Battle of Malakov, 8 September 1855

And on this day in 1855 near Sevastopol in the Crimean War, the phrase “Synchronize watches” was used in preparation for the first attack coordinated by timepieces.

Note that this allowed for precise coordination of elements out of contact without visual or audiable signals, and by World War I and the advent of wristwatches a sargeant could afford, was a critical enabler for a revolution in military tactics.

None Of the Above watches are the creation of a young member of an old watch making family. Nicola Andreatta has been designing watches for his family’s business for a while, but wanted to move off in his own direction. Of course, being connected to the industry his whole life, he was in a good position to start up a new brand.
And the NOA Watches stand out. In three sizes, 44mm, 40mm, and 36mm (this last for the ladies), your choices have only begun. The contours under the crystal create a powerful appearance of depth, and this is enhanced with well raised marking on the face. NOA watches use proven ETA and Valjoux movements, combine forward design with solidly engineered movements. The line includes a handsome rose gold and black piece, an eye-catching, bold dive watch and several others and a broad range of limited production pieces.
The dive watch is the one that really caught my eye. The rotating bezel is under the crystal with a seperate crown to adjust it. The black and yellow color scheme is stunning. This makes for a really engaging appearence with a lot of presence.
With less than 50 retailers globally, seeing these in person can be a trick. As fortune would have it, I found myself in Washington D.C. with time to indulge my hobbies. Tiny Jewel Box on 1147 Conn. Ave is among this small group of dealers (www.tinyjewelbox.com). Special thanks to Jorge, their watch specialist for his patience with my questions, and his passion for NOA watches.

How can they do this to an innocent Swiss chronograph movement? A chaste mechanism dressed like this and forced to walk the streets. I might not wear it myself, but I can understand a lady, a metro, or some other individual who enjoys a watch with gold finish, or a few diamond chips, or a little bit of color. But gold and lots of diamond chips and a lot of color… This is an offense against aesthetics, and sadly noone can prosecute.

I need to get a lot of eye-bleach and spend the next fortnight in silent meditation on a Panerai.

In a time when the “power watch” has a half dozen functions that most buyers won’t bother with (if they understand them) it is refreshing to see only two functions beyond the basics and both routinely useful for many. The second time zone, the GMT display, is of great value to a rock like me who can’t remember the difference for distant places I routinely work with. And on this watch it is right there in the window at the six o’clock position. The other function above the minimum is the alarm; fairly rare on a mechanical. Whether it is used as a reminder for appointments or meds, or for naps, it could be used daily. And all this in an environmentally-sensitive package; an automatic that doesn’t defecate hazmat in the form of used batteries.

The execution of every detail of this modestly sized (39mm-ish) watch is exquisite. Whether the markings and ornamentation on the dial, or the movement visible through the exhibition back, with its beautiful jewelling, every aspect of this time piece speaks of attention to detail and passion for elegance and classic style. This watch is as simple as it can be without losing the classic flavor, as richly ornamented as it can be without becoming over-done. Simply magnificent.

As a functional timepiece and piece of jewelry, this watch is without peer. Modestly sized, handsome and tasteful, it would be appropriate for any formal environment. My only regret is that I don’t spend enough time in environments like that to justify the price. Now if this movement came in a 100m water resistant package, with more austere styling, I’d take a contract with Blackwater to pay it off.

And special thanks to the staff of Tivol Jewelry, especially Tammy from Briarcliffe, MO, and Dan from the Country Club Plaza, Kansas City, MO stores for their help, patience with my ridiculous questions, the tour of their in-house watchmakers shop, and for allowing me to handle so many exquisite timepieces. (www.tivol.com).

Van

Not too long ago, we shared a video review of a Marathon watch. Although not that particular model, Marathon routinely boasts that it is the current U.S. military issue wristwatch. And this is true, so it should be odd that out of the thousands of service members I have had contact with over the past two decades, I’ve only ever seen less than half a dozen service members wearing Marathon watches.

So what do people in the U.S. Military really wear? Overwhelmingly, Casio G-Shocks of every stripe, followed by Timex Ironman series and electronic compass models. Pilots seem to like Citizen and Seiko chronographs with the sliderule. Young Special Forces guys often go with Omegas, while the older guys lean towards Rolex. But lately, the cool kids in the Army have been sporting Suunto Vectors.

