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On The Wrist

On the Wrist: Wearing a Waldan

During these past few weeks, eyeing my wrist has been pleasurable – and relaxing. I’ve been wearing a Waldan Heritage Professional watch with an off-white dial, and this 40mm watch’s clean time-only face requests very little from my brain. I’m lulled by its familiar, soft color and plainspoken display, which immediately registers the hour, minutes and seconds…and then seems to back off.

The Waldan Heritage Professional.

 

Dress watches typically require only admiration from wearers and observers, and on that front Waldan’s classic design here clearly succeeds. And it’s not simply the open, track-free dial that delivers a clear message.

Waldan nicely frames all the Heritage Professional cases with a polished, two-level round bezel. These curves continue onto the relatively small, lightly brushed lugs that only slightly offer contrast to the watch’s polish.

That pleasing contrast, along with the blue seconds hand and the red ‘Ameriquartz’ logo, nicely accent the watch overall, but are careful to not overwhelm the eye. The luxurious Ambra Elbamatt leather strap, on the other hand, betrays Waldan’s strong sense of fashion, which is more blatant on the collection’s green-dial option.    

Ameriquartz inside

But there’s more to the Waldan Heritage Professional than meets the eye­ – literally.

While you won’t see the Ameriquartz caliber inside the watch’s closed case, you’ll know that it will power the watch’s hands flawlessly for years.

Each U.S-made Ameriquartz movement carries a manufacturer’s five-year warranty against manufacturing defects.

Fine Timepiece Solutions, the Arizona-based manufacturer of the Ameriquartz movements that power all the newest Waldan watches, guarantees that its all-metal calibers are defect-free for a full five years. (In fact, as a founding member of FTS, iW Publisher Gary Girdvainis will attest to the ultra-high manufacturing processes that result in these movements. Just ask him.)  

The fairly slim caliber means that Waldan’s entire Heritage Professional collection maintains a dress-watch-thin 8.6mm from top to back. This size means the 40mm case diameter seems a smaller on the wrist, which is preferable for a dress model. My Waldan fit effortlessly onto my small-ish wrist. It was comfortable at all times.    

Waldan is introducing its Heritage Professional series with dials in four colors, including black, white, off-white and green. While I look forward to seeing additional dial color options in future debuts, the off-white model nicely fits my wrist, as I’ve noted, while also perfectly enhancing my mood.  With its ability to satisfy both those demands, the Waldan Heritage Professional, priced at $299, is a bargain.

 

Specifications: Waldan Heritage Professional

Movement: American-made Ameriquartz Caliber 70200 quartz movement, all metal, hand made, assembled and tested individually in the United States. Fully serviceable and warrantied for five years.

Dial: Off White (OA variant) with black applied Arabic numerals, steel hands, black outer dial rim with applied SuperLuminova plots. Sunken and diamond-cut subdial above 6pm for sub-seconds register with small blue steel hand. Signed ‘Waldan, New York,’ ‘AMERIQUARTZ’ and ‘USA MOVT’.

Case: 316L stainless steel, two-piece, double stepped case with screw down back and anti-reflective-treated flat sapphire crystal. 40mm diameter x 8.6mm thickness x 20mm lug width. Mixed finish with polished case and brushed lugs. Knurled crown signed “W” with multi gasket system for 50 meter water resistance. Caseback signed.

Strap: Genuine Ambra Elbamatt brown leather, stainless steel buckle.

Price: $299

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Casio

G-Shock Expands Rainbow Options with Blue Phoenix

G-Shock vies for immortality as it debuts a watch within its luxury MT-G collection made with colors said to recall the Blue Phoenix, a bird sometimes called the Chinese phoenix and said to be a symbol of good luck, or more specifically immortality and rebirth.  

The new G-Shock MTGB2000PH2.

The new G-Shock MTGB2000PH2 is a limited-edition steel and carbon watch with an eye-catching, rainbow-colored bezel and case. Its yellow to red IP-finished case flash atop a largely blue hue. These colors echo on the dial as well, along with purple, pink, orange and yellow accents.

G-Shock created the watch with two types of colorful IP finishing, with horizontal gradation on the bezel and vertical gradation on the case. The resulting color variation creates a set of unique patterns that vary from watch to watch, which means no two G-Shock MTGB2000PH2 models are the same.

G-Shock’s IP-finished color variation creates a set of unique patterns that vary from watch to watch.

The new watch continues G-Shock’s exploration of colorful IP-finished cases and bracelets. This latest example comes two years after G-Shock debuted the much-discussed rainbow-finished MTGB1000RB-2A, and more recently following the debut of several colorful Full Metal Series models. Only a few weeks ago, G-Shock upped the ante with the gold and rainbow-colored GMWB5000TR-9, the first titanium G-Shock with an all-mirror IP finish.

As an MT-G collection model, the watch offers a Bluetooth communication function that can automatically connect with the G-Shock Connected app. In addition, the full range of G-Shock technical and anti-shock structural features are also here, including a sapphire crystal, Carbon Core Guard structure and Tough Solar Power. Basic features include high-brightness LED illumination, dual time and chronograph.

The G-Shock MTG-B2000PH ($1,100) will be available beginning in June at G-Shock retailers, the G-Shock Soho Store, and gshock.com.

 

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Casio

G-Shock’s Classic Square Gets a Luxury Look

If the all-red G-Shock Full Metal (GMWB5000RD-4) watch G-Shock debuted in January was too showy for your wrist, perhaps you’ll prefer this slightly cooler, newly released luxurious rose-gold-plated edition of the classic square.

