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Ulysse Nardin Moonstruck Watch
Posted on March 11, 2010
Filed Under Ulysse Nardin | Leave a Comment
This is the newest celestial watch from Ulysse Nardin. Announced about a year ago, I wanted to wait until closer to when you might be able to get one before discussing it. I believe that it is the most polished and refined of their celestial watches yet - even though it is not the most ambitious in terms of the information it displays. You can read about at least two other Ulysse Nardin celestial information watches I discussed here, and here. A celestial watch in short is a timepiece that provides information about something happening off of Earth. This usually involves something about the placement of the sun, moon, or planets in the solar system. Once in a while you get other information that is related such as equinoxes and other such periods.
I've had trouble reading more celestial watches because A) I am not used to reading information like that, and B) because I am not an astronomer. The pictured Ulysse Nardin Moonstruck is different actually. It uses a friendly visual system to indicate to you what you are looking at. Right there in the middle of the watch is an image of Earth. Right away you get a good idea of what you are looking at, and that the indicators around it relate to the perspective you would have while being on Earth. As such, you have two main celestial indicators on the dial - the moon and the sun. As to the moon, it is a bit more complicated. It not only shows the relative position of the moon around the Earth, but the phase of the moon as well. Therefore, there is a small orb on the dial of the Moonstruck watch. It spins on its own axis revealing the phase of the moon, and it also spins on a disc around the large Earth disc in the middle of the dial. To combat the fact that a true moon phase cycle is actually 29.53124 days long (not the 29.5 days you typically see), Ulysse Nardin has instituted a gear system in to the watch so that you really only need to adjust the moonphase indicator on the Moonstruck watch each 120 years or so.
Now it gets really cool. Notice the disc that has the little sun image on it. This also revolves around the Earth on the watch. The position of the sun is actually placed properly so that you can imagine light shining from it to the moon. Thus the "lit" side of the moon orb will always face the sun disc. See what I mean? Thus, the moon orb on its disc is made to turn so that the lit section always faces the Earth and the sun is placed properly as it would be in relation to the Earth to show you how its light is lighting up the moon from our terrestrial perspective. Sorry if any of this is getting complicated. Study the images a bit and it will all be clear!
So the sun moves around the Earth each 24 hours, showing you the relative position of the sun around the Earth. Remember that the view of the globe is from its "top." Other functions on the watch include a GMT indicator disc (and hand) as well as a date hand (the date indicators are placed in gold on the blued bezel). Least we forget the hands for the actual time. For the hour and minute hands, they are bold and lume covered. The sapphire crystal has gold lines applied to it for each of the 12 hours so that telling the time is not that hard.
The GMT disc gets a little complex, because it moves as well. It does this to show the time around the globe, and can also be used in conjunction with the sun placement indicator disc. Part of Ulysse Nardin's in-house made and designed UN 106 automatic movement (inside the watch) is their special GMT + / - system that allows the GMT hand to move in either "direction" so that you don't need to go around in a full instance to get the desired second time zone indication that you want. This is done via pushers on the side of the case. For a bit more about the creation of the movement and the people behind it, you can ready my colleague Elizabeth Doerr's discussion on World Tempus here. By the way, follow in Ulysse Nardin's tradition of upping the technical ante of its movements, the caliber UN 106 movement uses plenty of silicium (such as for the escapement and hairspring). This means such parts don't require lubricant.
There are other aspects to the Moonstruck watch's indications that I haven't quite gotten into. These include being able to determine things like the tides or seasonal data that understanding the position of the sun and moon in relation to the Earth can indicate. These aren't explicit functions of the watch, but the layout allows for you to determine this information with a little skill. If you want to invest in one of these limited edition watches, no doubt you'll study up on these things. By the way, the watch itself is 46mm wide and comes in a limited edition of 500 pieces in 18k red gold, and 500 pieces in platinum. The watch is fitted to a custom alligator strap with matching gold or platinum clasp. The Ulysse Nardin is undeniably a cool watch. It is also a very pretty watch. Wearing it will not lead you to looking like a rich nerd like some of the other luxury celestial watches. Price? Around 50,000 euros for the gold version.
See Ulysse Nardin watches on eBay here.
See Ulysse Nardin watches on Amazon here.