The Suunto Vector has an electronic compass, barometer, altimeter, and thermometer, as well as all the usual digital functions like timer, alarm, stopwatch, etc. It’s a little on the bulky side, but in the ACUs, the camouflage uniform, especially with all the kit soldiers have to carry in the field, this is trivial. A nice feature is that it is designed to be user maintained, and Suunto’s battery replacement kit includes a fresh o-ring. I’m indifferent to the thermometer and altimeter. The thermometer is not accurate while worn as the sensor is too close to the skin, and the altimeter has to be calibrated daily to be accurate. The barometer is not relevant to my needs, as my arthritis tells me when storms are coming but is accurate and kind of neat. The compass is accurate, and has a bubble to help the user level it for use, and can be calibrated for declination (either you understand and appreciate the utility of this last point, or you don’t need to worry about it). Best of all, the alarm is way loud for a watch, and makes up for everything else. (You may be a soldier if… You sleep through thunder storms, but wake up for a wristwatch alarm.)

Overall, the Suunto Vector is kind of bulky, but well suited to what a soldier needs. One caveat; a Suunto Vector with ‘business casual’ is as much a dead giveaway as the khaki trousers and blue blazer. If a soldier (or retired soldier) has to dress like a civilian, invest in an appropriate watch; a ninety dollar mens’ dress Seiko will prevent a loss of face.

The proprietor of Gnomon Watches, a Singapore based on-line watch dealer, Anders Tan wasn’t happy just selling watches, so he took the next step and started making them. Dievas Watches got off to a slow start with the now discontinued Mesopelagic line, and the Endurance and Noble lines which are still in production. The designs were conventional, but they used tritium tube illumination and looked like fairly robust dive watches.

Then he released the Oceantimer series. This was a little more dramatic and distinctive, and was worth a second look. The Vintage series came out as an homage to a certain Italian military dive watch from the 1930s, but in a price range mere mortals can afford. Then the Divergraph series hit the street, and I just had to talk with this guy.

After getting bachelor’s degrees in Computer Engineering and Business in England, he went into the watch business. He’s very humble about his position in the market, giving credit to the watchmakers, distributors, and regular customers, and is grateful for their guidance and everything they’ve taught him. Anders was quick to acknowledge the contributions to his watch designs from his friends and customers.

When asked about the inspirations for his designs, Anders said, “I love watches. And appreciate all things watches. From Vintage to contemporary watches. I have my fair share of vintage and military watches that I managed to gather throughout the years. And a lot of my inspirations comes from there.” The military look, both contemporary in the Divergraph series, and classic in the Vintage series shines through in his newest lines. He went on to say, “And most of my designs so far has been focusing on simplicity and usability with a splash of colors.” And the use of orange and blue tritium tubes in the Divergraphs, and the hands on the Vintage Kampfschimmer is subtle and tasteful, achieving this goal.
Read more…

$300,000 for a pre-rusted watch that only tells you if it is day or night with a dual tourbillion movement?

Any pursuit has its ultimate excesses, and this one currently holds that coveted title for horology. A 46mm watch in rusted steel, titanium, ceramic, and black carbon, fabricated from materials recovered from the wreck of the Titanic. To heck with precious stones and gems, ignore precious metals, even forget the exotic origin of the materials for this watch, this is the ultimately perverse use of the watchmakers usual sorcery. On one end of the scale, there is the plethora of ETA 2824-2 and Seiko 7S26 and 7S36 watches with 100m or more water resistance, capable of accuracy that approaches the limits of what a spring powered mechanism is capable of, at the other are tourbillions with brilliant complications and sophisticated, but still practical movements. And with the same technical competence uncoupled from sanity, you find this as the outcome.

Wow. I like it. Too bad the limited edition of 2012 has sold out already.

Christopher Ward Watches is starting to pull out of the crowd with some distinctive and handsome designs. From the start, their business model has been to put out a first rate watch on a razor thin profit margin. Their earlier watches were definitely tasteful, but a little on the conservative side.

With the C6 Kingfisher Diver automatic, Christopher is putting a more distinctive style forward. 42mm, with an ETA 2824-2 movement, seems fairly mundane until you look at it. I’m liking it a lot. And with a 300m water resistance and a robust warranty and returns policy, it sounds like he has a lot of confidence in his watches.

