Category: News

Casio has been going all out with the Tiffany-like turquoise blue dials lately, and the newest model to feature this color is the Edifice EFR-S108D-2BV. Following the regularly sold out MTP-1302PD-2A2V which was modeled after the Rolex Datejust, the EFR-S108D-2BV is another three-hand analog model with a date display and offers a new style with […]

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William Wood continue to find new and interesting ways to explore the niche concept of firefighting wristwatches with the launch of the new Fire Extinguisher. The two watches in the collection are designed as a pair, with one representing the raging fire and the other representing the foamy aftermath of a fire extinguisher’s use. Fittingly, the former watch is called Fire and the second is Extinguisher, coming together like Voltron to create the Fire Extinguisher collection.

Despite having very different dials, the overall structure of both watches is the same. They both have 41mm diameter cases made from robust stainless steel based on the William Wood Valiant dive watch. They have 100m water resistance and sport unidirectional rotating dive bezels. It’s somewhat ironic that watches dedicated to firefighting are dive watches but I suppose with hoses all over the place, getting wet is an occupational hazard – although by no means the most significant occupational hazard.

What makes this collection special are the twin dials. Fire has a layered metallic shimmer dial with a flame motif over a horizontally brushed orange base, paired with orange hour markers and a seconds hand equipped with a fire hazard counterweight. Extinguisher then has a white dial with a foamy, cloud motif featuring cut-out indexes giving a layered appearance. It also features a seconds hand shaped like the nozzle of an extinguisher.

For William Wood they’re pretty out there and daring designs, which I think is something to be celebrated. They’re bright, vibrant and fun while raising awareness for important safety issues – namely, fire bad, extinguisher good. The same can be said of the casebacks which are solid steel and decorated with depictions of the corresponding safety signs.

Housed inside is the Japanese NH35 automatic from Seiko, a well-known and respected off the shelf movement. It has a solid 41-hour power reserve and accuracy of -20/+40 seconds per day. As always, one of the great benefits of movements like the NH35 is that they’re accessible and easy to have repaired since they’re so common.

In terms of accessibility, both the Fire and Extinguisher are priced at £995. Alternatively, for a limited period you can order the early-bird box-set consisting of both watches, a travel roll, and an additional steel bracelet as an alternative for the recycled hose bands. It’s nice to see William Wood expanding their design language beyond the fairly limited scope of vintage fire trucks and I really did not expect something so daring as the Fire Extinguisher.

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When it comes to French watch brands, two of the names that immediately come to mind are Yema and Baltic, which feels appropriate because both brands are on an absolute tear at the moment. Accessible French fine watchmaking has never been as exciting as right now. Baltic are doing things you’d never expect of such a small brand like releasing 1-of-1 perpetual calendars while Yema have just launched a stunning French tourbillon. Specifically, they’ve launched the Yema Yachtingraf Tourbillon Mareograph 75th Anniversary Limited Edition.

As the name of the watch indicates, the Yachtingraf has an aquatic theme while not being a dive watch. It’s a watch comfortable on or around boats but not actually in the water – although with 100m water resistance it should at least survive if you accidently take a spill and get out immediately. In some regards its similar to how the Rolex Yacht-Master isn’t really a dive watch either.

Where the aquatic aspect of the watch comes into its own is the Mareograph located at 12 o’clock, also known as the whirlpool complication tideograph. It’s essentially a lunar complication akin to a moonphase except that it translates that information into a display that shows the daily cycle of the tides. Particularly useful for sailors or those who want to know whether to bring flipflops or waders to the beach. The indicator also looks fabulous with the red-blue subdial and porthole ring around the edge, it oozes nautical instrument vibes and I love it.

Of course, what is more likely to draw attention to this watch is what’s located at 6 o’clock on the dial, the tourbillon. It looks awesome and is made even more special by the fact that it (along with the rest of the CMM.30 movement) was designed by the French watchmaker Olivier Mory. This is a true French tourbillon designed by a Frenchman and with a large number of components produced in Yema’s manufacture in Morteau, alongside a Swiss regulator.

The specs are also pretty crazy with a 105-hour power reserve, an accuracy of -3/+7 seconds per day as well as solid anti-magnetic and shock resistance.

There’s so much going on with the mechanics of this watch that I’ve totally neglected the case and styling. It measures 42.5mm in diameter and is available in either steel or bronze, limited to 75 pieces in each material. The aesthetic of the Yachtingraf Tourbillon Mareograph 75th Anniversary, with its fairly long lugs, round shape and shiny 60-minute bezel, is clearly inspired by the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms. Although perhaps my brain is making that connection because Blancpain just released their own bronze rendition with a two-colour indicator in the form of the Act 3. Regardless, the Yema look fantastic.

