While I’ve had a tendency to bring vintage models to your attention, today’s is a thoroughly new watch – though it does claim some impressive heritage.  The original Smiths design accompanied Sir Edmund Hillary to the top of Everest.  This modern incarnation is brought to us courtesy of Timefactors, like the Speedbird we saw yesterday.

Unlike that watch of mountain-climbing fame, this new one is powered by the Miyota 9015 movement.  Sure, that might not have the cachet of a Swiss movement, but do some research, and you’ll find that Miyota has been creating some great movements.  This particular movement is housed in a 40mm stainless steel case that rises to a thickness of 14.5mm due to the high-dome acrylic crystal.

With the screw-down caseback and crown, the Everest will stay water-tight up to 100m, and is also anti-magnetic to the tune of 4,800 A/h.  Under that tall crystal we have a simple (and very legible) black dial with white numerals; C3 SuperLuminova has been applied to the dial and the hands, making for a watch that’s simple to read in the dark.

Overall, this is a very clean watch, and there’s not much going on to clutter things up.  While I miss the date display, and am not a fan of the “Mercedes” hand (not just on this watch, but most that have it), I still find myself drawn to the simplicity of the design, and utter cleanness of the dial.

Should you find yourself floating in that same boat, you can pick up one of these watches for £225 (approximately $355).  If you prefer something with a bit more color, the Radio Room model may be more what you’re looking for.  Either way, an intriguing resurrection of a storied marque.

If you’re familiar with the Croton brand, and what they’re producing today, you probably associate the Aquamatic line with quartz divers.  You may be surprised to know that this line actually hearkens back to the 40′s – and wow, those watches were stunners.

Now before we get too far into the review, I have to give credit where credit is due – this watch line was brought to my attention by my lovely wife, much like the earlier post on the Concord.

So, what do we have with this watch?  Much like a dress watch we’ve reviewed in the past, this has very classic and clean styling.  While some of the later models have a different case and dial, I do prefer the older ones, in terms of aesthetics.  For example, I found this example over here, and it is from the late 50′s / early ’60s.   Of course, you can find several examples on the ‘bay, but they’re not as clean and/or don’t have the date display.

When Croton introduced the automatic version, they of course touted that feature, as well as the waterproofness of the watch.  At some point, they changed over from bumper automatics to full rotor, which introduced further gains in efficiency.  So, if you’re looking for one of these on the second-hand market, you may want to ask some questions (or for some pictures), of what, exactly, is powering the watch.

If you do pick one up, this is definitely going to be a smaller watch in your collection.  From what I could find, they measure in at about 32mm wide (40mm tall, so it should cover your wrist), so just bear that in mind.  You’ll probably want to have a jeweler go over it to make sure things are in working order, and to ensure there’s some measure of water-resistance still to be counted on as well.  With ones in good condition running a few hundred dollars, though, a fully serviced one should make for an affordable vintage acquisition.

First, we’re going to have a little look at the history of the watch company Glycine.  It was founded in 1914 by Eugène Meylan in Bienne, Switzerland.  In 1931, Mr. Meylan introduced an automatic wrist watch completely of his own design.  Owing to a lack of capital, this particular watch was not widely produced.  If you want to jump in on this slice of horological history, Glycine has something up their sleeves.They’ve introduced a new model, aptly named the Eugène Meylan (ref 3835).  So, what all did they cram into this particular model?  A whole lot of good stuff!

• 42mm case (12mm thick) with sapphire exhibition caseback and 22mm lugs
• 50m water resistance
• Domed sapphire crystal up front
• ETA 2895-2 automatic movement (42 hour power reserve; 28,800 BPH)

So, as far as the internals go, we have a tried and true Swiss movement beating away, and fully modern accouterments when it comes to the case design.  For me, where the watch shines is in the vintage touches.

For starters, let’s have a look at the shape of the case.  It has a chunky, yet elegant, feel to it that does call to my mind a vintage piece.  When you add in the deco typeface used for the numerals?  It just comes together superbly.  I also feel that the sub-seconds dial works to great effect, as a center-mounted seconds hand would modernize the piece a bit too much.

Should your tastes align with mine, you’ll find that the watch has several different options in the case (steel or gold plated), dial (black, cream, blue) and strap (black, blue, brown or white).  Now, for the “bad” news on this watch.  Depending on the selections, it would appear you’ll end up forking over somewhere around $2,000.

Yesterday, we started taking a look at the Orange Watch Co, based out of Australia.  If you read that post, you learn more about the company, and why I feel that they have a passion for watches that translates into a product you’d do well to consider.

At this time, OWC has a single model (with a few variants) available, the Military Submariner.  This is one of their ISO (In the Spirit Of) models, and as such, is a piece that draws inspiration from other models.  Some may use the term “homage” as a derogatory term, but to my eyes, if they’re not trying to pass it off as the original, why not have a closer look?

And of course, OWC is quite upfront about what the watch is, and what is contained within the case – no surprises there.  So, what all makes up this MilSub homage?

