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The Watches

Blue Duo: Bell & Ross and Oris 

Two recently debuted blue-dialed watches, the Bell & Ross BR 05 GMT Sky Blue and the Oris Aquis Small Second Date 45.5mm, demonstrate how versatile —and attractive — the azure tint can be when perched on a wrist. And both debuts sport serious specs and can be worn anytime and in any workday or playtime environment. 

Oris

If your typical day takes you in or near the water, the Oris Aquis Small Second Date 45.5mm ($2,900) is your best bet here given its much-greater-than-average 500-meter water resistance rating.

The new Oris Aquis Small Second Date 45.5 mm.

Oris notes that the watch’s water resistance rating is actually greater than the standard model within its Aquis dive series, which typically includes watches rated to 300 meters of water resistance.

The watch, with its ocean-inspired deep-blue dial, represents a new size the Oris Aquis time-and-date-only series. It retains all the dive-ready specifications you’d expect from Oris, including a small seconds indicator (at the 9 o’clock position) with a luminous hand, a screw-down crown with protection, a uni-directional rotating bezel with a ceramic insert, and either a metal bracelet or rubber strap equipped with the Oris-patented extendable security folding clasp.

 

Oris has launched an impressive selection of colorful watches in recent years, especially within its Big Crown series. Even the watchmaker’s ProPilot collection now includes hues unexpected within such a technical series.

The new Oris Aquis Small Second Date 45.5mm revels in its ocean-colored dial, bezel insert and rubber strap. (See below for detailed specifications).

 

Bell & Ross

Inspired by summer skies, Bell & Ross finishes its latest BR 05 GMT with a sky blue sun-ray pattern dial. Earlier BR 05 GMT models have only been available with a  black dial or a white dial.

The new Bell & Ross BR 05 GMT Sky Blue.

Framed by the Bell & Ross’s own circled-in-a-square case shape, the dial allows the wearer to determine time in a second time zone thanks to the blue-tinted GMT hand. With its easy-to-read large white arrow-shaped tip, the hand allows means wearer can quickly determine the hour in any of 24 timezones emblazoned along the graduated inner bezel.

Bell & Ross enhances this flange with a sky blue and silver color treatment. The colors allow the wearer to further differentiate whether the second time zone hour is in the daytime (silver) or nighttime (blue). Bell & Ross coats the hands and the rhodium-plated baton-shaped indexes with a healthy amount of SuperLuminova.

Inside Bell & Ross fits its bedrock BR-CAL.325 movement, a Sellita-based automatic caliber. And, for all-weather wear, Bell & Ross supplies a screw-in crown to guarantee water resistance to 100 meters. (See below for detailed specifications.)

Bell & Ross offers two types of attachment for the BR 05 GMT Sky Blue. The first is a stainless-steel bracelet and second is a blue rubber strap tinted to match the dial color.

Price: $5,000 (rubber strap) and $5,500 (steel bracelet). 

 

Specifications: Oris Aquis Small Second Date 45.5 mm

(Ref. 0174377334155–0742469EB)

Case: 45.5 multi-piece stainless steel with ceramic bezel insert, sapphire domed crystal, anti- reflective coating inside, screwed steel back with special engravings, stainless steel screw-in security crown, water resistance to 500 meters.
Movement: Oris 743, Sellita-based automatic with center hands for hours, minutes and seconds, date, Oris fine timing device and stop-second. Power reserve is 41 hours.

Dial: Ocean Blue with SuperLumiNova applied indices.

Bracelet/strap: Multi-piece stainless steel metal bracelet with folding clasp with extension. Also available on a blue rubber strap with stainless steel security folding clasp with extension.

Price: $2,900.

 

Specifications: Bell & Ross BR 05 GMT Sky Blue

Movement: Calibre BR-CAL.325 Sellita-based automatic mechanical.

Functions: hours, minutes, central seconds, date and second 24-hour time zone. Quick setting of the GMT hand, independently of the hour hand. 

Case: 41 mm wide. Satin-polished steel. Satin-finished rhodium-plated and blue two-color flange, with 24-hour scale. Screw-down crown. Crown guard. Sapphire case-back with 360° oscillating weight. Crystal is sapphire with anti-reflective coating. Water-resistance to 100 meters.

Dial: Blue sun-ray finish with numerals and indices coated in white SuperLumiNova,, metal skeletonized SuperLumiNova-filled hour and minute hands. 

Strap: Blue rubber or satin-polished steel with satin-polished steel folding buckle.

Price: $5,000 (rubber strap) and $5,500 (steel bracelet). 

 

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The Watches

Ulysse Nardin Celebrates World Oceans Day 

Ulysse Nardin refreshes two of its dive models with eye-catching azure blue dial markers and matching blue rubber straps to mark World Oceans Day (June 8).

The new Ulysse Nardin Diver Net Azure.

