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Bell & Ross Adds Smaller BR 03 Models

Bell & Ross introduces a new size to its BR 03 ‘circle-within-a square’ series, adding six models with a 41mm square case size.

Among the debuts is this model with an attractive copper dial, achieved through a galvanization process and enhanced by engraved black numerals and indexes.

Smaller by 1mm, watches in the new series also include a slimmer strap, narrower lug distance (from 4.5mm to 4.0mm) and a new automatic movement, BR-CAL.302, a Sellita-based caliber with an extended power reserve of fifty-four hours. All remain water resistant to 100 meters.

For the first time Bell & Ross combines a matte black ceramic case with a khaki dial on this new BR 03 Military Ceramic.

“With the new BR03, we modified the proportions of the collection by respecting its canons,” explains Bruno Belamich, Bell & Ross’ co-founder and Creative Director. “Our goal was to preserve the identity that has made the BR03 so successful, while adapting it to the new times and maintaining its allure.”

Look for three new models in a black case: Black Matte, Phantom and Heritage, as well as three new versions in polished steel – Black Steel, Blue Steel and Golden Heritage.

The latter feature truly retro black, blue and brown dials. Among the debuts is a models sporting a distinctive new copper dial model and another in a sharp-looking khaki-colored ceramic case.

Prices: $3,600 to $4,300.

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The Watches

Alpina Updates a Heritage Carrée Automatic 

Alpina launches a new version of its retro-styled Alpiner Heritage Carrée Automatic 140 Years, now with a modern automatic movement instead the vintage caliber used in the model launched earlier this year. 

You might recall that in June the Geneva-based watchmaker launched a celebratory Alpiner Heritage Carrée Automatic 140 Years outfitted with an authentic hand-wound Calibre 490 from 1938.

Now, Alpina is replicating the same watch’s retro-style with two unlimited models of the watch, one of which (the silver-dialed model) will be sold in the U.S. The second model with a black dial is available internationally outside the U.S.   

Alpiner Heritage Carrée Automatic 140 Years. The silver-dialed model pictured above is available in the U.S.

The watch still uses a retro-sized cased, though at 32.5mm by 39mm, it’s still three millimeters larger than the initial model from June. The new watch’s dial also features a 1930s-style ‘sector’ dial with period Arabic numerals, dauphine hands, square small seconds sub-dial and the original Alpina logo.

Inside Alpina offers its AL-530 caliber, an automatic Sellita-based movement. Other contemporary updates include a domed sapphire crystal and a see-through back. Price: $1,595. 

Specifications: Alpina Alpiner Heritage Carrée Automatic 140 Years 

(Ref. AL-530SAC3C6)

Movement: AL-530 caliber, automatic, 38-hour power reserve, 28,800 vph. 

Case: Polished 32.50mm x 39mm x 9.71mm stainless steel two-part with anti-reflective convex sapphire crystal. Water-resistant to 30 meters, engraved and see-through screwed case-back. 

Dial: Silver with matte finishing, black printed Arabic numerals and black graduation, black hour and minute hands, small second counter at 6 o’clock with black hand.  

Strap: Light brown Ostrich leather strap with off-white stitching and pin buckle.

Price: $1,595.  

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The Watches

Glashütte Original Adds Small Seconds to Sixties Series

Glashütte Original’s latest entry in its Vintage Collection is a rose-gold model with a small seconds sub-dial, a new dial display within the watchmaker’s hyper-retro Sixties series.

The new Glashütte Original Sixties Small Second, which introduces a small seconds display to the series.

Previously only fitted with three-hand or chronograph displays, the Sixties collection now offers this Sixties Small Second model that retains a true 1960s spirit but with a namesake classical twist at the 6 o’clock position.

Glashütte Original sets its new small second display within a shimmering galvanic silver dial and decorated with a fine matte finish, a process designed and completed at the watchmaker’s own (impressive) dial-making facility.

