Tag

automatic watches

Browsing
The Watches

Omega Dives Ultra Deep With 2022 Debuts

Omega’s Seamaster Planet Ocean Ultra Deep, with water resistance to 6,000 meters (20,000 feet), highlights a strong set of 2022 debuts for the Swiss watchmaker.

The 2022 Omega Seamaster Ultra Deep Family.

Omega will offer seven of the 45.5mm Ultra Deep models in a sandblasted, forged titanium case and an additional six models in O-MegaSteel, an extra-hard and highly corrosion-resistant alloy that appears somewhat brighter than traditional stainless steel.

The Omega Seamaster Ultra Deep, in steel case.

The titanium models will also each feature a brushed ceramic bezel with a Liquidmetal diving scale, Omega’s own “Manta Lugs” and a case that echoes the original Ultra Deep model from 2019.

The Omega Seamaster Ultra Deep, in titanium case with NATO strap.

Omega has domed the watch’s sapphire crystal to protect a black ceramic titanium dial with cyan numerals, white markers and a distinctive blue-gradient central seconds hand. The watch’s titanium caseback features a black laser-engraved Sonar emblem with Omega’s seahorse logo in the center.

To match the dial, the standard NATO strap on titanium models is cyan and black and is made from 100% recycled fishing nets.

Steel with colors

Omega offers a selection of dial colors for the six Ultra Deep watches cased in the new O-MegaSteel alloy. These include glossy white or gradient-effect dials that fade from grey-to-black or blue-to-black. Here, all hands and markers are 18-karat white gold and the bezel is polished ceramic with Omega’s Liquid Ceramic diving scale.

Omega has devised a new crown guard for the case and finishes the back with the same laser-engraved Sonar emblem and wording as the titanium model.

Echoing the choice of dial hues, there are several bracelet options for the steel model: Either a rubber diving-suit-style strap or an O-MegaSteel bracelet. Omega also includes an extendable fold-over clasp with a complementary length adjustment and an extra diver extension on the steel bracelet.

Omega’s excellent Co-Axial Master Chronometer Caliber 8912 powers all watches in the new Seamaster Planet Ocean Ultra Deep collection. In addition, all watches meet the ISO 6425 standard for saturation divers’ watches, certified by Switzerland’s independent testing body METAS.

Prices: $11,600 (steel with steel bracelet), $11,200 (steel with rubber strap) and $12,300 (titanium case, NATO strap)

 

Speedmaster and Constellation debuts

Within Speedmaster, Omega launched Speedmaster ’57, a thinner version of the original 2013 reboot, now with a manual-wind Master Chronometer inside. The new eye-catching collection consists of eight stainless steel models, all powered by Omega’s Co-Axial Master Chronometer Calibre 9906.

Two new Omega Speedmaster ’57, models.

Omega also introduces two models of the Speedmaster Moonwatch using its proprietary Moonshine Gold alloy. One of these features an 18-karat Moonshine Gold dial, black ceramic bezel ring and blackened subdials and indexes. The second offers an interesting PVD green-coated dial and a green ceramic bezel ring.

The Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch Moonshine Gold.

Finally, Omega also debuts a set of new colorful dials within its Seamaster AquaTerra collection and adds a colorful set of stone dials to models within the 29mm Constellation collection. In addition, look for new pastel hue dials within the 28mm Constellation collection.

Three new stone dial models in the Omega Constellation family.

Read more about all the new Omega 2022 debuts here.

by
Keep Reading
The Watches

Pierre DeRoche Launches Annual Calendar Duo

Independent Swiss watchmaker Pierre DeRoche adds a set of ‘his and hers’ calendar watches within its GrandCliff collection with the GrandCliff Annual Calendar and GrandCliff Milady Annual Calendar.

The new Pierre DeRoche GrandCliff Annual Calendar.

The pair of complicated watches introduce a slightly smaller profile to the watchmaker’s round-cased GrandCliff series with a new diameter of 41mm, slightly smaller than the 42.5mm and 43.5mm cases currently found in the collection.

The new Pierre DeRoche GrandCliff Milady Annual Calendar.