• 40mm 316L Stainless Steel Case; 20mm lugs
• Choice of movement:  Seagull ST-1812 or Soprod A-10
• OWC’s custom compression spring and movement ring
• 300m water resistance
• Flat sapphire crystal (AR coating on the underside)
• Screw-down crown
• Unidirectional bezel with ceramic insert (black or blue)
• Dial:  black or blue
• Hands:  sword or snowflake
• Superluminova lume
• 316L SS bracelet

As you can see, you have an good bit of choice when it comes to putting together the exact look you might desire.  All of this can be yours for the asking, for only $405 (with the Seagull) or $705 (with the Soprod).

In the end, I feel that this looks much better than any Milsub inspired piece that you’re liable to find in the mall or on the ‘bay.  The one part I’m torn on is the lack of a date display.  While that’s a small complication, I’ve grown to like it in many watches.  On the flip side, in a milsub, I really have not been a big fan of the cyclops eye on the crystal.  So, perhaps we’ll call it a wash.

If I was currently looking to add a milsub-inspired piece to my collection, OWC would definitely be one of my first stops.  A lot of that is based on the interaction that I’ve had to date with the company, and feeling I took away from those discussions.  You can also find a good bit of activity and discussion on OWC in the various forums.  As ol’ Levar Burton taught us. “Don’t just take my word for it.”

Late last year, I became aware of the Australian company Orange Watch Co, primarily due to their submariner-inspired model, which is shown in the graphic above.  And while we will take a closer look at the watch later, first I’d like to show you a little more about the company, from what I learned in some discussions with the owner, Dan.

When Dan and I began exchanging emails, it quickly became evident that he’s very passionate about his company and the industry he’s in, and is proud of the quality product that he’s able to create.

This came out in our discussion on the movements that he’s decided to use.  He’s made a conscious decision to not use any ETA movements.  This is because of the decision that those movements will not be sold to anyone outside of the Swatch group.  What this means is that none of the smaller (or micro) manufacturers (such as OWC) can obtain a truly legal ETA movement.

So, what does OWC use instead?  Basically, you can get one of two movements in your watch.  If you truly want a Swiss movement ticking away, you can opt for the Soprod A-10.  Or, if you would prefer to get the most “bang for your buck”, you can opt for the Seagull ST1812 movement.  If you want to know in detail how these stack up, OWC has a comparison here.  Of note, OWC feels that the 1812 matches up to the 2892-A2 (practically a clone), and that the Soprod is an even better movement.

This is the basis of where OWC comes from.  They’re quite open about what they’re using (no shell and game tactics to arrive at a “Swiss” watch), and up front about what they’re making.  That’s even evident in the name of the watch lines – ISO, which stands for “In the Spirit Of”.  In other words, they’re telling you that this is their interpretation of another successful model.

This passion and honesty, for me, makes for a very appealing basis for any watch coming out of their doors.  Tomorrow, we’ll take a closer look at their current ISO model, the Military Submariner.

Talk about some nice alignment of coincidences – yesterday I brought up our review (parts 1 and 2) of the Ocean7 sapphire-bezeled LM-5, and then I run across an upcoming Lum-Tec model that features a lumed sapphire bezel as well, the 300-M series.  Read on for some thoughts on the new model, as well as a great lume shot.

The last time I looked at a Lum-Tec model, I noted that they are well known for how well their watches glow (they actually have an 8-layer application process; 6 of which are the lume).  This new model looks to follow along that path, this time using another great combination, blue and green.

So, once the lights go down, you’ve got quite the light show going there on your wrist.  If it was strapped on, you’d also be carrying a watch the featured the following:

• 40mm 316L stainless steel case (titanium PVD coating shown in the pictures here)
• 22mm lug width
• Uni-directional 60-click bezel
• 21,600 BPH Sii NH35 automatic movement (hacking/handwinding)
• Screw down crown
• 300m water resistance

So, you can see this is a nice bit of hardware.  You may give pause to see that Sii movement in there, instead of one of the more familiar names.  From what I’ve been able to find online, it should be a reliable and lasting movement – so no demerits from me.  I do like that the bezel is unidirectional; the nit-picky side of me wishes it was 120-click.

If you do pre-order one of the watches (requires a 35% deposit; pricing starts at $743; goes up to $786), you’ll save 15%, and get to make your choice of case size (40mm w/ 22mm lugs or 45mm with 24mm lugs) and finish (stainless or PVD).  Regardless of that choice, you’ll get it with a rubber strap and a stainless steel bracelet (with diver’s extension).

I’m quite happy to see more models jumping into the pool that feature the lumed sapphire bezel – it adds an additional bit of polish (and usefulness) to what may otherwise be an ignored (and underused) function on a watch.

I was quite intrigued when I came across news of a new model from the folks at Ocean7.  It seems they’ve brought forth a new Pilot Chronograph, and it’s offering quite a great bang for your buck.

As you can see by the picture at the top of the post, they’ve certainly nailed the styling.  Whereas the black and beige combination has become a bit more commonplace in aviator watches (I still find it quite nice), they’re offering a welcome change of pace here, swapping in orange for the brown. I’m also very pleased to see that the date wheel features a black background (with orange numerals).  Keeps things blended, yet still readable.