One model, the Diver Net Azure, adds the sparkling blue color to the watchmaker’s existing environmentally friendly Diver series. This latest model in the collection (which also includes the Ocean Race diver) utilizes recycled materials within its case, which is made from Carbonium (with a 40% lower environmental impact than other carbon composites), Nylo (recycled polyamide from fishing nets) and 95% recycled steel.

The watchmaker reports that the new model represents a greater use of recycled steel than the first Diver Net concept model in 2020, which contained 80% recycled steel. 

The watch remains water-resistant to 300 meters and exhibits its blue hue on the dial’s X accent, the dial markers, the bezel markers and its rubber strap.

Ulysse Nardin fits the watch with its automatic UN-118 movement (above), fitted with a silicon balance spring and a DiamonSil escapement wheel and anchor. Price: $12,600.

The new Ulysse Nardin Diver X Skeleton Azure.

The Diver X Skeleton Azure is a more complex dive watch. As the latest model within the watchmaker’s Diver X Skeleton collection, the skeletonized watch exposes its UN-372 Manufacture caliber, a top-tier in-house automatic movement Ulysse Nardin outfits with an extra-large oscillator and a silicon escapement wheel, anchor and balance-spring.

The movement is exposed within a 44mm titanium DLC case, which is water-resistant to 200 meters. Its components are visible underneath a dramatic black and azure blue X-shaped bridge. Lightweight Carbonium tops the barrel cover at the 12 o’clock position and covers the unidirectional rotating bezel. Price: $26,400.

Ulysse Nardin Caliber UN-372.

 (See below for full technical specifications for both new watches). 

Specifications: Ulysse Nardin Diver Net Azure

(Ref. 1183-170-2B/3A)

Movement: UN-118 Manufacture caliber, automatic movement displaying
hours, minutes, small seconds, date, power reserve indicator.  Silicon balance-spring, DiamonSil escapement wheel and anchor. Frequency 4Hz (28,800 vph). 

Case: 44mm by 14.81 mm with central case, bezel, case back and movement mount in 95% recycled stainless steel. Side case and case back ring: 60% Nylo recycled fishing nets and 40% Carbonium up-cycled carbon fiber from the aeronautic industry. Open sapphire crystal case back. Concave unidirectional rotating bezel in 100% upcycled Carbonium with domed sapphire crystal.  Water resistance to 300 meters. 

Dial: Sandblasted black with an embossed and satin X Power-reserve indicator at 12 o’clock, date and small seconds at 6 o’clock, hour-markers and hands with Super-LumiNova. 

Strap: Azure-colored rubber with black “Ulysse Nardin” ceramic element at 6 o’clock
Black ceramic pin buckle.

Price: $12,600.

 

Specifications: Ulysse Nardin Diver X Skeleton Azure

(Ref. 3723-170-2B/3A) 

Movement: UN-372 Manufacture caliber, self-winding skeleton movement
Hours, minutes, seconds. Oversized silicon balance wheel, silicon escapement wheel, anchor and balance-spring. Frequency 3Hz (21,600 vph). 

Case: Polished and satin finished 44mm by 15.7mm black DLC titanium case,
concave unidirectional rotating bezel in Carbonium with domed sapphire crystal,
open sapphire crystal caseback in black DLC titanium. Water resistant to 200 meters.

Dial: X-shaped skeleton dial in polished and satin-finished black PVD Carbonium barrel cover, black hour-markers and hands with Super-LumiNova. 

Strap: Azure-colored rubber strap with black “Ulysse Nardin” ceramic element at 6 o’clock, compatible with R-STRAP, folding clasp in black ceramic and black PVD titanium. 

Price: $26,400 

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The Watches

Maurice Lacroix Updates Pontos S Diver 

Maurice Lacroix revisits its Pontos S Diver, revamping the dive watch with a sharp-looking new dial sporting bolder indexes and minute markings, improved luminosity and a raised date frame. In addition, Maurice Lacroix offers a bronze-cased edition, a first for the collection.

One of three new Maurice Lacroix Pontos S Divers.

The Swiss watchmaker released its first-generation Pontos S Diver in 2013 but halted it a few years later as it increased production of its hot Aikon collection to meet demand.

With the updated 42mm watch, Maurice Lacroix enhances dial visibility with newly facetted hour and minute hands, both of which glow with SuperlumiNova. On the minute hand you’ll now see a border colored to contrast with the dial. The hour indexes retain their generous luminescent treatment.

Maurice Lacroix also retains the watch’s useful internal rotating bezel to indicate elapsed time, adjusted using the crown at the 2 o’clock position. The second crown at the 3 o’clock position is used to adjust the time, date and to wind the automatic ML115 movement. All models are water resistant to 300 meters.

Maurice Lacroix debuts its first bronze-cased Pontos S Diver.

Bronze too 

As noted, Maurice Lacroix is offering a bronze edition of the watch in addition to the steel models. 

While the regular production steel models are available with black grained or white lacquered dial options, the bronze model is limited to 500 pieces and is paired with a blue grained dial.

