Got a chance to fondle the Linde Werdelin Biformeter and I have a much better idea of what’s up now. Essentially, this is a really fancy watch with a strange attachment that covers the mechanical part and adds a number of digital functions.
The wristwatch itself costs about $4,000 for a steel model and the digital device costs $1,800. They snap together like Voltron to form the super ninja Biformeter.
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Writing about the Omega Speedmaster Reduced 3510.50.00 is like trying to write about a classic muscle car. Words fail you and you fall back on cliche – classic, understated, collectable, impressive. It’s because of this that I took so long to start writing about my own Reduced – or Automatic, if you will – and why it’s one of the most important timepieces in horology.
The Speedmaster Professional is the moon watch, the one work by Buzz Aldrin on the first moon walk. The Speedmaster Reduced Automatic is the post-moon watch. It is a beautiful reduction of everything we love about the Pro with none of the manual winding hassle. With a stark black face and beautiful white baton hands, the Reduced allows you to own a piece of history while making the leap into a new era.
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Kiber just launched a new chrono, the 6040/1030. Nice movement and looks at an affordable price.
Kiber introduces a new model in a great summer look! This latest Kiber model has an ETA Valjoux 7750 automatic chronograph movement. Other great brands use this movement but only Kiber brings it for only €. 695,00. The unique light yellow dial makes the watch look fresh and big.
Product Page [Kiber]
Is it just me or are blocky serif fonts on watchfaces a little off-putting? When the serif font is thin and spindly, I think it really works well.
That said, I’m sure the movement in this new JLC beast is amazing, but the face I could probably do without. What think ye?
Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Grand Réveil Fantasy [Velociphile]
We’ve been following these guys since they were pretty gimpy, and they’ve only improved this year. All of these are ETA auto movements with some incredible styling. Check out the Nightvision.
A fellow over at the Big Watch Forum purchased the following watches, just for kicks, because he’s getting older and does things in fours now:
Panerai PAM 194 AKA Subzilla 2500
HUBLOT BIG BANG
MANOMETRO
Panerai RADIOMIR 190
More power to him.
My latest acquisitions. I do it in 4 because Im older and my time to wait is shot. [BigWatchForum]
This is not your mom’s Seiko. This thing is a Spring Drive Seiko with hourly Japanese chime. It’s completely hand-made and hand-assembled and costs, well, lots.
As befits a watch of such intricacy and sophistication, the strike hammer is visible through the dual surface curved sapphire crystal. The case itself is crafted from 18-karat pink gold, which not only reflects the value of the movement but assists the purity of the sound of the chime. On the mainspring barrel of the bell mechanism, a cutout Japanese bellflower (Kikyo flower in Japanese) drifts down on a river, symbolizing the continuous flow of time. The Japanese bellflower is chosen because it is the flower of the city where the Micro Artist Studio is located.
Amazing.
The Credor Spring Drive Sonnerie Pure Sound, Pure Motion, Pure Perfection [TimeZone]
This looks like the aborted mating of a Big Bang and a Audemars Piaget T3. The horror! Apparently, Zenith used to be classy.
Basel 2006 [Fratellowatches.com]
Ernie at WatchUSeek is selling these things for about $205. I’m thinking of picking one up. The top crown locks down to hide the bezel adjustment and the style, reminiscent of the canteen divers of yore, is pretty hot.
First, I have to say that this watch is much nicer-looking than I ever expected it to be and seems very solidly built. The case is large, thick, and heavy and is finished very nicely with the top surfaces having a brushed finish with the sides and back being mirror polished. I mean mirror polished too! You could shave looking into the shine of this watch
Product Page [WatchUSeek]
An Affordable Diver [WatchUseek Watch Forums]
The Purist Ninjas rock out with some R.W. Smith hotness. Look at the work on that baby.
Having taken several forms since its creation, Roger decided to use the co-axial’s original form and adapt it to suit the Series 2′s concept. This version uses two escape wheels fixed to an arbor (co-axial), with a standard pinion, as opposed to the later “extra flat” version that is found in later Daniels watches and as adopted by Omega. This “extra flat” version uses an extra wheel in the going train that engages a multi-purpose pinion/impulse wheel which sits co-axially on an arbor with the other escape wheel. The proportions of the original co-axial form have been modified by Smith to suit his requirements and the movement tailored as such. That coupled with its lower oscillating frequency (2.5 Hz) should produce a very stable rate.
R.W. Smith Series 2
Like the Formula 1 cars Volvo regularly races, this watch has very little to do with the entire Tag Heuer line. However, it is very cool. It has 1/10, 1/100, and 1/1000 of a second registers and is completely mechanicl. Power reserve and an unmentional price tag round out the impressive package.
Tag Heuer Monaco Calibre 360 LS Concept Watch at BaselWorld 2006
FratelloWatches.com found a very cool Laco 46mm Diver with an ETA movement. The crown is at 12 o’clock for comfort.
Laco Navy watches [FratelloWatches]
It is rare to find a U.S. watchmaker who cares as much about his products as David McReady of D.Freemont watches. In a market full of cheap quartz and high profits, McCready is what is known in the business as a “nice guy” and a “shrewd businessman.”
The latest piece in his collection, the D.Freemont Sapphire Power Reserve Diver, caught my eye immediately. Strangely enough, it’s not a beefy diver nor does it look like it belongs on the dashboard of a semi. Instead, it is a staid, clever piece using a high-quality 2892 ETA movement and two excellent complications rouded out by a strong aesthetic that harkens from another, simpler era.
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Something old, something new. Something borrowed, something made of high tech materials. Patek is currently using some amazing materials in their movements. Sure, it’s not “fancy” but it will definitely save on repairs down the line.
It was about one year ago that Patek Philippe introduced their new calibre with a high tech silicon escape wheel. The idea behind the new escape wheel was to eliminate the need for oiling the pallet stones, a long standing scourge of the lever escapement. This year Patek has attacked another area of the watch escapement with yet another development from their Advanced Research department. The hair-spring, or “spiral” in French, has presented its own set of challenges from the beginning.
Patek Philippe Spiromax [TimeZone]