Flashier than my usual tastes, but I could learn to live with it.

No matter how many watches a body might have, if you’re the watch wearing type, you have a favorite, the one watch that is the fallback not matter the circumstance. This is mine.

I was looking for a watch for all seasons, and this one was the best fit. I wanted an analog, with an alarm, luminous marking, and at least 100m water resistance. It had to be suitable for my professional environments, which can be diverse and a little surreal to many folks in corporate America. Yes, it is quartz, but the only mechanical watch that makes the grade on these requirements is the Panerai 98, and I had not heard of them at the time I bought this one, could not afford them then, can’t really afford them now, and is rather too big for me (although the ease of reading that dial as the eyes age…) The chronograph and titanium were secondary considerations, but I’ve come to appreciate the titanium for the light weight and relatively slim profile it allows. The titanium and sapphire crystal have proven extremely durable despite my cavalier attitude about what activities I engage in while wearing it.

There is an option for a black or white face, and I went with the black. The dial is a little over 35mm, with the crowns and buttons not quite 40mm, 43mm lug to lug and 10mm thick. The dial markings are clearly inspired by 1940s military styles, with the triangle for 12, and the arabic numerals. The chronograph functions are conventional for an analog watch. The alarm is set with the screw-down stem at the first click out, and turned on by pulling the stem on the left side of the face out. The alarm is not as loud as some watches, but I would say louder than most, and adequate for me. I’ve had this watch for years, sent it back for a battery change once (with fast and reasonably priced service from St. Moritz), and expect to get many more years out of it.

Aesthetically, it is a little harsh and austere for dress social occasions, but that simplicity fits my needs, and carries an understated presence that works in my professional environments. On the other hand, it blends well with jeans and a polo shirt. As much as I enjoy other watches, this one is the single best, all-round watch for me.

I received a TX World Time for review last week. Wow. This is definitely not your dad’s Timex. I think it is fair to say that TX is to Timex what Tissot is to Swatch. Yes, Swatch group makes Tissot, but a Tissot is not a Swatch, and a TX is not Timex. It’s big, it’s dramatic, and it’s a little too much for me.

The first thing that jumps out at me is that the TX is big. 45mm on my slim wrists is a little much. But for its size, it is light, but feels solid. I know this sounds like a contradiction, but watches this size are either rocks, or feel like they’ll snap between your fingers. The TX feels remarkably well made for being so light. Fit and finish were immaculate. All edges and corners are clean and sharp. Surfaces had mirror finishes and flats are flat. The black finish is beautiful. The element I liked best was the use of rose gold for the hands and hour markings. The rose gold added a touch of class that the usual yellow gold finish does not. The TX logo is enamelled on the crown and worked into the end of the second hand. The hands and hour markings are luminescent, as are the retrograde hands. The retrograde hands threw me for a loop the first time I saw them in the dark, as there are no reference markings, just mysterious glowing hands floating on the dial. Once you know to look for them, they’ll stop distracting. What I mistook for a blur in the finish was a nicely executed little world map on the dial. This adds up to a rich and dramatic appearance.

The dial is busy, but that is a reflection of the functionality and this adds to its charm. In addition to the customary HH:mm:ss, and date, you have a second time zone. The time zone is indicated by the hand with the crescent at the end, and it points to cities, and countries named along the inside of the bezel for each time zone, and is controlled with the two buttons flanking the crown. Time in the second time zone is indicated on a retrograde hand in the upper right of the dial. The other retrograde style hand indicates standard or daylight savings time, and is controlled by the button on the left side of the dial.

I really like the functionality, I get a lot of use out of a second time zone, and the zone markings relieve me of the need to think through which way is which and how many hours. Put an alarm on this puppy, and it would be a dream come true.

The TX World Time is a beautiful watch, but a bit much for a guy like me, who usually wears an Ollech & Wajs M-65. For what it is, an initial entry into the luxury watch market, it is great. It would be an excellent first up-scale watch for a young man, and a great watch for someone who enjoys the dramatic appearance.