The new G-Shock GMWB5000GD-4 carries on the look and feel of the original G-Shock DW-5000C with its classic square case shape and digital display.

Like that watch, the new GMWB5000GD-4 carries on the look and feel of the original G-Shock DW-5000C with its classic square case shape and digital display. Now, G-Shock coats the solid stainless-steel case with a high-end rose gold IP finish, secured with a screw-on back.

G-Shock lets the wearer rest assured that the Full Metal watch’s fashionable good looks are accompanied with G-Shock technical features, including Bluetooth Connectivity via the G-Shock Connected app, and Multi-Band 6 Atomic Timekeeping for self-adjusting hour and date display virtually anywhere on earth.

The GMWB5000GD-4 also boasts an STN-LCD digital display that allows the wearer to easily read the dial from any angle. Casio’s Tough Solar Technology means the watch will charge itself even with low light exposure.

Additional technical specifications include: shock resistance, 200-meters of water resistance, Super Illuminator LED light, world time in 39 cities, stopwatch, daily alarms, countdown timer, 12/24-hour. formats and a full automatic calendar. The watch measures 49.3mm x 43.2mm x 13.0mm and weighs 167 grams.

The G-Shock GMWB5000GD-4 is priced at $600 and is available at select jewelers, the G-Shock Soho Store and gshock.com.

 

 

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The Watches

Frederique Constant Refreshes its Classics

After updating its world timer and its Highlife collections in recent months, Geneva-based Frederique Constant now refreshes three models with the most basic time displays within its Classics collection.

Specifically, Frederique Constant has updated its Classics Index Automatic, Classics Quartz GMT and Classics Quartz, expanding these collections with eleven newly detailed models.

The new Frederique Constant Classic Index Automatic.

Classics Index Automatic

This collection now includes five new models. Frederique Constant has replaced two-part guilloché dials with cleaner, matte-finished blue, white or black dials. Instead of Roman numerals you’ll see applied hour markers, all of which have been bevelled and tinted with luminescent material. Formerly thin hands are now sword-shaped in an attempt to portray a geometric purity on the dial.  

The new Frederique Constant Classic Index Automatic, here with rose-gold plated steel case.

Four of the 40mm Classic Index Automatic models are cased in steel while one is made with rose-gold-plated steel (and a blued steel seconds hand). Frederique Constant powers all these new models with an automatic Sellita-based FC-303 caliber offering a power reserve of 38 hours. While one full-steel model features a blue dial and steel bracelet, the remaining watches are fit with a nubuck-finish leather strap in brown, black or blue. Prices start at 850 euros, or about $1,100.

Classics Quartz GMT

These travel-ready GMT models retain their easy-to-read dual-time dials. Three new 40mm steel-cased models now include a sunray-brushed dial and the required three hands for the hours, minutes and centrally set GMT hand. That second time zone indicator is tipped with a red arrow and points to the second time zone at a glance, calibrated to a 24-hour marker track encircling the dial.

The new Frederique Constant Classic Quartz GMT, here on a steel bracelet.

These watches also make it easy to adjust both the local time and the second timezone. The wearer simply turns the activated crown in one direction to adjust the time zone and in the other direction to adjust the date.

Frederique Constant offers three new Classic Quartz GMT models: one with a gray dial and a brown nubuck-finish calfskin strap, another with a blue dial and a blue strap and a third, sportier variation with a black dial on a steel bracelet. Prices start at 695 euros, or about $830.

Classics Quartz

Finally, Frederique Constant now offers its most basic 40mm two-hand watch, with date, in a new blue or black dial model. Except for the lack of a seconds hands, these watches echo the look and finish of firm’s mechanical models with a sunray-brushed dial, polished case, applied hour markers doubled at 12 o’clock and nubuck-finish leather strap or three-link steel bracelet. Prices start at 595 euros, or about $700.

The Frederique Constant Classics quartz, on a steel bracelet.
Frederique Constant Classics quartz.
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Watch Of The Day

Luminox Expands Bear Grylls Collection

The new Luminox Bear Grylls Air watch, reviewed and approved by its adventurous namesake, is a tough 45mm steel aviation-style model with quartz-powered world time indications. And like Grylls, the watch is built to travel anywhere, through all extreme conditions, and remain highly reliable, precise and legible.

The new Luminox Bear Grylls Air watch.

Luminox is well known for placing self-illuminated hands and bezel markers on its watches. The illumination, which emanates from micro gas tubes, remains bright for up to twenty-five years. Here, the primary hour markers, hands, and 12, 3, 6 and 9 numerals are illuminated.

Luminox’s Light Technology works in low-light or darkness.

As a world timer, the new watch displays twenty-four time zones, all indicated by cities named around the dial. Luminox tips the GMT hand with orange to more easily indicate a second time zone in any one of those cities. The 24-hour inner GMT ring is particularly tough, comprised of a hard carbon material (Carbonex) with an aluminum ring inlay.

And finally, Luminox equips the watch’s screw-down crown with an orange rubber ring for easier gripping. The same orange tone is evident all over the watch, notably on the dial logos, the GMT hand and even on the back of the watch. Water-resistance is suitably strong, rated to 200 meters.

The watch’s two-tone caseback bears Grylls’s name and his motto, “Never give up.”

The Luminox Bear Grylls Air joins the expanding Bear Grylls Survival collection, already feauring models within ‘sea,’ ‘land’ and ‘master’ categories. The newest offering can be purchased on either a Cordura strap or a Milanese mesh bracelet.

Prices: $695 (fabric strap) and $795 (steel mesh bracelet).

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