On top of all that, it’s priced at €9,990 (approx. £8,650), which is great value for a specially designed tourbillon movement of such high specification. I really like this watch and it shows Yema’s commitment to improving French horology and push boundaries. Plus, it’ll make a decent splash at all those yacht-board cocktail party on the Cote d’Azur that you so regularly attend.

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Casio China announced the Chums x Baby-G BA-110XCHUMS23-7 collaboration to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the American-based outdoor products brand. It’s not known if this white limited edition watch will be released outside of China or Asia, but it really should be, as it has a nice design featuring a red-accented dial, colorful outdoor illustrations […]

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As far as we’re concerned, it’s official, Baltic are a microbrand no more. The sheer amount of hype surrounding this French brand eclipses that of many a larger, historically established brand. It’s become too ridiculous to put them in the same breath as fresh-faced micros starting out on Kickstarter and so on. As if to confirm their graduation, Baltic have launched a brand new collection called the Baltic Hermétique Tourer, a super slim tool watch. The first reference in the collection is the watch I have here on my wrist currently, the Tourer, which is available in four colours.

First impressions are that it’s really, really comfortable. It measures a very slim 37mm in diameter with a thickness of 10.8mm, 8.3mm without the double-domed sapphire crystal. Can confirm that it slips under a cuff very easily. What makes the Baltic Hermetiqué Tourer’s case stand out from Baltic’s other models is the integrated crown that blends in seamlessly with the arc of the case.

It means you never have to worry about the crown digging into your wrist and you can wear it on the left or right without any detriment to function. I lent it to the resident office lefty and they agreed it is indeed comfortable on the righthand wrist. Admittedly, its extreme thinness makes it a touch fiddly to use but once you develop the knack of it, it’s not too bad. Ultimately it means the watch is incredibly versatile and will serve virtually any function from daily beater, to robust tool watch and at a push, even dress watch.

I say that because the dial is as equally versatile as the case. It’s a relatively understated three-hand piece with syringe hour and minute hands and a lollypop seconds hand. There’s a black railway minute track around the periphery that encircles a raised central disc with a steel rim. The main disc is available in green, blue, beige and brown, the version I have here obviously being the brown.

At first I wasn’t entirely sold on the hour markers. The way they overlap the central disc and peripheral minute track adds a layer of complexity to the design that I wasn’t sure about. However, after a few days, it’s grown on me. The way the bold lines of the bar indexes intersect with the solid rim of the disc feels very architectural and almost retro-Art Deco. It’s also broken up nicely by the use of Arabic numerals and discs at 12/3/6/9.

In terms of the colour, I’m pleasantly surprised by the brown. Looking at the colours that are available, I’d instinctively reach for the green or sandy beige. But the brown is gorgeously warm in the light and when the sun isn’t shining on it directly it almost has the dark, sun-burnt look of a tropic dial akin to something like the Nivada Grenchen Super Antarctic 3/6/9.

Coincidentally, that Nivada Grenchen is probably the best comparison to the Baltic Hermetiqué Tourer full stop. They have similar case designs, similar dial layouts and similar daily beater tool watch design concepts. They also both sport off the shelf workhorse movements with the Tourer housing the Miyota 9039 automatic with 42-hour power reserve. It’s hidden behind a solid steel caseback that helps the watch maintain its 150m water resistance. The first 200 pieces in each colour will also be numbered on the caseback.

Priced at €550 (approx. £476) on rubber strap or €630 (approx. £545) on either flat link or beads of rice bracelet, it’s just as accessible as any previous Baltic. It’s a cool watch, it’s totally new for Baltic yet somehow completely within their wheelhouse. If you make a scale with the Aquascaphe on one end and the MR01 on the other, this watch is certainly on that scale. I think it will be a sleeper hit, not super hyped but well respected when you come across one.

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Longines continue to expand their popular Spirit Flyback collection of Chronograph pilot’s watches with a new titanium edition. This isn’t the first Spirit release of the year, back in June Longines introduced the Spirit Zulu 39mm references that reimagined the GMT version of the watch at a significantly smaller size. However, for the new Spirit Flyback Titanium, they’ve stuck to the larger 42mm sizing.

Since we’ve already started talking about the case, let’s continue. In terms of shape it continues to have a round design with faceted lugs and a pronounced bi-directional rotating bezel with ceramic insert. Of course, now that it’s titanium, the case has a darker grey tone compared to the brighter lustre of steel, giving the piece a more utilitarian appearance. Plus, with the change to titanium, the piece has increased scratch resistance and lightweight properties, both of which are useful in the cockpit of an airplane.

