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Casio pays tribute to its own Casiotron, which Casio debuted in 1974 as the first digital watch with an automatic calendar function. The new Casiotron 50th Anniversary TRN50-2A is a limited-edition ode to the original model, complete with the same dimensions and design, but now boasting modern technology inside.

The new Casiotron 50th Anniversary TRN50-2A.

Casio’s updated interpretation of the Casiotron adds many of the Japanese company’s newest high-tech functions, including the ability to link via smartphone and Bluetooth to the Casio Watches app.

The link function allows the wearer to access functions unimagined in 1974, including automatic world time updates, while enabling multiple alarms, among others.

“When Casio introduced the Casiotron in 1974, it marked a pivotal moment in the history of timekeeping,” says Tom Kato, Chairman of Casio America. “The release of the Casiotron set a new standard in watchmaking, paving the way for innovations that have since become ubiquitous.”

Echoing the original watch, the new model is built using a screw-lock case back, though the new edition adds a glass back to allow for radio wave reception of the built-in antenna.

New highlights of the Casiotron TRN50-2A also include: fifty meters of water resistance, a full auto super-illuminator LED backlight, five daily alarms and of course world timer capabilities.

Casio commemorates the fiftieth anniversary of the original model with a caseback symbol, accompanied by an engraved serial number to highlight the limited edition of 4,000.

Price: $500 at Casio.com.

 

Vulcain continues to tap its deep collection of winning historical designs with the Grand Prix, another terrific re-issue that revisits a 1960s design.

The Vulcain Grand Prix, also available with a Champagne and a light-grey dial option.

At 39mm in diameter and 12.7mm thick, the steel-cased Grand Prix delivers classic mid-20th century style with its time-only display, domed crystal, sunray dial finish and long, thin hour markers.

Slender hands enhance the dial’s retro-appeal.

Vulcain offers the Grand Prix with a refined dial of Champagne, light grey or black hues, all nicely matched with either a brown or black leather strap.

A case water resistant to fifty meters will easily protect the Swiss-made Landeron L24 automatic movement in most leisure settings. Expect a power reserve of forty hours.

Vulcain has released a series of retro-inspired designs during the past two years following Guillaume Laidet’s entry into the Le Locle-based company as its CRO (Chief Revival Officer). You might recall the sharp-looking Monopusher Heritage and Vulcain Nautical, both launched as revival collections this past fall.

Price: $1,340. 

Zenith revisits an esteemed calendar watch from 1969, launching the new Chronomaster Original Triple Calendar with the same case proportions as the original.

The new Zenith Chronomaster Original Triple Calendar.

Not only is the new model’s 38mm steel case the same size as the Zenith reference A386 from 1969, but so is its bezel-free  construction, domed sapphire crystal and its complete calendar with moonphase mechanism.

The Zenith compact triple calendar provides its time and date information with unusual clarity, displaying the days of the week and the months in symmetrically positioned windows above the chronograph  counters.

The date is visible at the 4:30 position, which is standard for watches that utilize Zenith’s high-frequency El Primero one-tenth-ofasecond chronograph caliber movement. Finally, Zenith places the moonphase display within the chronograph’s 60-minute counter at the 6 o’clock position.

 

The new watch echoes a particular crucial point in Zenith’s development of its groundbreaking automatic high-frequency El Primero chronograph. The 36,000 vph caliber, it seems, was initially designed to accommodate the triple calendar and moon phase functions right from the very beginning.

Zenith explains that “A series of 25 prototypes was produced in 1970 as a proof of concept, using the same round case as the A386. But given the success of the core chronograph version, it was decided to wait a few years before releasing the first version of the El Primero triple calendar in a watch, which  by the 1970s took on a much more space-age design.”

Zenith is offering two versions of the new Chronomaster Original Triple Calendar. One is a sporty silver-white “panda” opaline dial with black counters and a 1/00-of-a-second scale. The other debut features a familiar opaline slate-grey dial with silvery-white counters and scale, a pattern inspired a series of El Primero triple calendar prototypes from 1970.

A third dial variant (above) designed for Zenith boutiques (physical and online) features a more unusual sunburst olive-green tone with golden applied markers  and hands. Note that on each version, the calendar wheels match the dial colors.

Inside each model is Zenith’s latest generation El Primero automatic high-frequency El Primero 3610 that operates at a rate of 5 Hz (36,000 VpH), delivering one-tenth-of-a-second chronograph functionality. Zenith shows off its caliber through a clear sapphire back, exposing the movement’s blue column wheel and open rotor marked with the brand’s five- pointed star logo.

Prices: $13,900 (on a steel bracelet) and $13,400 (on a leather strap). 

Parmigiani Fleurier adds a stunning new one-of-a-kind pocket watch to its “Objets d’Art” collection.

The new timepiece, called L’Armoriale, features a minute repeater and chronograph pocket watch movement made by A. Golay Leresche & Fils in 1890. In 1985, Michel Parmigiani restored the movement and added a perpetual calendar and has now created the exceptional case and dial for the movement.

Within the 58.2mm white gold case Parmigiani’s artisans have placed the perpetual calendar and its moon phase display against an aventurine sky and hand-hammered moons, all on white gold.

The lunar display is itself set within a stunning brown engraving in the “mezzo vibrato” theme. Around the dial also note almond motifs present on the case and lugs. The counters are also white gold and engraved.

On the back of the watch, you’ll see an equally stunning hand engraved design. Inspired by a tiled floor at Mantua’s Palazzo Te, the polished and grand feu enameled white gold back revels in its translucent yellow, brown, and red pattern, all completed by master enameler Vanessa Lecci.

Even the chain is a piece of artisanal workmanship.

Made by master chain-maker Laurent Jolliet, the 18-karat white gold 300mm chain features thirty-five square links and thirty-three oval links are all entirely handcrafted, beveled and polished.

All connect to one oval link with an engraved Parmiginai Fleurier logo.

As a one-of-a-kind project, the L’Armoriale is priced upon request. 

Benrus revives one of its best-selling dive watches with the new Benrus Ultra-Deep, a recreation of one of the watchmaker’s historic models from the 1960s.

The new Benrus Ultra-Deep.

Originally created in response to the rise of scuba diving for sport, the Benrus Ultra-Deep retains the 36.5mm case size of the original model’s ‘compressor’ case. Such cases, built for the U.S.-based Benrus by Swiss-based Ervin Piquerez, would become more water resistant as the diver went deeper because the caseback would pressurize. Modern screw-down cases fulfill the same role in new watches.

The revived Benrus Ultra-Deep also retains the dual-crown design found on the original model.  

One crown rotates an inner timing bezel instead of an external bezel, which makes it less likely the bezel will be shifted by mistake, leading to timing errors under water.

Also note the same cathedral-style hour and minute hands and magnified date window as the original.

The new models of course benefit from numerous technical updates, including a screw-down winding crown, C3 SuperLumiNova hands and dial markers. Inside, Benrus fits a reliable Soprod P024 automatic movement. The watch arrives on a high-end Jubilee-style stainless steel bracelet and also includes a blue nylon NATO dive strap.

Price: $1,095.