An honest watch...

A 17 Jewel Baylor Diver with AS movement

Baylor was the in-house watch brand of the US jewellery giant Zales, and sold watches from the 60s through to the demise of Zales watch business in the 90s. As with many "private label" businesses, the watches were largely manufactured by Swiss companies, badged with the Baylor label (and later logo) and sold in the US. Perhaps the most famous watch company to be associated with Baylor was Heuer, although I believe there may also have been dalliances with Squale by the looks of a recent watch on eBay. Many of the movements appear to be manufactured by AS (Anton Schild) - itself a company with enviable horological roots: AS worked with Harwood to produce the first self-winding movements (although the credit was taken by Fortis who finished the movements) and even supplied movements to Blancpain for their Fifty Fathoms watches.

The crown and bezel, showing patina

The nice thing about these watches is their honesty. There's a phrase that keeps popping up on Watch Forums - wabi sabi* - that appears to have become the standard flipper's shorthand for "worn" when they really mean "knocked around and ground into the dirt, crystal-side down". Most of my watches are, indeed, used. Heavily so. They aren't nannied or pampered, these are honest pieces that have seen long and sustained use over their lives, often showing sun-damage, faded bezels or dials and that rich patina** that only true use can give. The example here shows exactly that  - a fair degree of brassing on the case, with faded numerals on the friction bezel. I know a lot of you will be upset by the friction bezel - after all, we all know the importance of a uni-directional dive timer. But many watches from this era (and earlier) were without the ratcheted bezels we now take for granted. Plus, to be honest, they are far cheaper to manufacture.

Water resistant to 600 feet, and ticking strongly, this watch has obviously been subjected to a not insignificant degree of abuse. But, for me at least, that's what makes these things to endearing. The heavily domed plexi is far more engaging than a flat sapphire crystal, and the skin diver / man in trunks on the caseback is charmingly rendered. The dial shows some signs of ageing, but the tritium markers are in good shape, and are nicely surrounded with a bright orange marker at the cardinal points. As with many of these divers, there's a date, although no day. Unlike modern movements, there's no quickset, either. Oh, and it's a manual wind.

It's not going to win any beauty prizes, and there are more desirable models out there, but for me, this is what collecting should be about. Honesty. 

the #watchnerd

Click for full size

Click for full size

The famous Zen garden of Ryōan-ji

*literally (from Wikipedia) "...a comprehensive Japanese world view or aesthetic centered on the acceptance of transience. The aesthetic is sometimes described as one of beauty that is "imperfect, impermanent and incomplete". It is a concept derived from the Buddhist assertion of the Three marks of existence (三法印 sanbōin), specifically impermanence (無常 mujō). Characteristics of the wabi-sabi aesthetic include asymmetry, asperity (roughness or irregularity), simplicity, economy, austerity, modesty, intimacy and appreciation of the ingenuous integrity of natural objects and processes." Unfortunately, this phrase has been misappropriated by a proportion of the watch "collecting" public and is now routinely misused. For the real meaning of wabi sabi, I suggest a trip to Ryōan-ji to contemplate the matter further...

**here we go again. Patina is another misused term, largely, it seems, by the Rolex fraternity. I may be wrong, but I believe there is a significant difference between the effects of ageing (as seen on cases, bezels or crowns) and the effects of a poorly-made dial. But I'm probably wrong, as they seem to command ludicrous amounts of money for what amounts to a mistake in the manufacture.

Ulysse Nardin at Kronometry 1999

Alexander the Great tourbillon

Ulysse Nardin is a watch manufacturer steeped in history; Kronometry 1999, a modern brand that showcases the best in horology. Together, last Thursday, they presented some of the most complicated and astounding watches seen in London this year. Among them, a platinum Moonstruck, the Trilogy of Time set (below), the three-handed Classico, the remarkable Freak Diavolo and the astounding (and winner of world's longest watch name) Alexander the Great Westminster Carillon Tourbillon Minute Repeater (see closeup of the tourbillon movement opposite). The event, hosted in the London outpost of Walter Ronchetti's empire, is almost Bond villain-esque, looking like it was designed by the late Sir Ken Adam, which seems apt, when it's displaying such brands as Hublot, DeWitt, Harry Winston and, of course, Ulysse Nardin.