While you by no means have to be a pilot to wear the Spirit Flyback, you can tell that it has been designed with the practicalities of aviation in mind. For example, the rotating bezel features a timing scale rather than a tachymeter so that you can record specific periods of time, vital for following directions and using visual navigation. For the same reason, the chronograph itself is a flyback model – something that you should’ve gathered from the watch’s name.

A flyback chronograph means that the chrono function can be stopped, reset and restarted with a single pusher press meaning you lose no precision when beginning to time a new split. The Spirit Flyback Titanium is equipped with a central chronograph seconds hand and a 30-minute timer at 3 o’clock. Mirrored on the other side of the dial making it a bicompax display is the small seconds subdial. Both the dial and bezel are in black which compliments the darker tone of the metal.

Powering the Longines Spirit Flyback Titanium is the Calibre L791.4 with silicon balance spring. It’s a really impressive movement with COSC chronometer certified status and featuring a large 68-hour power reserve. It also looks good through the exhibition caseback with its perlage finishing.

Does this watch change the world? Certainly not. Is it nice to have a more robust version of a popular pilot’s watch? Most definitely. Admittedly it is a fair bit pricier than its steel counterparts at £5,000 on titanium bracelet or £4,700 on NATO. That’s a £650 increase, which is a lot for a steel to titanium swap. However, it’s not unexpected, with the recent boom in titanium watches and their desirability, it seems like retail prices are starting to reflect the metal’s added prestige.

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It wasn’t too long ago that a good Swiss watch was a serious investment – one presumably well worth it in terms of prestige and quality, but a good chunk of change nevertheless. That was double true of complications and, if there’s one complication that epitomised the ethos above all others, it was the tourbillon. It was the purview of the grand maisons, the heritage houses of fine watchmaking and the serious collectors that could afford them. Until, of course, independent brands with an emphasis on affordable Swiss watchmaking started making moves – brands like Horage with the Horage Tourbillon 1 and Tourbillon 2.

Horage was in an odd place when it was in the initial stirrings of producing a watch. The original aim was to use a third-party manufacturer to build its timepieces but, having exhausted its options with demands as frivolous as ‘not costing a mortgage’, it ended up going alone, a level of independence up there with the famous, auction- worthy indies that you’ll find headline at Phillips.

Of course, Horage didn’t go in blind. Founded in 2009 by entrepreneur Andi Felsl and his wife Tzuyu Huang, they cut their calibre-building teeth at THE+, the movement-maker behind the K1 calibre that provides the foundation for Bremont’s shiny new in-house calibre. It was originally designed for Horage as practical and cost-efficient, with a silicon escapement and excellent modularity. It laid the foundations for what would become Horage’s superb range of in-house movements.

The big moment however came in 2020 with the launch of the Tourbillon 1. A skeletonised watch with a funky chequer board, mosaic-inspired non-dial, it didn’t just look the part with its 6 o’clock tourbillon, but felt it, too. Everything was on show, from the mainspring (meaning you can technically see the power reserve) to the transmission. It left nothing hidden and looked great with its proverbial clothes off. Oh, and it wasn’t just a tourbillon; it was a flying tourbillon with a peripheral gear train.

Pair that with an incredibly handsome look (especially with its bright blue bridges and silver indexes and handset), it was an instant winner. It would have been so even without a particularly impressive price tag, but throw in the fact that it cost CHF 6,990 (around £6,285) at launch absolutely put Horage on the map.

Perhaps more importantly, it highlighted what a small, independent watchmaker could do given the opportunity. This wasn’t some grand, inter-group enterprise backed by billions, but the passion project for a handful of skilled Swiss watchmakers. Strip out the huge mark-ups, marketing guff and anything that doesn’t feed directly into the watch, and this is what you get.

Well, it’s been a minute since the Tourbillon 1 hit the scene and while there are certainly some good-value Swiss tourbillons out there – the Frederique Constant anniversary Manufacture Tourbillon comes to mind – there’s nothing that’s hit the nail on the head quite like Horage’s ground- breaking watch. Except, of course, for the Horage Tourbillon 2.

Frederique Constant might actually be an apt comparison here as, rather than the contemporary skeletonised take that was the Tourbillon 1, the Tourbillon 2 veers a lot more towards classical. At least, at a glance. Curvaceous, hand-drawn Arabic numerals, an open 60-second tourbillon at 6 o’clock, it all feels very familiar, right down to the grand feu enamel dial on the 41mm gold-cased, white version. In fact, there’s something downright pocket watch like about it – no bad thing.