 Ulysse Nardin Watch  US $6,000.00
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 Vintage Ulysse Nardin 14KT Gold Wristwatch 8184-1 US $799.99
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 Ulysse Nardin Marine Acqua Perpetual Limited Blue RARE US $13,999.00 |
 NEW MENS ULYSSE NARDIN MAXI MARINE DIVER CHRONO WATCH US $6,095.00
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 NEW MENS ULYSSE NARDIN MARINE CHRONOMETER BLACK WATCH US $5,745.00
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 NEW MENS ULYSSE NARDIN MAXI MARINE 43MM RUBBER WATCH US $5,175.00
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Ulysse Nardin El Toro Watch
Posted on March 10, 2010
Filed Under Ulysse Nardin | Leave a Comment
Struck by the Moonstruck? Ulysse Nardin Moonstruck watch that is. I don't even know if I have published my article on the Moonstruck watch yet. I am shamelessly behind on publishing articles. I will get to the Moonstruck watch soon even though that is a model from last year. The El Toro is sort of a follow up model. It uses the same case and dimensions. Though the dial and complications are all different. Ulysse Nardin has created a pretty cool luxury watch here. It feels modern by not too strange. Very characteristic of the brand, though still novel. The El Toro watch features a GMT hand as well as a perpetual calendar - with w two digit year indicator. Comes in an gold or platinum case. For more information, prices, and my assessment of this piece, read my full article about the Ulysse Nardin El Toro watch at Haute Living here.
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Ulysse Nardin Watch US $6,000.00
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Vintage Ulysse Nardin 14KT Gold Wristwatch 8184-1 US $799.99
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Ulysse Nardin Marine Acqua Perpetual Limited Blue RARE US $13,999.00 |
NEW MENS ULYSSE NARDIN MAXI MARINE DIVER CHRONO WATCH US $6,095.00
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NEW MENS ULYSSE NARDIN MARINE CHRONOMETER BLACK WATCH US $5,745.00
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NEW MENS ULYSSE NARDIN MAXI MARINE 43MM RUBBER WATCH US $5,175.00
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MB&F Horological Machine Watches Hands-On
Posted on March 10, 2010
Filed Under MB&F | 3 Comments
Back in January, while in Geneva, I got to happily molest the entire collection of MB&F watches. Those lovely Horological Machines were willing participants, and I fondled them with care and admiration. I think the biggest question I got to answer for myself was "are these watches wearable?" Well, in short, the answer is yes - mostly. I should begin with explaining what the point of MB&F watches are as I understand it.
MB&F expresses that their mission is neither to make traditional practical watches or men's jewelry. Looking at their designs and listening to MB&F founder Max Busser (and his colleagues) and it is clear that these are luxury mechanical toys based on a lifetime's appreciate of sci-fi and men's fantasy pop culture. Spaceships, battles axes, robots, gadgets, and everything else in this mix are part of the timepieces' inspiration. The "HM" part of the model names that stands for "horological machine," that pretty much sums it up. These are machines that tell the time. They are worn as watches, and the real allure to them is the machine part of it. MB&F watches do some cool things, but are less about complex innovation in function, as they are about design innovations.
Take the newest HM2 model for example. The "SV" version that is. SV stands for sapphire vision. You can see a nice image of it in the flesh here. The entire front plate of the watch is made from an incredibly hard to make single piece of synthetic sapphire crystal. What is the point of it other than to show that MB&F suppliers are willing to engage in highly time consuming acts to please the brand (actually it was a pain for them to find a supplier for this)? It is all about being able to see the mechanical innards of the automatic mechanical watch. Being able to appreciate what goes into the design and execution of the machine. MB&F isn't super concerned about traditional horological considerations such as rate results or things of that nature. Sure they want their pieces to tell the time reasonably well, but even good legibility isn't what they are thinking about. It just occurred to me that MB&F watch designers are in some ways the exact opposite of the Seiko watch engineers. Both talented, but with really different goals.
MB&F wants to take all type of pop culture fixtures that men have good associations with (well, not just men), and make watches that embody that spirit in way not previously attainable. Grew up watching Star Wars and always wanted a droid all your own? MB&F takes that designer robotic look and is somehow able to get it on your wrist in a totally non-geeky way. When I wrote about the HM3 a while ago here for example, I showed you how the face of the watch resembles a mechanical face. Others see it as a spaceship. However you see it, the same genre applies.
Each of the MB&F watches have eyes on the dial - I have a feeling most ever new MB&F watch will have a "face" of the the face. Even with the original HM1, you can see a pair of googly eyes. The HM1 is still the most expensive MB&F watch. It is the only tourbillon of the trio, and it has some very expensive sapphire bridges. That design looked crazy when it was revealed a few years ago. Today it almost looks tame by comparison to the HM2 and HM3.
