limited Edition (SBGE275, $7,300) in March when Grand Seiko will release it as a limited edition of 1,500. The Sport Collection Grand Seiko Chronograph 15^th Anniversary Limited Edition (SBGC247, $11,000) is a limited edition of 700 and will be available in February.

(Specifications: Grand Seiko Spring Drive GMT (SBGE275, a limited edition of 1,500)

Movement: Automatic Grand Seiko Spring Drive GMT Caliber 9R16, accuracy of ±10 seconds per month (±0.5 second per day). Power reserve is 72 hours.

Case: 44mm by 14.9mm stainless steel case and bracelet, three-fold clasp with push button release, dual-curved sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating, see-through screw case back, screw-down crown, water resistance to 200 meters, magnetic resistance of 4,800 A/m.

Dial: Patterned ‘icy’ white.

Bracelet: Steel with three-fold clasp and push button release.

Price: $7,300.

Specifications: Grand Seiko Spring Drive Chronograph GMT (SBGC247, a limited edition of 700)

Movement: Automatic Grand Seiko Spring Drive Chronograph GMT Caliber 9R96, accuracy to ±10 seconds per month (±0.5 second per day), power reserve of 72 hours.

Case: 43.5mm by 16.1mm high-intensity titanium. Dual-curved sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating, see-through screw case back, screw-down crown, water resistance to 100 meters, magnetic resistance to 4,800 A/m.

Dial: Patterned ‘icy’ white.

Bracelet: Titanium with three-fold clasp with push button release.
Price: $11,000.

The Watches January 18, 2022

Arnold & Son Celebrates Chinese New Year

Arnold & Son celebrates the traditional Chinese New Year with a limited edition moon phase watch that beautifully illustrates the Year of the Water Tiger, which begins on February 1.

The watchmaker’s Year of the Tiger Perpetual Moon sports a stunning dial depicting a golden tiger standing near a river and lit by a brilliant mother-of-pearl moon. Hematite and aventurine sparkle as the tiger and a luminous, hand-painted waterfall set the scene.

The new Arnold and Son Perpetual Moon Year of the Tiger.

Arnold & Son’s large moonphase display, already one of the most impressive such displays available from a Swiss watchmaker, here brilliantly reveals the waxing and waning of our satellite with hand-painted relief and a generous coating of SuperLuminova.

During the daytime, the moon takes on a grey tint, while in the dark it glows from the center, contrasting nicely with the adjacent deep black aventurine glass.

Arnold & Son artisans sculpted a rose gold tiger with hand-engraved and hand-burnished fur to highlight the remaining portion of the dial. The nearby bamboo is painted in gold powder on a hematite disc, which displays with glittering inclusions.

Inside Arnold & Son places its own A&S1512 manual-wind caliber, created with two barrels, a frequency of 3 Hz and a terrific ninety-hour power reserve.

Finally, Arnold & Son fits a black alligator strap backed with red alligator leather and stitched with platinum thread to the 42mm red-gold “Year of the Tiger” Perpetual Moon. A limited edition of eight, the watch is priced at CHF 52,900 (approximately $57,695).

The Watches January 17, 2022

Zenith Revives 1969 Defy “Bank Vault”

After releasing a series of watches during recent years that pay tribute to its historical El Primero chronograph models from the 1960s and 1970s, Zenith this week launches a revival model to celebrate its Defy collection circa 1969.

The new Zenith Defy A3642 recalls the original Zenith debut of the same name, a watch fans quickly dubbed the “bank vault” or “safe deposit box” due to its thick 37mm octagonal case and fourteen-sided bezel.

The new Zenith Defy A3642 revives a 1969 Defy nicknamed the ‘bank vault” due to its rugged construction.

The revival model retains all the details that made the original unusual at the time. These details include a grey dial with a gradient effect and applied square hour markers with horizontal grooves meant to “convey a sense of perpetual motion,” according to Zenith.

The new watch also features the same sword-shaped hour and minute hands and the same paddle-shaped seconds hand design Zenith used on many of its watches of that era. Today, SuperLuminova provides luminosity on the hands rather than Tritium, with Zenith matching the grey luminous color.

Zenith claims that use of the new luminous material, plus the use of a sapphire crystal and a clear caseback, are the only cosmetic differences between the original model and the revival edition. Even the ladder-style steel bracelet on the revival echoes the original Gay Frères ladder bracelet.

Technically however the Defy A3642 is decidedly modern. Zenith’s excellent automatic Elite 670 movement, operating at a frequency of 4 Hz (28,800 VpH) powers the new model.

Zenith currently offers a Defy collection, which is still characterized by sportiness and geometric cases. Zenith ensures a water resistance of 300 meters, echoing the original model, as ensured by a screw-down crown.

Zenith will produce the special Revival Defy A3642 in a limited edition of 250 pieces. Price: $7,000.