Classico

Nardin was incorporated in 1846 and has 165 years of history behind it, although it's probably the last 25 years or so under Rolf Schnyder's ownership that have seen some of the most innovative designs. It was these designs that were so prominently, and beautifully, displayed on Thursday night, and so charmingly shown by both Walter and the London K1999 Manager, Liam. So. To begin. A little bit about the Classico. This 40mm chronometer was announced a couple of years ago, and has applied markers in rose gold, a silverized starburst dial and a stunning blue seconds hand. Taking cues from (perhaps) Vacheron, this obviously harks back to the wristwatches of yesteryear, and contains UN's in-house automatic Calibre wound by a 22 ct gold rotor, visible through the exhibition back. This style of watch is very much in vogue at the present time, and the Classico will, I'm sure, hold it's own against many of the others in the market. 

The Trilogy of Time

Next up was the Trilogy of Time, a set of three watches that are so complicated, they come with a book and CD to explain how to use them correctly. Even setting these watches requires a great deal of thought and at least a pretty good idea of the phase of the moon! It's a good job that anyone who purchases this set is flown to Le Locle to be shown the watches by the UN staff. But to see them working, displaying the positions of the sun, moon, tides, equation of time and other celestial positions is incredible. The Astrolabium (left), Tellurium (right) and Planetarium (centre) are watches that were first conceived back in 1983. Each has its own speciality and abilities but all three are beautifully finished, with the most exquisite care taken on both the front and back of each watch. In fact, the rotors on these pieces really have to be seen to be believed (see photo below). As another example of the supreme craftsmanship of these watches, take a look at the cloisonné enamel globe on the centre dial of the Tellurium. Of the Trilogy, I think the multi-handed Astrolabium just shaves it for me, although, of course, I'd be happy to take any one of the three! 

Alexander the Great Minute Repeater

The star of the show was the Alexander the Great Westminster Carillon Tourbillon Minute Repeater in rose gold (at left). Following on from the success of the previous Ulysse Nardin repeaters (e.g. the Ghengis Khan and Circus pieces), this model shows a battle scene, involving Alexander the Great (at right, in gold, white gold and red enamel highlights). As the minute repeater is activated, each of the accompanying characters (or jaquemarts as they are known in horological / campanological circles) plays a role in striking the time. It really is quite lovely to watch and I couldn't help but smile when the tiny automatons chime the minutes quarters and hours. The tourbillon is visible through the ground black diamond dial, which can appear grey, black or anything in between, depending on the angle of view. The black diamond is, I assume, a by product from UN's incredibly successful venture into the production of synthetic diamond and diamond-like materials (check out this Royal Blue sapphire movement). Limited to fifty pieces in rose gold (as shown) and a further fifty pieces in white gold, it really is quite extraordinary. There's a closer view of the manual wind UN-78 movement below.

Freak Diavolo

However, for me, the night was special for another reason: the Freak Diavolo was also on show. I'm aware that this watch has some fervent admirers and many who just don't like it at all. I've been a convert for some time now, and this version (or is it a completely new model?) appears to be the best so far. With its ceramic bezel and crownless design, this Freak adds a flying tourbillon into the mix. The silicium escapement never ceases to amaze me, while the tourbillon adds yet another layer of complexity to this watch. I find the design to be almost industrial in nature, while winding the watch remains a very visceral experience. Not only can you watch the huge mainspring through the window in the caseback, but you can also feel the tension building. There's just one problem: the Diavolo is just short of one hundred thousand pounds, and therefore a little out of reach at the moment. 


Many thanks again to Walter, Liam and all at K1999 for the opportunity to see these pieces, and for Ulysse Nardin for allowing us to spend so much time with their Alexander the Great. K1999 can be found at 106 New Bond Street, London W1S 1DN. Further photos of the evening are available in the gallery here.


Click on any of these photos for larger images:

Alexander the Great UN-78

Tellurium rotor detail

  

A tribute to the Tributes

The JLC Grande Reverso Ultra Thin 

The Jaeger-LeCoultre Grand Reverso Ultra Thin Tribute to 1931 is a paradox. At under 30mm wide and a mere 8mm thick (or is that thin?) this modern re-edition of the classic polo watch should be too small for modern tastes. Equally, the Art Deco looks of the guilloché dial and horizintal lines on the surrounding case do not immediately mark it as a sports watch - but this is one of the first, true sports watches, designed back in 1931 by LeCoultre in response to a request to make a watch that would be protected from shocks / knocks on the polo field. The simple solution - a reversible case - also had a secondary function, providing a large surface for personal engravings or other patterns.

The history of the Reverso is long and winding. Over the past eighty years, this watch has graced the wrists of men and women, growing and shrinking in size as the decades change. Recent models have (in my opinion) pushed the boundaries of taste somewhat, taking these Art Deco lines to a slightly bloated conclusion, but this "tribute" to the original 1931 version returns the Reverso to its near-original specs (the Ultra Thin can be seen at right, ref Q2788520).