Of course the exception is the very tasteful HM2.2 Alain Silberstein watch. That highly limited edition piece (also seen here) is meant to look a bit like an old fashioned camera box gone "watch." Alain Silberstein really was able to just do whatever he wanted with the piece, and I love the result. I understand that another special collaboration between MB&F and another design is on its way soon. This will involve the HM3 and will have some frog-like looks I am told.
In a short time I will get to check out the newest MB&F watch, the HM4. Rumors abound about its look, and MB&F is being predictably tight lipped about it. What I do know is that it will be quite spaceship inspired, again. It will be a well-hyped and much deserved high-profile piece. In fact the people behind MB&F are part of the horological "machine." Max Busser himself basically travels all the time. Meeting with collectors and retailers, he is the face and steam behind the brand - along with those that travel with him. What impresses me is the passion he inserts into the designs and the personal communication of the brand. He preaches his work better and with more energy in one year than most do over an entire career. I really admire that. So while yes, there is a lot of "image" behind MB&F watches, it is an image that they deserved.
Going back to my initial question of whether the watches are wearable. Physically they are. Not really as giant on the wrist as you think they are. I tired to give you good illustrations of that fact by wearing the watches myself. And to be seen in them? Well the good news is if you had to wear a crazy avant garde luxury timepiece, and MB&F would probably cut it so well it should be at or near the top of your list. MB&F is really a modern phenomenon, and I am happy to keep sharing their progress with you. Now which of their watches could you (most) see yourself wearing?
HourTime Show Watch Podcast Help Desk 1
Posted on March 9, 2010
Filed Under HourTime Show | Leave a Comment
In addition to the regular HourTime show format, we are experimenting with a new Help Desk show. The idea is that you can call, chat, or e-mail in with your questions. Using the POWER OF THE INTERNET - lol - you can be a part of the show. The idea of the Help Desk is to address what you have on your mind, as well as to make the show more interactive. The first show is a bit rough, but we are going to be making it better and better. For more details on how to call in or contact us with questions for the next show, see the link below and stay tuned.
Listen to the HourTime watch podcast Help Desk episode 1 here.
4N MVT01/D01/42 Watch
Posted on March 9, 2010
Filed Under 4N | 27 Comments
Poor us who would love to wear this watch but cannot afford it (now or ever). A truly cool design that I think will appeal to a legion of watch lovers and traditionally non-watch lover's alike. The time is sold in a simple digital manner on four discs. Because there are four numerals (assume it said like 11:25 for the full four numbers). And this is why the brand is called 4N. I think it is sort of funny how brands come about with a plan of just selling one watch. Basically all future 4N watches can only have 4 numerals right? You see this type of one watch brand pretty often in the watch world. Once in a while the brand does well enough to make more models.
The model name of the watch is something a bit weird like 4N-MVT01/D01/42 - at least I think. I am just going to call it the 4N, just like I call the Cabestan Vertical Tourbillon Winch watch, the Cabestan watch. Inside the 4N watch is the MVT01 movement. Which is not a particularly clever way of indicating that it is their first movement. It is supposed to be in-house made to boot. The movement is manually wound and the hours and minutes are supposed to be jumping hours and minutes. I am actually surprised by this because the only such watch that I know to do this is the A. Lange & Sohne Lange Zeitwerk watch - which was really hard to make and took a really long time to properly engineer. It seems a bit hard to believe that 4N would get it right so quickly when Lange clearly isn't giving away and secrets.
To accomplish the jumping hours and minutes, the watch would need a sophisticated constant force escapement - which apparently it has. This allows for a steady surge of power from the movement to move the discs without effecting the rate of the movement. The term literally means "constant force" (uninterrupted) from the mainspring to the movement. More than likely 4N is still working out the kinks in the watch as I don't think it is commercially available yet. The digital numerals are supposed to be very large. Something like 5.5mm wide each. Though I have a feeling that this has been scaled down a bit. A neat looking frame (applied to the back of the sapphire crystal) tells you exactly where to read the time. Functionally, the watch is supposed to be quite easy to use. There is a crown on the right side of the case and two pushers on the left side of the case. Those pushers are used to adjust the minutes or hours (each one advances either the minutes or hours by one increment with each push).