The blue dialled version however takes a different approach, with a finish inspired by an ancient manuscript – Ireland’s Book of Durrow – which comes across like really fine alligator. Paired with sportier steel, it’s the more modern of the two. Either way, both dials showcase the kind of exceptional finish that, perhaps as much as the tourbillon, we’ve come to associate with the highest standards of classic Swiss watchmaking.

That said, the power reserve indicator on both lessens that old-school elegance a touch, but in doing so hammers home the fact that these bad boys have a five-day power reserve. That’s via one barrel, a testament to the mechanism behind the watch, the new-and-improved K-TOU calibre, and partly due to the slightly reduced frequency compared to some other movements, down from 4Hz to 3.5Hz. And because performance may say a lot, but a picture says a thousand words, the reverse of the movement is an absolute stunner, familiar in layout and overall design to fans of the Tourbillon 1.

Now, with all those improvements and more labour- intensive dials (not to mention inflation) you can be sure that the new Tourbillon 2 will be more expensive than the 2020 original. But honestly, not by much. The blue-dialled Livre de Durrow in steel starts at CHF 8,990 (around £8,000) and the Grand Feu Enamel version, again in steel, will set you back CHF 12,980 (£11,700), with precious metal versions going up from there.

Now, that price means that the Tourbillon 2 isn’t an accessible watch per se. It’s not some impulse buy you’ll pick up at your local Ernest Jones or anything like that. But in the rarefied realms of the tourbillon, it’s borderline unthinkable. Three years later and, apparently, Horage just hasn’t had enough of showing up the Swiss watch industry – and long may it continue.

More details at Horage.

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The chronograph sector of the watch industry is perhaps one of the most competitive because frankly the vast majority of brands produce one. However, there are only a handful of chronographs in history that made major breakthroughs, whether that be technological, cultural or aesthetic. Speedys, El Primeros Daytonas, Carreras and Navtimers making up the big five. Of course, originals popping up for sale are few and far between and carry a hefty price tag. Fear not, their modern successors are far easier to come upon.

When deciding which of these big five you may want, investment potential might not be the first criteria, however it’s good to know that when spending a fair wedge that the money will be readily available if you have a need to sell. With that in mind, we’re taking a look at five of the most popular chronographs and their performance over the past three years in order to discern which chronograph watch investment you should make.

Rolex Daytona 116500LN

The Rolex Daytona Ref. 116500LN demonstrates the symptoms that a lot of the most popular and hype watches are displaying at the moment. If you look at its stats from 2020 to 2023 it’s performing really strongly and it continues to sit at well over double its original retail price and offering the best chronograph watch investment. However, in the past year there has been a notable drop, now sitting at a fairly stable plateau since December.

Retail price: £10,500

Date
Opening Price (£)
Closing Price (£)
Price Change (£)
Price Change (%)

1 Year (Sept 2022 – Sept 2023)
£32,154
£26,788
– £5,366
– 16.69%

3 Years (Sept 2020 – Sept 2023)
£20,817
£26,788
+ £5,971
+ 28.68%

Omega Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch 311.30.42.30.01.006

Omega’s Speedmaster is one of the quintessential racing chronographs, originally marketed to drivers. The Ref. 311.30.42.30.01.006 is a pretty typical example with 42mm case and manual chronograph calibre. While it follows the price trends seen across the industry, the overall peaks and troughs are less severe than other models.

Retail price: £5,000

Date
Opening Price (£)
Closing Price (£)
Price Change (£)
Price Change (%)

1 Year (Sept 2022 – Sept 2023)
£5,520
£4,945
– £575
– 10.42%

3 Years (Sept 2020 – Sept 2023)
£4,015
£4,945
+ £930
+ 23.16%

Tag Heuer Carrera CBN2A1A.BA0643

Bizarrely, the Tag Heuer Carrera CBN2A1A. BA0643 has almost exactly the inverse price performance to watches like the Daytona and Speedmaster. It slumped from 2020 to 2022 but has since been on a steady incline back up, recovering and then some. It makes a lot of sense based on a number of factors such as the Carrera’s 60th anniversary bringing a lot of attention to the collection.