Specifications: Zenith Defy Revival A3642

(Reference: 03.A3642.670/75.M3642, a limited edition of 250 pieces.)

Case: 37mm octagonal steel case with iconic 14-sided bezel. Water resistant to 300 meters.

Movement: Zenith Elite 670, automatic, with frequency of 28,800 VpH (4 Hz) and 50-hour power reserve. New star-shaped oscillating weight with satin finishes.

Dial: Gradient brown with rhodium-plated and faceted markers and hands, filled with SuperLuminova SLN C1.

Bracelet & Buckle: Stainless steel ladder bracelet.

Price $7,000

The Watches January 14, 2022

Louis Vuitton Lights Up New Smartwatch

Louis Vuitton expands its smartwatch offering with the new Tambour Horizon Light Up, the third generation of the smartwatch since the fashion house debuted its first model five years ago.

Now running on a customized operating system (instead of Google Wear OS) the new series is the first of the brand’s smartwatches to feature pushers on either side of the crown. The pushers are meant to enhance access to various functions and shortcuts.

The enhanced functionality creates what Louis Vuitton calls “never-see-before levels of customization and personalization.”

The 44mm Tambour Horizon Light Up now also features an eye-catching wraparound curved sapphire glass screen that will display colorful, active notifications using a new set of twenty-four LED lights.

Now with an ‘always on’ display, the watch gives users quick access to any of eight dial configurations, all of which offer personalized color and font options. Look for additional face designs to reflect holidays, seasons and even fashion shows.

Louis Vuitton equips the new watch with an ‘all-day battery’ that can be affected with one of four efficiency modes aimed at reducing or expanding the watch’s animation or battery consumption level.

As one of the world’s top leather fashion houses, Louis Vuitton will offer Tambour Horizon Light Up users access to what the brand calls its “vast and colorful world” of straps.

At its launch, Louis Vuitton will include three watch case options: polished steel, matte black and the Louis-Vuitton’s historic matte brown.

Prices: Steel version – $3,450 (steel with rubber strap), $4,100 (matte black & matte brown with rubber strap).

Specifications: Louis Vuitton Tambour Horizon Light Up

Case: 44mm x 13.2mm steel covered in sapphire glass front and back. Thirty meters of water resistance.

Display: 1.2-inch AMOLED touch screen, display resolution: 390×390-pixels (327 ppi)

Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 4100, 8 GB storage, 1 GB RAM, pedometer, optical heart sensor.

Average battery life: 1 day under normal  conditions of use (LEDs usage included)

Sensors: heart rate monitor, microphone,  accelerometer, gyroscope and ambient  light sensor

Actuator: vibration sensor

Compatibility: Android 9.0+, iOS 14+  and HarmonyOS 2.0+

Connectivity: Wi-Fi (802.11 B/G/N),  Bluetooth 4.2, NFC • MFi-certified • Micro-processor: Snapdragon Wear 4100 • Memory: 1GB RAM – 8 GB Flash

Features and Functions

Exclusive Louis Vuitton watch faces

– Travel (flight/train/hotel) plans and boarding information

– Louis Vuitton City Guides

– Heart rate, calendar, steps, weather, air quality index

– Notifications - Overview of latest notifications from

the user’s phone

Controls

Four user modes (Blossom, Explorer, Submarine, Saver)

– Connectivity status (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth®)
– Battery level
– Find my phone
– Alarm, timer & stopwatch
– Remote for smartphone’s camera
– Alipay (contactless payment from the watch)
– Calls management
– Music playback management
– Other settings of the watch (second time zone,  notifications settings, security, system updates).

The Watches January 13, 2022

Franck Muller Creates a Wrist Rainbow

Now in the United States and Canada, this Franck Muller Vanguard Skeleton Color Dreams collection will brighten any winter weary wrist with a rainbow of colors.

The imaginative Geneva watchmakers have deftly combined its top-selling 45mm Vanguard Skeleton tonneau case with a multi-hued manually wound movement. As noted on the watch’s dial, the movement offers an impressive seven-day power reserve.

The carbon-cased version of the new Franck Muller Vanguard Skeleton Color Dreams.

Franck Muller’s watchmakers have built the movement from satin-finished, multi-color anodized v-shaped aluminum bridges that draw attention as framed by a metallic or darkened carbon case.

The movement consists of eight colors derived from the existing Franck Muller Color Dreams collection. While the current focus for this collection in the United States (and Canada) is on the model with a black carbon Vanguard case, Franck Muller also offers the watch in either a brushed titanium Vanguard case or a stainless steel Vanguard case.

Price: $59,700 (dark carbon case). Click here to locate a Franck Muller boutique in the United States. For a video description of the watch, click here.

The Watches January 12, 2022

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.

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

The Watches January 11, 2022

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.

The Watches January 10, 2022

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

The Watches January 7, 2022

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.

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).

The Watches January 6, 2022

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.