In almost a widescreen TV style case, the 4N watch will be available in 18k white gold, platinum, and likely two other materials. The movement is made up mostly of titanium, aluminum alloys, and carbon fiber. There is really no denying how cool it looks. The relatively simple shape of the case is augmented by the complex lug structures. A genius design move making the watch really feel special. It almost goes without saying that the watch is quite special.
François Quentin is the man behind the design and the brand. He is also well known for being one of the main guys behind Hautlence, as well as the designer of one of my favorite high-end fashion watches. That being the Louis Vuitton Tambour (especially the Diver). The 4N watch be available (at some point) in a limited edition of just 16 pieces of each model (not sure how many models). How much will this cool mechanical digital watch cost? Hard to predict. Though I would be surprised if it was a penny under $80,000, and could easily be several times that. I am waiting for a working version to get my hands on.
Longio Telamon Tourbillon 1000m Diver Watch Review
Posted on March 8, 2010
Filed Under Longio | 5 Comments
My first tourbillon. The package was delivered to me and I quickly opened the box to find the Longio case inside. It was a larger presentation box, but that made sense given some of the included accessories. I hastily lifted the leather lid and a wide smile appeared on my face to see the almost mythical complication operating under the plastic film cover on the watch dial. Being an automatic movement, the transit had kept the watch wound enough for it to be moving when I first saw it. That little rotating balance wheel, spinning while it oscillates had a profound effect on me - given that I have been writing about $100,000 plus tourbillons for a while. Now I had one in my home. The difference here is where the tourbillon was made (that of course implies a host of differences). While most of tourbillon movements I have written about have European origin, this guy was from China.
And the watch totally is a "guy." Very masculine proportions and an aggressive stance. Maybe I am wrong for saying this, but I am surprised that a design from China has such a cool look. The design isn't necessarily a complex feat of refinement and careful study - but more a raw, architectural style with a guttural sense of strength. It is like the unpredictable marriage of Japanese armor design and the architectural style of proud looking propaganda-run state government buildings. I need to caution that last point, because if you've never seen government buildings made out of the direction of propaganda driven countries (communists, dictatorship, etc...), you'd have no idea what I am talking about. Unlike the cheap residences of communist era countries for example, the government buildings were very strong looking and meant to illicit a strong sense of pride and respect for the "establishment." I see a lot of this almost neo-Roman mixed with art-deco on steroids style in this watch. I feel as though this exaggerated explanation is necessary, because I want to show you that this is a unique design, but also why I think it stands out. It is possible that given China's government, there is a bit of this design element in their government buildings, which might have influenced the watch design. Not having been to China, I can't really say. Though a hint about their design philosophy comes from the brand's sub-slogan "The P.R.C. (People's Republic of China) Manufacture of Exceptional Mechanical Timepieces."
Regardless of the actual inspiration for the design, it is a lasting one that most men with a taste for the bold will enjoy. Traditionalists will probably not be too keen on this watch, as it is quite the opposite of the demure Swiss timepiece that we have an image in our minds of when thinking about standard dressy timepieces. I personally get a big kick out of wearing it. I wrote about this Longio watch a while ago before it even had a formal name here. Since then it has been given the name "Telamon" Now I can call it something proper. So this is the Longio Telamon 1000m diver watch, Ref. SG3829SB (SG3829). It is one of several tourbillon watches that brand currently offers, but the grandest one in my opinion. Nevertheless, most of their designs share this modern-esque style of outspokenness and poise that is not necessarily what you would expect from Chinese design. Perhaps this is due to Longio's proximity to the more free-spoken area of Hong Kong. Plus, Hong Kong is one of the most important places in the world for the watch industry, so no doubt Longio benefits from being able to experience the offerings from numerous brands.
If you haven't heard of Longio, that is OK. I hadn't either until a while ago, but as with all new brands our education must start somewhere. Longio has apparently long been working as an OEM (original equipment manufacturer) and ODM (original design manufacturer) for other watch brands for a while now. This schooled them in how to make watches, even if they didn't put their name on it. This should at least bestow confidence that they know what they are doing, and that they do it all themselves.
Let's chat about the movement, as this is going to be an important component of people actually buying the watch. Longio uses an automatic tourbillon movement that they make. It has 19 jewels, beats at 21,600bph, and has a power reserve of 65 hours when fully wound. Functions include the time with the one minute tourbillon acting as the subsidiary seconds dial. Along with the automatic winding, you can hand wind the movement. I can't speak to much of the movement's decoration and finish aside from what I see in the open tourbillon window. A large segment of the lower part of the dial has been wisely used to display the tourbillon. You see the complication moving around just as you would expect. It is no less satisfying to watch in operation that other similar tourbillons. There is a thin bridge over the tourbillon carriage and blued screws to enhance the look.