Grande Reverso Ultra Thin Tribute to 1931

Powered by the 3mm high JLC Calibre 822 (a manual wind, hand-decorated movement beating at a refined 21,600 bph) the ultra-thin Ultra Thin model has managed to reduce the case thickness of the original version by a couple of millimetres, allowing the watch to almost float above the wrist. It's a fine achievement, which has culminated in the incredibly refined Tribute model (ref Q2788570). This version relegates the JLC logo to the caseback, instead proudly displaying its Reverso credentials against a black background (at left, top).

From a personal perspective, I think I'd find it very hard to choose between the two models shown. The Tribute to 1931 would be perfect for evening wear, while the Ultra Thin, with those beautifully blued steel hands probably goes better with a business / lounge suit. Either way, it's remarkable how well the watch sits on the wrist, despite it's almost feminine dimensions - at 27.5 x 46mm, it would probably be the slimmest watch I've worn. Reversed, JLC have left an admirable amount of space for personal engraving that really cries out for an inscription (or perhaps an enamelled painting?), although I cannot think what I would have inscribed. Suggestions on a postcard the the usual address please!

#the Watchnerd

[Models shown courtesy of Time2 at Selfridges and are in the region of £5,600]

An inordinate fondness for molluscs...

Perhaps it's their multi-limbed nature, or perhaps it's just because watch brands seem keen to borrow ideas from each other, but there really does appear to be an inordinate fondness for Cephalopod molluscs...

Kenzo Nautilus

Nautili: In the beginning, there was the Dreadnought, a German-built, English-designed dive watch from Time Factors. However, there was a crypto-cephalo version produced in Germany under the name of the Kenzo Nautilus, a 500m automatic, powered by the ETA 2824-2 (shown here in the PVD version). The model was not without issue, as the Nautilus moniker had been used by Patek Philippe since 1976; even the Kenzo name was subject to some legal challenge. I'm not even sure whether this model is still available, as it's not listed as being for sale on the Kazimon 'site (the photo comes from the Magrette website). Of course, both of these watches were named  after the eponymous cephalopod: a remarkable, seldom-seen marine creature whose common name was derived from the Greek ναυτίλος, meaning 'sailor'. Ironic then that it has been applied to a dive / sport watch.  Regarding the Patek Philippe Nautilus, I don't believe I saw a new men's model this year, although there were a couple of ladies' versions at Baselworld 2011.

Octopuses: The story of octopus watches is long and rich, reflecting perhaps the fascination that we seem to have with this beautiful and intelligent creature. It covers masterpieces such as the skeletonised Kudoke KudOktopus, the overly designed Corum Classical Octopus, and the frankly frightening Andrew Vorontsov Octopus, as well as a host of tool / dive watches, such as the sub-a-like Kemmner Octopus 2,000m, the 300m WR Halios Bluering and the cheap as calamari Android Octopus, with 200m WR and dual crowns. Of these watches, the recently announced KudOktopus is possibly the most intriguing. 

The Kudoke KudOktopus

Stefan Kudoke is a young master-watchmaker, who cut his teeth at Glashutte, before working in the service departments of various well-known brands. He has since returned to his roots, deigning and building exquisitely individual pieces that explore the art of skeletonisation to the limits of what is possible. The KudOktopus is (perhaps) the pinnacle of this art: a watch that manages to convey the flexible armature of the octopus into the rigid plates of the movement to startling effect. Modelled in rose gold and rhodium and interwoven into the Unitas 6498 manual-winding movement, the skeletonised dial and back plate is visible through sapphire crystal front and back. Blued steel hands are visible, but there is no date, no running seconds or additional complication. Simply time. And the octopus, its gold head sitting proudly above the hands.

The Linde Werdelin Oktopus Tattoo

As illustrated above, there seems to be a dichotomy in the watch world between octopus watches for diving and octopus watches for admiring. Perhaps the only brand to successfully bridge the gap is Linde Werdelin, with their Oktopus Tattoo model. Based on the successful Oktopus model, the Tattoo marries horology and body art, by etching an original octopus design by award-winning Danish tattoo artist Henning Jørgense onto the case. I have seen this piece a number of times now, and each time it seems to get better. According to Linde Werdelin, "the complexity of the tattoo patterns meant it was practically impossible to realise the case design for the Tattoo watch in sketches. We had no choice but to start using 3D modelling from a very early stage for the mock-ups to see how the 2-dimensional tattoo patterns on paper would flow well on the various facets of a 3-dimensional Oktopus watch case. We painstakingly went through numerous SLA (3D-layering) prototypes and engraved countless aluminium blocks just to develop the case design." The result is a watch that combines the charm of a skeletonised or decorated dial with the tool aspects of a dive watch. A rather neat trick, I hope you'll agree. The Tattoo was limited to 82 pieces and water resistant to a rather exact 1,111m. 