Retail price: £5,600

Date
Opening Price (£)
Closing Price (£)
Price Change (£)
Price Change (%)

1 Year (Sept 2022 – Sept 2023)
£3,822
£4,086
+ £264
+ 6.91%

3 Years (Sept 2020 – Sept 2023)
£3,708
£4,086
+ £378
+ 10.19%

Zenith El Primero A384 Revival Chronometer 03.A384.400/21.M384

The El Primero is a legendary calibre. It’s the first automatic chronograph announced on the market and launched in the eponymous El Primero wristwatch. The Zenith El Primero A384 Revival is an accurate recreation of that watch. Following its 2019 launch interest in the model was initially slow but has now picked up. It defies the wider chronograph price performance trend and continues rise.

Retail price: £7,900

Date
Opening Price (£)
Closing Price (£)
Price Change (£)
Price Change (%)

1 Year (Sept 2022 – Sept 2023)
£5,714
£6,040
+ £326
+ 5.71%

3 Years (Sept 2020 – Sept 2023)
£5,723
£6,040
+ £767
+ 14.55%

Breitling Navitimer 1 B01 AB0127211B1A1

Breitling have always been at the forefront of chronograph development. They’ve used their experience across their collections with the Navitimer, Superocean, Chronomat and Top Time all sporting chronograph models. In terms of price, the Navitimer 1 B01 has had a turbulent time with inconsistent ups and downs that, oddly, mean the price hasn’t changed all that much in three years despite big swings.

Retail price: £7,000

Date
Opening Price (£)
Closing Price (£)
Price Change (£)
Price Change (%)

1 Year (Sept 2022 – Sept 2023)
£5,726
£4,859
– £867
– 15.14%

3 Years (Sept 2020 – Sept 2023)
£5,193
£4,859
– £334
– 6.43%

*Statistics accurate at time of writing article using WatchAnalytics.

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Following the launch of the Prospex Landmaster Seiko have again delved into their catalogue of models that have disappeared from their modern collections to revive the Prospex ‘Navigator Timer’ from 1968. Besides having a name that seems to be eminently aware of how close it’s toeing the line towards copyright infringement of the Breitling Navitimer, the 1968 original has the distinction of being one of the first mechanical GMT watches with a rotating 24-hour scale bezel – something which has been recreated for the new Prospex ‘Navigator Timer’ Limited Edition Mechanical GMT.

Structurally, the watch has a similar case to the Prospex Turtle diver, with a tonneau shape and large curved flanks. However, that’s somewhat deceptive because the ‘Navigator Timer’ is a svelte 38.5mm in diameter compared to the larger dive watch. That size is a nod to the original vintage piece from a time when smaller watches were more popular. Interestingly, the trend for smaller watches is coming back around so it’s incredibly well timed. The case is made from stainless steel with Seiko’s super hard coating, as is that signature 24-hour scale rotating bezel.

The dial is pretty understated with grey sunburst finishing and simple bar indexes. On top of that, the 24-hour GMT hand is bright red, letting you tell the time in multiple time zones at the same time. I like it, it makes the ‘Navigator Timer’ very legible and easy to read at a glance, which is what you want from a tool watch. I think tool watch is the correct term for this watch because it’s kind of a melting pot of other watch genres. The case design feels like a diver but the complications and even the name of the watch are more traditionally associated with pilot’s watches.

Under the surface is the new Seiko Calibre 6R54, which was released earlier this year in the Glacier Limited Edition and subsequently the main collection via the Diver GMT. It’s Seiko’s first mechanical GMT to have a three-day power reserve and as such, is a fitting tribute to the historical importance of the ‘Navigator Timer’ as a mechanical GMT.

The Seiko Prospex ‘Navigator Timer’ Limited Edition Mechanical GMT is limited to 4,000 pieces at a price of £1,500, a solid mid-range in terms of Prospex price and exclusivity. At the moment, I’m riding a Seiko high. They are able to put out such a prolific slate of new releases while maintaining a high degree of originality in each design, it’s astonishing. Let’s just hope that doesn’t turn into Seiko fatigue if they start releasing too many similar watches.

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This is the most exciting watch auction announcement in a long time. Christie’s has recently revealed that they will host Part 1 of the truly one-of-a-kind The OAK Collection auction starting 26 November 2023 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. The OAK is a legendary watch collection consisting of more than 500 jaw dropping timepieces curated and owned by French businessman Patrick Getreide that Oracle Time readers are likely familiar with.

Last year it became the first ever private collection to be displayed at a major art museum at London’s Design Museum. We also interviewed Mr Patrick Getreide on how he curated this impressive collection. In some ways it will be sad to see the collection split up and sold since we’re so familiar with it. On the other hand, this is the best opportunity to procure some of the rarest and most exciting watches since the pandemic and likely well before then too. Here’s a taste of some of the lots being sold (all estimates converted to GBP at time of writing).

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