I would say that there is one major difference between the Longio tourbillon and its European counterparts - hand finishing. The Europeans have long prided themselves in taking long periods of time to delicately hand decorate and finish watch movement parts. This involves taking the pieces straight from the expensive machines that make them and polishing and finishing them - more often than not under a microscope. This is why Swiss movements for example, appear as beautiful as they do. Such finishing also assists with quality and finding defective parts. Longio doesn't have that same type of look in the movement. Though you need to be a real connoisseur (like myself I guess) to notice it. In fact, for most people, looking at the Telamon's tourbillon with the naked eye reveals "just a cool looking tourbillon." Most of the differences aren't apparent until you get really close or check things out under magnification. And while you ponder how nice it is that someone lovingly filed each gear and bridge in a watch, you must be mindful of the price. It of course goes without saying that Swiss tourbillon watches cost many more times that of one from Longio.
Longio was not the first Chinese watch brand to offer a tourbillon movement. I don't know who was, or how much lower or high in price they are. I do know that there are many out there with much lower quality tourbillon movements than what Longio offers. I am not an expert of Chinese tourbillon movements, so I can only comment on what I know compared to the Europeans. Even though Longio doesn't give its tourbillon and movement the same type of hand decoration, you still have actual people putting these watches together. This is just the type of thing that requires skill and hands-on treatment. A tourbillon is not easy to make or put together. Thus I know that like the Europeans, there must be someone that is actually hand-assembling these movements. Accuracy is actually on par or a little bit off most European tourbillon movements with deviation of about 10-25 seconds a day. This might seem like a lot, but actually isn't that off from what you find else where. While Tourbillon movements seem to suggest they make watches more accurate, this isn't true. There are fun toys to watch, but functionally don't really do anything. Their main allure is their complexity, the novelty of watching them in action, and the emotion that is built around them. For a watch to be a COSC Chronometer, it can still be off by about 6 seconds a day, and there are very few COSC certified tourbillon watches out there. So I can freely say that this Chinese tourbillon movement isn't that far off from your "run of the mill" Swiss tourbillon movement.
Another fun fact - Longio gives its tourbillon movements a lifetime warranty. You'll need to contact Longio for more details on that, but that does reassure me about having concerns with the longevity of quality of the watch movement. If it breaks, looks like Longio has your back.
You should understand that all tourbillon movements are more delicate than standard mechanical movements. This applies to any such style movement watch. So the aggressive sport like nature of the Telamon diver is a bit of an irony. "Gentle diving (no matter how deep up to 1000 meters) should be OK, but don't take the watch out on vigorous hikes, bike rides, or other "shock" prone activities. Look, if you are the type of person that can't seem to keep their watch from being their personal shield, then a tourbillon watch (of any maker) isn't gonna be right for you. There are lots of other more shock resistant watches to meet your clumsy needs. If you can take care of your watch a bit, treating it like a precious mechanical object that it is, then you should consider the strong allure of the most expensive and emotionally charged style of complication out there - the tourbillon. Oh, yea, you need to be able and afford it too. But that comes much closer to reality with the Telamon.
Now for the rest of the watch. You know... what really matters more of the time. The Longio Telamon is a bigger watch at 47mm wide in steel and tall at 18mm high. It isn't light either. Though placing it on the included rubber strap will lighten the load. The fragile types that need a light watch however, should go get themselves a plastic Swatch, I've got a nice one for you right here. As a diver style watch, the Telamon works nicely. The tall case has a nicely rotating diver's bezel (with a lume tip) that moves satisfyingly and has good style. The case is 1000 meters water resistant, has a helium escape valve, and the caseback has a fun little engraving of a diver (silly and cute looking). I like the lightheartedness of the image combined with the aggressive stance of the watch. Watch crystal is sapphire, and AR coated I believe. Legibility is good, and the dial has a nice color contrast to it. The hour markers are large enough, and while they are disrupted by the tourbillon, the chapter ring hour and minute indicators continue. I enjoy the look of the dial, and it is easy to live with. The tourbillon is apparent, and made more so by the skeletonzied hands. Plus, I like that the hour markers are applied. The hand tips and hour markers are coated with a SuperLumiNova that glows blue, but for some reason seems to require a lot of light to charge. Also, the hands are a bit short, and I would have liked for them to be a bit more conspicuous on the dial. Problem is that the hour markers and the tips of the hands are similar sizes, so they get mixed together mentally a bit. These items aren't a big deal, but are certainly areas for Longio to improve upon.
