Looks familiar? The Steinhart Ocean One Vintage Chronograph rings a bell, because it is a sort of tribute to the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona Reference 6239, in the version that became known as the Paul Newman Daytona, because the actor wore one and was apparently depicted one day wearing his watch on the cover of an…
The true second feature is an unusual complication because it contradicts one of the traditional characteristics of mechanical watches. In most watches, the second hand, moving in increments of a sixth, eighth or tenth of a second, creates an impression of a continuous sweep, very different from the one-second increments of a quartz watch. The…
If you like classical watches, the Seiko Presage Chronograph SRQ019J1 is an amazing find. A grand feu (kiln-fired) enamel dial, beautiful dial markings, absolute clarity and legibility, crocodile strap… But the best part is inside, with a movement designed and built by Seiko, with column-wheel chronograph control, and a vertical clutch. The most prestigious type…
The Quai des Bergues is the first watch made by Czapek. Rhymes with Patek. The watch is unusual because it has to be wound on Sundays. An unusual requirement in today’s age of maximum personal liberty. But let’s go back to the beginning. Why does the name Czapek ring a bell? Because Franciszek Czapek, born…
Stowa was one of the companies that made pilot’s watches for the Luftwaffe in the 1930s and ’40s, and so the brand feels a commitment and responsibility to this heritage. They make some watches that mirror the characteristics of Type A and Type B Flieger watches fairly closely, at least in terms of dial design.…
The 857 UTC VFR by Sinn is a pilot’s watch, certified by the newly-instituted German standard DIN 8330, specially devised for watches used in aviation, where they may be subjected to magnetic fields, positive and negative variations in pressure and temperature, and G-forces. In addition to these qualities, this watch has a dial of superb…
The Reverso Tribute Gyrotourbillon by Jaeger-LeCoultre is an object of extraordinary beauty. Even though at 51.1 mm by 31 mm it’s a large piece, it is slim at 12.4 mm thickness. The contrast between the simple Art Deco lines of the platinum case and the complexity of the movement and its decoration makes the watch…
The 103 Ti UTC IFR is a pilot’s chronograph by Sinn, complying to the new German standard DIN 8330 for pilot’s watches. It’s a fine combination of features, with time functions given optimum legibility by means of a simple layout and a judicious use of SuperLuminova. The chronograph can likewise be used in low light…
COSC is a non-profit Swiss testing institute, Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres, which tests movements for precision. The test protocol is performed on uncased movements, which have to have a seconds hand and a serial number. Movements are individually tested over the course of 16 consecutive days, in five positions, at three different temperatures and…
This German standard is similar to ISO 3159 that forms the basis for COSC certification. Watches are tested for compliance with DIN 8319 at Glashütte Observatory. The DIN 8319 procedure requires 15 days of testing, in the same positions as for COSC (dial up, dial down, crown left, crown on top, crown below), with an…
The 103-Ti IFR is a chronograph by Sinn that meets the specifications of German pilot’s watch standard DIN 8330, a new standard for pilot’s watches that came into operation in March 2016. DIN 8330 is based on the previous TESTAF technical standard developed by Sinn, and its formulation was devised by a team comprising Sinn,…
The Reverso story began in winter 1930-31, when Swiss businessman César de Trey was travelling in India. He traded in watches and other items, and the colonies were an excellent market for him. On that particular occasion, he was watching a polo match played by British army officers. One of them was wearing his watch…
The Reverso One Duetto Moon by Jaeger-LeCoultre is a watch with the complication that is traditionally associated with watches for women, the moon phase display. It is made in two versions, in steel and rose gold. The lunar display is in mother-of-pearl, against a speckled backdrop in dark blue (steel version) or chestnut red (pink gold…
This is at the very heart of it all. It was Galileo Galilei who first noticed it, in a cathedral in Florence. He watched a chandelier swinging, propelled by the draughts, and saw that it seemed to be going much faster when the swings were wider. So he timed them, counting probably ten or twenty…
The Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso One Cordonnet is based on a 1936 watch, from which its leather cord strap has been derived. The Reverso case provides the playful touch that for 85 years has made the Reverso a favourite piece world-wide. The swivel mechanism is fun to operate and gets progressively smoother and easier as you get…
In this 85th anniversary year of the Reverso, it’s not surprising that Jaeger-LeCoultre are looking back to the features of the original 1930s model, with its Art Deco case, black dial and graceful Arabic numerals. As always with Jaeger-LeCoultre, the Reverso One Réédition conceals a lot of careful design thought. For example, the numerals of…
The Nomos Glashütte Tetra Neomatik, reference 421, is striking for its shape. The watch has many other positive features. Its case is 33 mm by 33 mm, which may sound small, but it’s important to consider the diagonal which is 46.6 mm. At 6.3 mm thickness, it’s prodigiously slim. It is in stainless steel, with…
2016 marks the 85th anniversary of Jaeger-LeCoultre‘s Reverso, with several models celebrating the occasion, including this piece, the Reverso Tribute Calendar. It’s very easy to take a brand like Jaeger-LeCoultre for granted: they have a discreet, laid-back attitude. They don’t boast a lot about their achievements. They have many qualities: they have been a true…
To my admittedly devious mind, the “positions” specified in watch adjustment conjure up an image of a plush, dimly-lit room somewhere in a watch factory where couples of workers are checking the correct functioning of watches while engaged in a variety of Kama Sutra positions. Alas, the reality is much less colourful. A watch adjusted…
Baume & Mercier have been working with Carroll Shelby’s sports car enterprise since 2015. The two limited-edition Capeland Shelby Cobra 1963 watches celebrate one of the Shelby Cobra models, the CSX2128 built for the 1963 12 Hours of Sebring race. The car was immediately recognizable for its yellow stripes, and it won an impressive number…