Pierre DuRoche powers both watches with an ETA base caliber topped with an excellent Dubois Dépraz module specially made to display months via an easy-to-read circular aperture on the dial’s lower left quadrant, opposite a classic date display at 3 o’clock. As annual calendars, both watches need adjustment only once per year (if kept wound) at the start of March. This is done via the crown (date) and by pressing a case-side corrector (month).

While the more traditional of the two new models offers a three-hand display with a black dial, the second silver-dialed model, meant to attract feminine wearers, features heart-shaped month indicator windows rather than the rectangular month windows found on the black-dial model. On each, the months are highlighted in the red-hued indicator disc rotating just below the months display.

In addition, the feminine model features a diamond-set bezel, a sunray decoration at 3 o’clock and a date window with black writing on a white background.

Prices: CHF 8,700 and CHF 11,800 (Mylady model).

Specifications: Pierre DuRoche GrandCliff Annual Calendar

(GRC10014ACI0-001CUI, black dial)

Movement: Automatic Dubois Dépraz caliber 6501 with ETA base, nickel silver oscillating weight on ball-bearing mechanism, cut-out and engraved. Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, annual calendar with date and month indicators.

Case: 41mm steel, polished and satin-finished, anti-reflective sapphire crystal front and back, screw-lock winding-crown with the Pierre DeRoche logo. Water-resistant to 50 meters.

Dial: Black shading, applique indices, red month indicator.

Strap: Textured black leather with steel folding clasp.

Price: CHF 8,700

Pierre DuRoche GrandCliff Milady Annual Calendar

(GRC10014ACI1-001CUI, silvered dial, diamond bezel)

Movement: Automatic Dubois Dépraz caliber 6501 with ETA base, nickel silver oscillating weight on ball-bearing mechanism, cut-out and engraved. Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, annual calendar with date and month indicators.

Case: 41mm steel polished and satin-finished. Bezel set with 94 diamonds (0.42 carats). Anti-reflective sapphire crystal front and back. Screw-lock winding-crown with the Pierre DeRoche logo. Water-resistant to 50 meters.

Dial: Silvered, sunray pattern, heart-shaped cut-outs for month indicator at 7 o’clock.

Applique indices.

Strap: Burgundy-colored textured leather strap with steel folding clasp.

Price: CHF 11,800.

by
Keep Reading
The Watches

Louis Erard Dials Up Excellence

With the new Excellence Guilloché Main II, independent Swiss watchmaker Louis Erard adds a second watch with a hand crafted guilloché dial to its expanding series of limited edition models.

The new Louis Erard Excellence Guilloché Main II.

The new watch, featuring a stunning diamond pattern dial, follows last year’s Excellence Guilloché Main that features an equally dazzling three-dimensional check pattern guilloché dial. And while the newest watch in the series also spotlights its hand-wrought dial, it also marks the debut of a fully original Louis Erard design that has been realized by artisanal dial-maker Fehr in La Chaux-de-Fonds.

Unlike the earlier Excellence Guilloche Main, the newer edition focuses all attention to the dial pattern in part without displaying the Louis Erard name on the dial, a choice that echoes the 2021 Excellence piece the Le Regulator Louis Erard x atelier oi.

A Fehr artisan creates the dial using guilloché, a decorative art that originated in the sixteenth century. The artisan guides a chisel by hand to repeat patterns determined with a manual lathe cam. For this dial the pattern depicts an opened-up diamond with black flat spaces framed by a black track of minutes/seconds markers.

Louis Erard notes that this second Excellence Guilloché Main watch was designed according to Louis Erard board member and watch industry veteran Manuel Emch’s request that the design is fully original, and to “enhance and modernize traditional guilloché.”

Indeed, Louis Erard customized the watch’s dial production from scratch, inventing and manufacturing new cams and finishing the dial “from the first black varnishing to the final rhodium plating after the guilloché,” according to the brand.

A limited series of 99 pieces, the Louis Erard Excellence Guilloché Main II also features blued steel hands, a polished 42mm steel case with a clear sapphire caseback and water resistance to fifty meters. Inside Louis Erard fits a Sellita SW261-1 automatic movement.

With its Excellence series and ongoing, highly successful partnerships with watchmakers (including Vianney Halter and Alain Silberstein) and designers, this small Le Noirmont watchmaker continues to raise its profile among collectors in search of relatively affordable watches with truly original, eye-catching designs.