So, it’s obvious I like the way this watch looks.  What’s going on, in terms of the specs on the watch?

• 44mm sandblasted and DLC-coated case (15mm thick)
• Swiss ETA 7750 Chronograph movement
• Domed sapphire crystal
• 50m water resistance
• 22mm lugs
• Orange superluminova

With this, it comes standard with a polyurethane strap.  This, of course, can be upgraded to either a leather strap (+$30) or the carbon-fiber style leather strap (+$45) (you can see this strap in our earlier Ocean7 review).

But, I get ahead of myself here, talking upgrades when I haven’t told you the base price.  That is a surprisingly affordable $799.  I label this affordable simply due to everything that Ocean7 includes in the watch.  With the movement and the DLC coating, you’d be looking at prices well over $1000 from many other manufacturers – and it doesn’t appear that they’ve cut corners..  If this watch is up to the standards I experienced with the LM-5, you won’t be sorry picking this one up.

As you may or may not be aware, the Concorde airplane made it’s first flight all the way back in 1969, and was an amazing piece of technology.  The Concord Watch company,  on the other hand, traces their roots all the way back to 1908.  More specifically, though, a model released in 1969 was brought to my attention by my lovely wife.

While today Concord markets itself as an upscale luxury watch company, today’s vintage example is decidedly more affordable – the particular example my wife found has an asking price of $325.  Whether or not this is a fair price, I can’t say, as I’ve been unable to unearth any similar examples for sale.

So, the price is what it is.  If you were to pick up a new watch today, at that price point, you’d be hard-pressed to find similar specs.  The Concord Automatic 17J features the following:

• ETA 2066 automatic movement with sweeping seconds (21,600 BPH; 46 hour power reserve)
• Swiss-made
• Quickset day/date
• Luminous indices and hands
• 40mm case

That last facet really jumped out at me  - a 40mm case from this time period really doesn’t seem to be all that common, and is more in line with current tastes.  For me, this watch is a nice middle ground – definitely vintage in style, it’s not so “old” looking that it would look out of place today.

I really enjoy the fact that the day display has the same blue as the dial, as it helps it to blend in.  And, surprise surprise, this is actually one watch I feel a white date wheel would’ve looked better.  I can see why they chose black (corresponds to the other raised indices), but white would brought a nicer blend.

To be sure, this is not (from what I can find, at least) a common brand or watch.  However, it offers a very attractive entry point for a vintage collector, and presents a style that works well today.  If anything, I’d change out the band.  The aftermarket leather (again, on this particular example) really doesn’t do it for me.  Of course, at the price it’s at, an additional strap would be an easy and affordable upgrade.

A say what, now?  Blame that post title on a mental trick I’ve fallen into the habit of – whenever I see an abbreviation, I try to figure out what it may mean (I think mostly due to seeing many vanity license plates).  Today’s model is from Seiko, and is the SNZG17 (SNZG = sneezing).  Ok, now that my quirk is out of the way, let’s have a look at the watch.

What we have here, in broad terms, is another member of the Seiko 5 family.  Sure, some folks might be turned off by that moniker, but frankly, this is another solid watch, powered by the 7S36 automatic movement.

It appears that the 40mm case (and stainless bracelet) was offered in two finishes – plain stainless, and a TiCn coating, that makes it more of a dark gunmetal color (and is what is shown here).  This is paired up with a grey dial, grey lume on the hands, and (finally!) a black background on the day/date wheels.

We also have some lume on the dial, on the indices, and the numerals.  Frankly, you probably only needed one or the other, but it’s ok in my books, as you can still read the time quite well.  From what I’ve found online, it seems this is generously application of lume as well, as it can last overnight easily.

Rounding things out we’ve got mineral crystals (front and back), and 100m water resistance.  It seems that this watch isn’t so widely available now, but I found a couple of resellers offering it, ranging from $145 to $150; prices may be a bit less if you can find it in the secondary market.  Regardless of where it comes from, this is another good looking and reliable option from the folks at Seiko.

It’s been awhile since we took a look at a watch from Archimede, but another one caught my eye, and here we are.  The model we’re looking at today is the Outdoor model.  What initially caught my eye was the clean styling of the watch.  It almost has a modernized vintage feel, if you ask me.

Archimede definitely is targeting this watch for those intending to be active outside – but if you ask me, the size and styling will make it a very versatile piece.  It measures in at 38.5mm wide and only 10.5mm thick; add to that a weight of 70g (with the leather strap) or 120g (with bracelet), and this is a watch that won’t weight you down.

So, what are the outdoor-specific features?  The bracelet features an integrated extension for fitting over a sleeve; the leather strap has an optional extension that can be added as well.  It’s also water resistant to 200m (with a screw-down crown) and features what looks to be good lume.

The piece itself features a Sellita SW200 automatic movement (Swiss made), a solid screw down case back on the stainless steel case, and a sapphire crystal up front.

So, how much with this piece of kit set you back?  If you opt for the leather strap, it will be $675; the stainless bracelet ups the ticket price to $745.  Oh, and if you want the extension for the leather strap, it will add another $30.

Should this watch enter your collection, I feel it will serve you well in a variety of situations, not just the outdoors.