Wearing the watch is more comfortable than the jagged edges of the case would have you believe. Although heavy, the case stays on your wrist well, and the large lugs are curved to help keep it there. I am genuinely fond of the style. I think the Telamon looks damn cool, and I always feel good wearing it. It is as though the case style is the main allure, and the tourbillon is the icing on the cake. The bracelet is interesting. Seeing early images of it, I wasn't sure whether I would dig it, but I do. It moves very smoothly and is comfortable. Although the watch has some sharper edges around it, none are a bother. Though if you manually wind the watch a lot you need to hold the crown a bit on the outside as you can otherwise rub up against some angled surfaces.
The 24mm wide bracelet is chunky and have lots of brushed surfaces like the case. Even though no parts of the case are mirror polished, having so many angles gives the watch a shiny look when it moves around in the light. The neat looking Longio logo is engraved on the crowns and on the deployment clasp. The claps is push button operated, and works much more nicely than a lot of other Chinese watch bracelets I have experienced. It also has a cool ratcheted divers extension that is similar to the one on this Orient 1000m Diver watch. Meaning you can extend it at different lengths, all while you are still wearing the watch. That feature, I quite like.
This review needs to come to a close because there is only so much you will read. In short, the Longio Telamon Tourbillon watch is a cool looking diver's watch with a unique spirit and an automatic tourbillon movement. While it does not have the level of refinement that a European tourbillon watch has, it is no where near as expensive. At $7,999, the Longio Telamon Tourbillon is an expensive dive watch and an inexpensive tourbillon. They hope that finding a place somewhere in the middle they will get a good audience. I don't think anyone will be disappointed with the watch at all, but it isn't the same as a European style watch. If you are looking for a unique dive watch that isn't like the majority of them out there, it is a good option. It is also a good choice for those who want a tourbillon and either can't afford the $50,000 plus prices it costs to get Swiss one, or simply want a starter tourbillon piece. Of course there is the style of the watch as well that should appeal to more than a few people. Perhaps Longio will make a non tourbillon version of the Telamon as well, that should sell quite nicely I imagine.
Hamilton Pulsomatic Watch For 2010
Posted on March 7, 2010
Filed Under Hamilton | 1 Comment
I think that this will be a pretty well-received watch for 2010, and that a lot of people are going to dig this. Another of the many many "historical rereleases" we have been seeing lately. So, a long time ago Hamilton released the Pulsar. It was the first digital watch. This was in 1970, just a year after Seiko introduced the first quartz watch (that was analog). The Hamilton Pulsar was not an LCD (liquid crystal display) watch, but rather had a red colored LED (light emitting diode). With an LED, power consumption is a bit issue although it is bright when viewable. As such, you needed to manually press a button on the case to display the time on the Pulsar - as it would have drained the battery too quickly otherwise. Despite this, it was an accurate movement and really popular at the time. Pulsar then sort of branched out into a subbrand (which is actually part of Seiko now I think), and you could get similar watches up until almost now. By the way, the first 6 digit LCD watch was released shortly thereafter, again by Seiko.
For 2010 there is a brand new watch in the style and memory of the 1970 Pulsar, this is the Pusomatic (oohh! Sounds fancy) and has a very new tricks up its sleeves. You can tell by the "evolution diagram" how the original watch turned into the new one design side. Larger case with a similar shape, but now a different screen. Oh, and I totally like the look of the original bracelet better. The fat outer links with thin inner link before the bracelet tapers looks sorta of odd, but maybe I need to wear the thing.
The Pulsomatic throws out the LED display. Why? Cause of the power issue. So the cool red numerals are not going to grace your vision. Instead you have a nice high quality reverse LCD screen (black background, lighter numbers), that always looks better than standard LCD screens. I must admit I wanted to see the cool red numbers. Maybe there is a backlight feature in red that I don't know about.