Price: CHF 3,900, or approximately $4,200.

 

Specifications: Louis Erard Excellence Guilloché Main II

Movement: Automatic Sellita SW261-1 caliber, 28,800 VpH (4Hz), élaboré grade movement, meticulously decorated, special openworked oscillating weight with black lacquered Louis Erard symbol, approx. 38 hours of power reserve.

Case: 42mm x 12.25mm polished stainless steel, 3 pieces, domed sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment on both sides, movement visible through the transparent caseback, water resistant up to a pressure of 50 meters, signature fir tree crown, caseback engraved with “Limited Edition 1 of 99”.

Dial: Matte black varnish, open diamond made by hand guilloché in the traditional way by Fehr & Cie SA (La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland), “Swiss Guilloché Main” transferred in powdered silver, signature fir tree hands in blued steel.

Strap: Black grained calf leather with tone-on-tone stitching, blue grained calf leather lining, polished stainless steel pin buckle, functional catch spring bars enabling the strap to be changed quickly.

Price: CHF 3,900, or approximately $4,200.

by
Keep Reading
The Watches

Frederique Constant Adds New Dials to Classic Heart Beat

Frederique Constant returns to its roots and adds two watches sporting guilloché dials to its long-running Classics Heart Beat Automatic collection.

One of two new Frederique Constant Classics Heart Beat Automatic watches.

While the pair may be new to the Geneva watchmaker’s Classics Automatic collection, their ‘Heart Beat’ design, which exposes a portion of the automatic movement, is a characteristic Frederique Constant pioneered. In fact, when Frederique Constant first debuted the open balance wheel design in 1994, the young brand neglected to protect what was at the time a novel design. As it was never patented, the concept continues to be copied by numerous watch brands.

These latest additions to the collection each measure 40mm diameter in a steel case with so-called ‘apple’ hands on a choice of a silver dial and a dark khaki dial. The highlighted guilloché dial center is framed by a nice satin-finished hour circle with twelve very classic Roman numerals.

Frederique Constant fits its Sellita-based automatic FC-310 caliber inside these two newest Classics Heart Beat Automatic watches, with just a bit exposed on the front of the dial, offering a power reserve of 38 hours.

Price: $1,495.

 

by
Keep Reading
The Watches

Breitling Teams with Triumph for Ice Blue Chronograph

Breitling has teamed with British motorcycle brand Triumph to launch the Top Time Triumph, a sporty 41mm steel-cased chronograph with an ice blue dial.

The new Breitling Top Time Triumph.

The new watch is characterized by a brushed blue dial finish in the bow-tie motif inspired by 1960s-era café racing culture. A solid steel caseback features an engraving of a sketch depicting a Triumph parallel twin engine.

To further reinforce the partnership, the Breitling and Triumph logos are prominently featured on the dial of the Top Time Triumph, framed by a retro-inspired high-contrast tachymeter scale.

Breitling Top Time Triumph

At the same time, Breitling will make 270 ‘owner’s’ versions of the Top Time Triumph watch that will be offered to buyers of a special motorcycle from Triumph called the Speed Twin Breitling Limited Edition.

These limited edition watches will feature engraved casebacks identical to the Top Time Triumph, but will add an engraving of the same unique serial number as the owner’s motorcycle. These owner’s limited edition models will also sport its ice blue dial with a sunray-pattern, which differs slightly from the brushed, bow-tie pattern dial of the Top Time Triumph.

The Breitling Top Time Triumph Speed Twin Owners’ Limited features a sunray pattern blue dial.

“Triumph’s heritage and modern-retro aesthetic are just two of the many things we have in common,” said Georges Kern, CEO of Breitling. “Their blending of tradition with technology is completely in sync with what we do.”

The blue color on dials is as retro as the watch’s case and mushroom pusher style. The color is inspired by a blue Triumph Thunderbird 6T from 1951, and a rare, blue-dialed Breitling Top Time Ref. 815 from the 1970s, according to Breitling.

The Breitling Caliber 23, a COSC-certified ETA Valjoux 7753-based chronograph movement, powers both watches. Prices: $5,500 and $5,700 (Owner’s Limited Edition).

 

by
Keep Reading