The bronze version comes supplied with two straps, one in dark blue leather and the other in dark blue rubber. Maurice Lacroix supplies the steel models with three matching straps: an M-branded fabric strap and two rubber straps.

Finally, Maurice Lacroix equips the new Pontos S Diver with the company’s Easy Strap Exchange System that allows the wearer to quickly swap straps without the need for tools. 

Prices: $2,050 (steel) and $2,600 (bronze). 

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The Watches

Oris Celebrates 119 Years With Purple-Dialed Diver

Oris celebrates its origin story with the Hölstein Edition 2023, a 250-piece limited edition watch named for the watchmaker’s hometown in the Swiss Jura mountains.

The Oris Hölstein Edition 2023.

For the first time Oris draws from its Aquis dive watch family to create its birthday watch, a series Oris began four years ago. And to celebrate its 119th birthday, the independent Swiss watchmaker offers its first purple dial and also adds some extra celebratory joy to the 41.5mm watch’s caseback.

 

There, you’ll find an engraved image of the Oris Bear diving in his scuba gear alongside the watch’s limited-edition number. As Oris explains, it decided to add the engraving simply because of the fun factor.

 

“Why? Because why not.” Oris explains. “It’s fun and it made us smile. And to be literal for a moment, because it shows this is still a diver’s watch water-resistant to 30 bar (300 meters).” 

The purple-dialed, fun-backed Aquis also celebrates Oris’s birthday with an omission: For the first time, Oris creates an Aquis with no date display.

 

Oris customers have requested the date be removed from Aquis in the past, according to the watchmaker, and those requests are answered in this Holstein Edition.

 

Inside the steel-cased watch Oris fits its much lauded Caliber 400 automatic movement with five-day power reserve, enhanced anti-magnetism, better than chronometer accuracy (-3/+5 seconds a day) and ten-year warranty. As a limited edition of 250 pieces, each watch is delivered in a wooden presentation box.

 

Oris offers the Holstein Edition 2023 exclusively on its website. Price: $4,300.  

 

Specifications: Oris Holstein Edition 2023 

(Limited edition of 250)

Case: 41.5mm multi-piece stainless steel case, uni-directional rotating bezel with grey ceramic bezel insert. Sapphire crystal, domed on both sides, anti-reflective coating inside. Caseback is stainless steel, screwed with numbered engraving, Oris Bear printed motif. Stainless steel screw-in security crown with crown protection. Water resistance to 300 meters. 

Movement: Automatic Oris Caliber 400, Accuracy of -3/+5 seconds a day (within COSC tolerances), highly anti-magnetic, 120-hour power reserve.

Dial: Purple, hands and indices filled with Super-LumiNova.

Bracelet: Multi-piece stainless steel metal bracelet, security folding clasp with clasp extension.

Price: $4,300. 

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American Brands

A Watch Pro Launches ProTek

By Gary Girdvainis 

While Barry Cohen may not be a household name for most watch consumers, I can almost guarantee you know his work.

As the founder of Luminox back in 1989,  Cohen established a brand that deftly integrated the ethos of the brand directly into the name:  “Lumi” stood for illumination and “Nox” for night so the brand name meant it had superior night lume thanks to its self-illuminating tritium gas tubes.

Cohen sold the brand he founded for a variety of reasons. He returned with a new brand that would take the next logical steps in the design of a rugged sports watch that would not only look great – but would also make a strong value argument.

A model in the ProTek Dive Series. All sport a 42mm carbon composite case.

Enter ProTek

Priced aggressively from $450 to $525, ProTek watches are available in stainless steel, carbon composite, and surgical grade titanium cases, and all of them feature self-illuminating tritium tubes.

A new ProTek Official USMC Series model, with a 42mm carbon composite case.

ProTek offers several dive watch variations that sport carbon composite or steel cases.  

The Field Watch 

Featured here, the 3000 Series Field watch is crafted in a slim (11mm), lightweight titanium case weighing only 48 grams in either a natural or black IP version.

One model in the ProTek 3000 Series of field watches. Each features a 40mm titanium case.

All are capped with a flat sapphire crystal over a dial and hands enhanced with 3 colors of T-100 self-illuminating tubes.

These are the brightest self-illuminating tubes available and will emit their own radiance for up to twenty-five years without the need for exposure to external light to perform.

Rated and tested to a legitimate 100 meters of water resistance, the ProTek Series 3000 field watch can also be a casual-use water watch and is delivered with a waterproof Italian leather strap.

Clean dials in black, admiral blue, olive green and a silvery off-white are all easy to read. With a light weight of just over 48 grams (head-only), the watches are very comfortable on the wrist for extended use.

The threaded (screw-down) back is also crafted in titanium with a stylized “P” presented in deep relief, as it is on the double-gasket crown.

Inside the case is a Citizen/Miyota quartz movement with a four-year battery accurate to +/- 20 seconds per month. Retail price is $475 at www.watchgauge.com. 

 

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