I'm sure I've missed off a few - please feel free to suggest more octopus / squid or nautilus-related watches in the Comments section. 

A note: this isn't an exhaustive list of mollusc-related watches. Rather, it tries to highlight the breadth of watches available to those of a tentacular nature. For example, I haven't mentioned the Orsa Monstrum, which has a giant squid on the caseback, as it's not named after a cephalopod... 

the #watchnerd

Baselworld 2011 through a telescope, Pt 2: Mortitz Grossmann

Moritz Grossmann's Benu model @ Baselworld 2011

The Bennu bird is an ancient Egyptian version of the phoenix, and was said to be the soul of the Sun-God Ra. It burnt furiously in a fire, and each time was recreated as another Bennu bird; because the Bennu represented creation and renewal, it was often connected with the Egyptian calendar, and, according to some, the Temple of the Bennu was therefore well known for its time-keeping devices. All of this does not quite explain why a historically significant German brand has been resurrected as Moritz Grossmann, nor exactly why their first, rather elegant, watch should be called the Benu, but it does lend a rather nice touch to the launch.

The dial on the Moritz Grossmann Benu

According to Grossman, "Benu, as it is spelled in German, is the name of the first watch from the new Grossmann Uhren manufacture where the spirit of Moritz Grossmann is kept alive. In the Saxon town of Glashütte, this ingenious watchmaker (1826 to 1885) crafted numerous pocket watches, various chronometers, and a few precision pendulum clocks that today are coveted collectors’ items seen at international auctions. Now, 125 years after the death of this eminent German master of superior watchmaking, watches that bear his name are once again available."

The almost violet hands

Perhaps taking some inspiration from pocket watches, as well other German manufactures such as H Moser et Cie, the Benu really is a thing of beauty: the watch is elegant, classic, understated, modern. The steel hands are carefully shaped and have been treated to produce a bluing that is actually violet-brown, depending on the light (see photograph opposite). I'm not quite sure how to describe these - poires / feuilles / scoties? Whatever the exact shape, the hands seem to perfectly offset the solid silver dial and arabic numerals, all ringed by the soft glow of the three-part, rose-gold case which measures 41mm x 11mm and is WR to 30 metres. The MSRP is 16,800 Euros and the Benu will be limited to 100 pieces. There are myriad details here that intrigue and delight: the subtle, conical crown; the deeply indented sub-dial at six, showing the running seconds; the finely printed minute (or rather sub-second) track; and the thick, anti-reflective sapphire glass with its slight camber and chamfer to allow for precision reading.

The Grossmann micrometer screw

And all of this before we even get to the manufacture movement, containing 188 parts,  that sits behind it. Quoting Grossman again: "The construction of the calibre 100.0 movement that the Benu reveals within the transparent back not only addresses all of its functional aspects, but is also a feast for the eyes of any watch connoisseur. The 2/3 plate made of German silver – a hallmark of Glashütte pocket chronometers – replaces a number of bridges for enhanced stability. The Grossmann plate has two typical features: the straight-cut edges and the generous circular segment cutout that showcases the classic screw balance in its entirety." The movement is highly decorated, with polished elements, graining and even snailing. The movement beats at a refined 18,000 semi-oscillations per hour, which is equivalent to the traditional frequency of 2.5 hertz. Interestingly, the Benu features an adjusting mechanism / regulator that I have not seen before. According to Grossman, this allows the watch to be regulated precisely without disturbing the equilibrium of the oscillation system. This "Grossmann micrometer screw" therefore enables accurate, tension-free adjustments in both directions. 

If I sound like I am waxing lyrical about this watch - it's because I am. I love it. 


the #watchnerd

Baselworld 2011 through a telescope, Pt 1

Baselworld 2011 is probably the industry's largest annual shindig, home to hundreds of brands, all showcasing their brand new models. It happens each March, at about the same time, in Basel, which is why I'm sat here in Finland (or Lapland, to be exact) instead of in a hotel room on the outskirts of Basel. This gives me the opportunity to sit back, and let Baselworld wash over me, like a warming wave of horological goodness. Or not. I guess that depends on what comes up. In this, the first part of a series, I'll be looking at two of the biggest announcements from day one - the TAG Heuer Concept Mikrotimer 1000 and the new Rolex Explorer II. 