Artisans have matched the color of the watch’s hands and indexes to the 42mm rose gold case. All this attention to detail is easy to enjoy thanks to an anti-reflective domed sapphire crystal shaped to echo the gently curved dial and hands.

To better recall the watch’s namesake decade, Glashütte Original also includes a groovy matte green alligator leather strap that just might remind you of your great aunt’s shag carpeting, but in a good way. It will certainly look terrific on any wrist. 

Well known for its superb in-house manufacturing (which I can attest is some of the most detail-oriented I’ve witnessed) Glashütte Original fits its 39-60 manufactory caliber, complete with decorative finishes such as Glashütte stripes, bevelled edges and polished screws.

All this decor plus a skeletonized rotor and a double-G logo can be seen through the sapphire crystal case back of this eye-catching new Glashütte Original Sixties Small Second model.

Price: $16,000. 

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Featured Events

Zenith to Exhibit Historic Pilot Watches in NYC

Zenith will exhibit a selection of its vintage pilots watches at the Watches of Switzerland Hudson Yards location in New York from August 8 until September 10. The exhibit is meant to celebrate the watchmaker’s new Pilot collections, which debuted earlier this year during the Watches and Wonders watch fair in Geneva.

A Zenith military pilot watch circa 1928-1930.

 

At the Watches of Switzerland Hudson Yards store visitors will find six Zenith Pilot heritage pieces alongside Zenith’s new Pilot collection, which includes stainless steel and ceramic three-hand automatics and flyback chronographs.

A Zenith Chronographe Cairelli Type CP2 from the 1960s.

Zenith will display an impressive selection of historic aviation watches, including the Dashboard Altimeter (1910s), Pilot Wristwatch (1928-1930s), Chronograph Tipo CP2 (1968-72), El Primero Pilot-Diver (1972), El Primero Rainbow Fly-Back (1997), and El Primero Pilot Big Date Special (2010).

An altimeter from 1910.

Collectors are likely aware that Zenith registered the trademark “Pilote” in 1888, followed by the English “Pilot” in 1904, which allowed the brand to exclusively use the word on its dials.

A new Zenith Pilot Chronograph in steel.

Zenith watches were worn by Louis Blériot, who made history by accomplishing the first flight across the English Channel in 1909.

The 1997 El Primero Rainbow Flyback.
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The Watches

Analog Shift Teams with Nivada for Retro-Style Chronograph   

Swiss watchmaker Nivada Grenchen has teamed with Analog Shift (the vintage watch division of the Watches of Switzerland Group) to launch the Chronomaster ‘Big Eye’ Yachting, a 38mm steel-cased yacht timer and chronograph.

The new Nivada Grenchen Chronomaster ‘Big Eye’ Yachting.

The 1970s-style Chronomaster ‘Big Eye’ Yachting offers a sharp-looking clean white dial with easy-to-see broad arrow hands and a minute counter (at three o’clock) modified with blue and orange sections made specifically for counting down the first ten minutes of a yacht race.

The watch’s chronograph display can track up to thirty minutes with a bright orange central seconds hand, the minute counter and a small seconds counter at the nine o’clock position.

In addition, the watch’s unidirectional aluminum bezel offers a third function: tachymeter. The engraved tachymeter scale includes markers for fifths of a second to track average speed.

Inside the case Nivada Grenchen fits a manually wound Sellita SW510 BH B movement with a 63-hour power reserve. The movement is set under a sapphire crystal that the watchmaker has domed to mimic the same shape of the original Chronomaster’s acrylic crystal.

As vintage experts, Analog Shift asked Nivada Grenchen to pair the limited edition watch with a genuine vintage ‘beads of rice’ steel bracelet.

The Chronomaster ‘Big Eye’ Yachting, a limited edition of 100, is available from all Watches of Switzerland Group platforms, including  WatchesofSwitzerland.com, Mayors.com, Betteridge.com, and AnalogShift.com. 

Price: $1,995.

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