Hamilton put the Pulsomatic in a 39mm wide steel case with the TV screen style dial. In addition to the steel tone, look like you can get the watch in black PVD as well as rose gold PVD. Yes, nothing says "rich geek" like a gold tone one of these. "Wanna touch my Pulsomatic baby?" Sure there is lots of wasted space on the dial, but it looks cool. Lots of the display design was taken from brands such as Ventura. You can also get a rubber strap in addition to the steel bracelet. Also, the case is water resistant to 50 meters and thankfully comes with a sapphire crystal.
Now for the interesting part - well sort of. The movement "borrows" from the concept of the Seiko Kinetic by having an automatic rotor generate power for the battery. Actually the Ventura watch (Q Spark I think it was) also did this. Inside the Hamilton Pulsomatic is the Calibre H1970 automatically generated quartz movement (gee, I wonder why "1970" is in there). It has a power reserve of about 82 days when fully charged, and is made by Swiss ETA. It might have the rotor viewable through the watch caseback, but I am not sure.
I think that the watch has enough retro appeal for those who recall the original watch and never had one. I think the red LED light will be missed. Maybe Hamilton will come out with some version in the future that has a tinted red crystal. That would be cool. Otherwise it is pretty nifty and will be available for purchase near the end of the year. Price is going to be $1,495.
See digital Hamilton watches on eBay here.
See Hamilton watches on Amazon here.
 PULSAR TWO TONE DRESS WATCH FOR MEN,USED. US $14.99
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 SILVER PULSAR WATCH WITH GOLD PLATED LINKS US $23.06
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 New PULSAR Digital Alarm World Time Men's Watch, PBL047 US $77.95
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 Pulsar Mens Watch With Alarm Function US $100.00
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 NEW PULSAR by SEIKO ALARM CHRONOGRAPH 100M SPORTS WATCH US $119.29
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 Pulsar Swarovski Crystal Mens Watch US $55.00
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Oris BC3 Sportsman 42mm Watch
Posted on March 6, 2010
Filed Under Oris | 2 Comments
More relatively affordable Swiss watch action from Oris. New for 2010 is this updated BC3 Sportsman model in a 42mm case. This is about as no nonsense as you'd want to get with a watch, and Oris keeps all the functionality you've come to expect in this collection. For years that have been centrally aligning the day and date windows for a nice clean look. As you can see, at 6 o'clock you have two stacked windows with the calendar information. Done well with white text on black discs to match the dial. Hands are long and easy to read, almost as though the watch were a dive watch. The hands and some of the numeral markers are coated in SuperLumiNova for ease of reading. That combined with the well placed markers make this one highly legible watch. The Arabic numerals on the dial are polished steel, and applied to the dial.
Oris watches never forgo at least some decoration. The 42mm wide steel case has a thin polished ring around bezel that matches the polished crown. The case design is functional, but not sexy - though you don't always want sexy for sports activities. Oris isn't trying to make a watch fit for the club and the cabin. The red inlay in the screw-down crown is a hint at the Oris signature red automatic rotor, that is visible through the sapphire caseback window. The crystal over the face is also sapphire (AR coated).
Attached to the watch here is a classic three-link steel bracelet, that Oris makes relatively well. The BC3 Sportsman will also be available with a rubber or leather strap. It will look more sporty on the rubber strap, but I happen to like the sober look of it on the metal bracelet. Its makes a hell of a reliable no-frills timepieces.
Inside the watch is a Swiss automatic mechanical movements. Likely here an ETA 2834-2, or similar. For the guy who does not like things that are too flashy, but will do the job right (and want a good Swiss name), this is a good choice from Oris. Plus, it will be pretty reasonably priced for what you get. Look for this new Oris BC3 Sportsman watch soon.
Cartier Calibre Watches
Posted on March 5, 2010
Filed Under Cartier | 1 Comment
The big news from Cartier for 2010 is the Calibre collection of watches. While they did release a few impressive highly complex watches (not to mention a tourbillon version of the Calibre watch), those aren't going to be volume models. The Calibre will be a much more affordable timepiece with a fresh and modern look along with the Cartier name. As a thick layer of icing on the cake, the Calibre is named as such for having a Cartier in-house made movement. That's right. The jewelry brand can finally satisfy the connoisseur's need for exclusive in-house movements and the brand's famous style. The movement is the 1904 MC, named for the year that Cartier made a watch for Alberto Santos Dumont, being Cartier's first wrist watch. The movement is an automatic with two mainspring barrels, 48 hours of power reserve, and a hack seconds complication. It further features ceramic ball bearings for the automatic rotor which winds the watch when spinning in both directions Also, it looks like the movement will be able to be a base for more complex movements in the future that will be in the "affordable" range.