This watch is the right tool set for me; HH:MM:SS and date, a second time zone, and an alarm that can be used as a timer. The 100mm water resistence is another requirement, and this makes that gate. The 5T82 movement is a little large at 40mm w/o the crown, 44mm w/, and 10mm thick, and not quite as easy to use as the earlier and now discontinued Seiko SEL series with the 5T52, but I like it. Especially useful is the second time zone, as the bezel has markings to indicate the second time zone, and you can change it with the buttons. Unlike the earlier movement you have to take the watch off to use the alarm/timer, and it has to be reset for each use, but it is not that difficult to use. Yeah, the face is a little busy, but until Seiko has the wisdom to re-release the 5T52 movement or comes up with one that is as easy to use, this will definitely do.

The only mechanical that comes close is the Panerai PAM 98 with the second time zone and an alarm, but that remains out of my reach for the foreseeable future. And given the price of that fine timepiece, I wouldn’t wear it for travel in more interesting (and less safe) parts of the world. The Seiko is only a quartz, but does what I need it to, especially when traveling.

Louis at www.Watches88.com was great. Very responsive, answered questions quickly, had good prices, shipped promptly, and provided all the documentation. Thanks again, Louis!

Can we discuss a mortgage?

This is the most remarkable mechanical achievement to date. A purely mechanical digital analog, the ultimate wind-up toy. For me, this is the embodiment of all that is facinating about mechanical watches. The brilliance to conceive, the skill to build, and the creativity to take it beyond mere functionality, all powered by an out of date technology, a metal spring.

On the technical side, the line segments of the digits are pins with two colored strips on opposite sides and black strips in between, which rotate to present either a color segment or black to make the digit. A total of 23 segments rotating in a horological ballet…

I do so completely want. And for another small taste before we go…

Thanks, www.Gizmodo.com and De Grisogono!

Van

Sven van der Zande of Buscum Ducis is young entrepreneur in the best way. Taking risk, while putting forth a product and business built on idealism and the customer. Although he denies the idealism, his focus on the customer sends another message in a time when companies buy up old names for marketing purposes.

At 21, he’s been in business for a few years already, but chose to start his own watch company. He says, “I like designing and brainstorming in my spare time and I have always thought that there are only very few companies in the world that really concentrate on one concept, that is what I am going to do, I am going to design a watch with input from my customers to make this watch as perfect as it can be, with a lot of personal customer service. Which means that both buying the watch and the service afterwards is as personal as it gets. All for lower prices then your average watch with those specifications.”
Read more…

Go to Christopher Ward Watches, and see the work of a visionary. Chris Ward is an entrepreneur who returned to the watch industry, and has made a bit of a splash. His goal is to make “the cheapest most expensive watch in the world” at “the biggest ‘smallest’ watch company”.

He uses first rate Swiss movements, currently ETA 2824 automatic, ISA quartz, and Ronda quartz movements (but Valjoux may be on the horizon). Style and substance go together when these bits of quality mechanism are put inside tasteful cases with restrained dials and hands. The basic watches, in his Russell and Malvern lines are relativel small by modern standards at 38 mm, but some of the other chronographs and his dive watches are a little more typical at 42mm. The styling of the chronographs was also a pleasant surprise as it was not the customary Rolex, or Breitling homage, but a distinct designs that took a few risks without getting as gaudy as the fashion watches. The Russell line stands out as distinctive and classic, and one of the other lines was inspired by early IWC aviators’ watches, but still look good. The attention to detail comes through in the photos, and they certainly look like $500 to $1000 (U.S.) watches, but the collection averages about half that.
Read more…

Let me start by thanking John for the opportunity to contribute to WWR.

A few words about me; I’m a watch fan. I come at it as an amateur historian who appreciates the watch’s role in history (note that the affordable wristwatch made ’s list of “Top Ten Military Innovations of the XXth Century” on www.Strategypage.com), as well as being a guy with the not-uncommon fetish for small and intricate gadgets. Watches, especially mechanical watches, also appeal to me as bits of order, precision, and accuracy, in an otherwise chaotic and messy world. Finally, watches are tools, and valuable tools in every endeavor I have been involved with in my adult life. I don’t consider myself a collector as I lack the passion and intensity of a true collector, but I have a number of watches, and appreciate them.

Professionally, I’ve been in the military one way or another since 1983. Currently, I’m a reservist, and something of a professional student appart from that. In addition to watches, I’m interested in history, classical and sport fencing (saber and foil), coffee, beer, bourbon, and cooking.

Thanks again, John, for the opportunity to be part of the team!