The TAG Heuer Mikrotimer Flying 1000

Now, the first of these is an incredible piece. Just a concept at the moment, TAG Heuer has built on the wonderful Carrera Mikrograph of last year, which boasted an incredible 1/100th mechanical chronograph, and leapt straight up that logarithmic scale to produce the truly phenomenal Mikrotimer Flying 1000, capable of measuring 1/1,000th of a second. It does this by beating a furious 3.6m times an hour - or approximately 125 times faster than a Valjoux 7750. Rather than trying to explain how this marvel operates, I'll instead link straight to the Calibre 11 website, uber-watchnerd and Heuer-expert par excellence, to explain things. Suffice it to say, this is an incredible piece. Truly amazing, and demonstrates TAG Heuer's determination to push the boundaries of what is possible in a mechanical timepiece. This is what Baselworld is all about - a new, totally stunning, original take on time. 

A classic orange-hand Explorer, by 小丹尼 

And so to Rolex, who have shown at least five new models at Basel. I've chosen the New Explorer II (Rolex's capitals). Returning to the orange arrow-shaped GMT hand of the 1971 version, this is the Rolex for which aficionados and fans have been clamouring: iconic, daring, but understated, the original '71 Explorer is a true classic. The photo on the left is by  小丹尼 (Denny_Jr) and is used with permission. It shows the stand-out orange GMT hand on a black dial, subtle Rolex branding and that rather odd font they used for the date. Oh, and of course, a cyclops. For me, this is one of the few Rolexes that I would actually like to own; it seems to sum up all that is good about classic Rolexes. 

The New Explorer II

The new model  takes the the "current" Explorer II, exposes it to the now de riguer  jumbo-fication with which Rolex seems so enamoured, and beefs it up to 42mm. In doing so, the boys and girls at Rolex appear to have increased the flair on the lugs, widening them significantly, and lending them the same, heavy shouldered look that was so evident in the supersized Explorer from last year. It now looks squatter than ever, as if it's carrying too much weight and has spilled out over the top of its impeccably-tailored hiking trousers. For me, the orange hand looks similarly mismatched; a sore thumb against a polar white background. The black-dialled version (which is strangely missing in the official Rolex press pack) looks slightly better. But only just... The New model does, of course, have a new movement, the calibre 3187, which includes probably one of, if not the, best quick-setting GMT mechanisms on the planet, so it's not all bad (I also like the time-setting pushers on the Ulysse Nardin, but that's another story). 

For me, at least (and I am definitely in the minority on this based on Twitter comments received so far), this is lazy design. There is nothing ground-breaking about this (or any other of the models Rolex has released). They are updates to the existing range, but no more than that. I'm sure there will be a great number of very, very happy customers for this watch, but for me, this was yet another year in which Rolex failed to impress, yet alone surprise. 

Of course, I'm probably wrong. I usually am...

The #watchnerd

A Very Canadian Dive Watch

Made for a 2009 Canadian Military contract, the Marathon “Maple Leaf” GSAR is a relatively rare version of the Government-issued Search and Rescue watch (hence GSAR) with a red appliqué Maple Leaf on the dial. 

At a shade under 100g and approximately 46mm across, this watch is not unimpressive; it sports the 'workhouse' (but still highly respected) ETA 2824-A2 movement, which is ideally suited to the the lifestyles of the intended wearers. The milled stainless steel case is substantial, topped with a thick sapphire crystal and has a large, prominent  deeply knurled but highly comforting crown. It winds precisely, with none of the looseness that has been seen in certain recent boutique models. Water resistance to 30 ATM is well beyond the now de riguer 200m. The caseback is engraved with the following information, confirming its diving credentials (ISO 6425) and issue numbers.

WATCH, WRIST : DIVE 30ATM 

MONTRE DE PLONGEE: 30ATM 

ISO 6425 

6645-21-558-0133 

WW 194006 

38776 

W8482-4500732033 

NOV 2009 

SER: XXXXXX

The dial is precise (see the crops below) and littered with highly visible markers which utilize self-luminous tritium vial technology - 26 millicuries of it or thereabouts. I'm not sure why this information is included on watches without a far more useful estimation of the actual dose of radiation that could be expected from such an amount - but that's probably just my inner chemist speaking. The GSAR's hands stand out well, and sit proudly above the dial (the watch is almost 14mm tall).

The 120 click bezel is firm and chunkily styled - in keeping with its nature - and moves easily. I tried using it in gloves and had no bother setting the time precisely. I'm sure Canadian government agencies use neoprene rather my woollen mittens, but I gave up wearing those a while ago - in my experience, it encourages divers to touch corals which are easily damaged.

All in all, this is an impressive watch, in styling and in substance. At approximately $795 on rubber (if you can find one - it only appears to be available in the US), it represents decent value for money - it's uncommon, solid and practical. A pragmatic choice.

More photos can be found here.