The Calibre watch name is a bit silly to most hardcore watch lovers, but is playfully simple meaning only "watch movement reference" really. Most of Cartier's client's however would not refer to a watch movement as a "calibre," so that is OK. At least Cartier stuck with the simple and classy names that most of its watches have. The style of the Calibre watch takes some getting used to. It is not one of those instant "must haves," but then again, none of its watches are. They are more handsome watches that take time to appreciate until putting one in your collection seems to make sense. I have a feeling if they released the Santos watch tomorrow many people would find it boring. Yet after it being around for so long we all consider it a classic. My prediction is that it will be a few years of Cartier Calibre promotion before the love sets in. Having said that I actually quite like the look a lot. I think that Cartier made a few ephemeral design choices but overall they did a nice job.
The watch is a decent size at 42mm wide and available in steel, 18k rose gold, or two-tone with a gold bezel and steel case. The case feels large for its size which is good. A very distinguishing features is the chunky crown guard. It has Cartier exposed screws on it (which you see in many of their masculine products). Most surfaces are brushed with some nice edges being polished. That adds a nice high-end touch to it. Although the components of the case look simple, it is very refined in style. The lugs are broad and curved, making for a very comfortable fit. You see a very iconic Cartier hexagon crown with a more geometric cut sapphire crystal cabochon applied to it. Often Cartier cabochons are perfectly rounded. You can see the handsome proportions in the images of the Calibre watch on my wrist.
Always a point of interest for me in Cartier watches is the dial. I find the Calibre to be a curious, but satisfying creation. It comes in three colors, black, silver, and brown (that looks really nice with the gold). Let me start with what I don't like. The date window. It is way to "right now." This is part of what I was referring to when I said the watch had an ephemeral style to it. Or maybe I just don't like these unnecessarily large date windows. Cartier makes it work however as the crescent shape of the date window is visually continued with the large crown guard. On the other side it seems to come to a point at the center of the dial. This is one of the first Cartier watches that I know of that does not have blued steel hands. Instead they have lume and watch the colors of the dial. I sort of miss the blued steel now.
The chapter ring of the watch inside the dial is toothed a bit, just like some classic Panerai watches, and interesting design touch. All part of the masculination of the watch. The top half of the dial has Roman numerals with a big "12." Then, in order to make it not look so cluttered, Cartier replaces the lower half of the dial with hour markers in order to visually accommodate the large subsidiary seconds dial. In addition to the hour and minute hands having lume, there are four points of lume around the dial. The outer ring on the face has some concentric circle texturing with a few levels of elevation that are viewable preventing the dial from looking flat. The minute index scale around the dial adds to the legibility. The look of the dial as a whole is sufficiently Cartier, while being more aggressive than their "dandy" reputation would suggest, and of course a unique addition to their men's collection.
People who are tired of the same old Cartier styles will appreciate the new look that is easy to see yourself wearing, and the Calibre watch collection really promotes Cartier as a serious watch maker having a new and exclusive in-house made movement. Expect more of this in the future in mainstream Cartier watches such as this as opposed to only in their $100,000 plus spectacular and complex creations. As such, the Calibre collection with its 1904 MC automatic movement will start at $6,500 in steel and go up from there.
See Cartier watches on eBay here.
See Cartier watches on Amazon here.
 NEW CARTIER TANK FRANCAISE MENS STEEL WATCH w51002q3 US $4,199.00
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 CARTIER TANK FRANCAISE LARGE CASE ATTACH PIN (NOS) X 8 US $36.00
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 CARTIER RONDE SOLO ALLIGATOR BLACK STRAP US $90.00
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 CARTIER LADIES TANK DIVAN LARGE WATCH IN BOX W6300655 US $2,095.00
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 NEW CARTIER Mens Pasha Seatimer Steel Watch W31077U2 US $4,880.00
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 NEW CARTIER Tank Francaise Steel Unisex Watch W51011Q3 US $3,900.00
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HourTime Show Watch Podcast Episode 16
Posted on March 4, 2010
Filed Under HourTime Show | Leave a Comment
John continues to be finicky about what he likes, we talk about a cool new watch from RSW - and the perfect timepiece for those Dungeons & Dragons lovers out there (hint, your character will improve its armor class by wearing this watch). All part of the latest episode of HourTime.
Listen to the HourTime Show watch podcast episode 16 here.
