Category: News

The Seiko Alpinist is a perfect example of the quintessential qualities of a tool watch: versatile, durable, well proportioned and stylish. When I say versatile, I mean that both in terms of it can go anywhere and do anything, but also that there are a variety of models and styles available such as the “Rock Face” limited edition and the 1957 Re-Interpretation. However, one slight draw back to the Alpinist is that it’s only available in time and date versions, lacking any additional functions or utility. That is, until now and the launch of the Seiko Alpinist GMT SPB377J1 and SPB379J1.

As you are likely able to infer, the Seiko Prospex Alpinist GMT introduces a GMT complication to the model allowing you to track two time zones at the same time. It’s the archetypal travel function, enabling you to display home time on the bezel-mounted 24-hour scale and local time with the regular time display. It makes a lot of sense for the Alpinist since it’s designed to take on mountains and adventures, both of which will often take you to foreign shores.

Alternatively, if you’re stuck in the office a GMT helps keep track of that important phone call you have scheduled with a client on the other side of the world, although that’s slightly less glamourous.

In terms of specs and structure, the Prospex Alpinist GMT remains as robust as ever. It measures 39.5mm in diameter in stainless steel with 200m water resistance and 4,800 A/m magnetic field resistance. Large enough to be easily legible, small enough that you won’t constantly knock it on your equipment and capable of withstanding the vast majority of environments you can expect to encounter. Naturally there is a difference to previous models in that the bezel now bears a 24-hour scale.

Looking at the dial, this is where the SPB377J1 and SPB379J1 diverge, the former having a sunray blue dial while the latter is black. Despite the differences in colour, both feature white markings, red GMT-hands and matching compass markings around the periphery. The compass markings relate to the fact that a wristwatch can be used to calculate bearings when used in conjunction with the sun, which you can learn how to do here.

Under the surface is the 6R54 automatic GMT movement, which has a 72-hour power reserve. That’s actually a slightly higher power reserve than the non-GMT edition Alpinists, impressive considering that typically adding a complication means there’s more mechanisms drawing on the power and so the reserve is usually lower. Although the higher specs and additional functions are reflected in the Prospex Alpinist GMT SPB377J1 and SPB379J1’s prices. Both are £990, about £300 higher than time and date editions. It’s a solid addition to the range that makes technical and thematic sense.

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What is there to say about a new Grand Seiko? Unless it’s something from the Evolution 9 series or something mechanically mind-boggling like last year’s syncopated Kodo, you already know what you’re getting. You know it’ll be elegant and relatively pared-back, with some gorgeous dial inspired by nature. It’s a template they’ve wheeled out time and again and one that, rather than getting tired, consistently shows a level of obsession with the subject that only comes from working in an isolated studio far from the world. When all you have nearby is forest, you can probably get a lot out of it.

Case in point, the new Grand Seiko ‘Yuka Momiji’ SBGJ273. As with a lot of seasonal Japanese words, the translation here is very specific. Momiji is the word given to maple leaves that have turned red during autumn, the exact, gorgeously bright colour you’re probably picturing right now. It’s that colour which is the focal point of the dial here – but that’s not all. The whole name means ‘floor maple’ and has an entirely different connotation, meaning the autumnal leaves that are reflected on the lacquered wooden floors of Japanese homes and temples. If you want to see an example then check out the Rurikō-in temple in Kyoto. It’s breathtaking and, like I said, it’s very, very specific.

It’s that specificity which makes perfect sense on the dial. Aside from the gorgeous red lacquer, an overt nod to the colours of a Japanese autumn, the grooves in the dial imitate the traditional floorboards turned red by the leaves. To my mind, it also has something of tree trunks lined up in a forest, but however you look at it, it’s bloody gorgeous. I’m not going to say it’s my favourite Grand Seiko dial to date – that’s not something I’m ever going to put down in writing. But it’s close.

In some ways it’s actually a lot more subtle than other finishes. Without direct light, it looks like a uniform burgundy colour, nothing too exciting there. I love burgundy (both wine and colour) as much as the next inebriated watch lover, but when it hits the light, the Yuka Momiji is something else entirely. Even our photos don’t really do it justice.

That said, at its base line, it is just a red version of February’s Yuki Gesho, which went with a fittingly wintery theme, with snow reflected in the floor boards. I just wanted to point out that the Yuka Momiji wasn’t the first; don’t let that detract from how lovely it is.

So yes, yes, pretty dial, but is the Grand Seiko Yuka Momiji anything other than face value? Well of course dear reader, this is Grand Seiko. The indexes are the kind of flawless Zaratsu polishing you normally only expect from master craftsmen in anime, albeit typical for the watchmaker. Even the golden GMT hand, a nice second nod to autumnal colours, is flawlessly crisp.

My only issue is on the wrist, and it’s a small one. At 39.5mm of stainless steel it’s a great size, but it’s actually a lot thicker than I was expecting at 14.1mm. Part of that’s the retro box crystal, but the case itself just feels chunkier than it needs to be. For something that’s ostensibly a dress watch, it comes a little too far off the wrist for my liking. So, I guess I’ll just need to stick to wearing it during the day.

Inside you have the most recent version of a Grand Seiko stalwart, the calibre 9S86. A hi-beat movement that oscillates 36,000 times an hour, it’s one of the most accurate movements out there – without treading into independently made, haute horology territory. Even then, it’s competitive. Grand Seiko’s hybrid Spring Drive might be more iconic, but for my money, the 9S86 is hard to (hi) beat, especially with a 55-hour power reserve.

The Grand Seiko Yuka Moniji is only available on a pretty classic bracelet. It’s well-made for sure, an ode to Grand Seiko’s whole ‘craftsmanship is in the details’ vibe, but I’d love to see this on a strap in a red to match the dial. It might be a bit much for some, but given it works on my favourite Reverso, I imagine it would kill here.

Now, price. The Yuki Gesho was priced at £6,400 for what is, essentially, the same watch. The Yuka Momiji is £6,600 and I think we can all agree that the extra £200 is money well spent. The whole watch is richer and more evocative than its white predecessor, the perfect partner for autumn. Or for a trip to Kyoto to see its inspiration.

For both watches though, that’s a solid price. Grand Seiko have been suffering a little from price creep as they tackle increasingly ornate finishes and more silhouettes and complications; six-and-a-half grand feels like the right level of accessibility for them, GMT and all. If I weren’t busy paying for a wedding, it would be a tempting prospect. Doubly so if I stop to think how many of these I could have bought for the same price.

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If you’re up to date with the latest news from Swatch then you may have noticed that we didn’t cover the announcement of the most recent edition of the MoonSwatch, the Mission to Moonshine Gold Neptune. The reason for that is, frankly, we’re tired of Swatch releasing the same watch again and again with the only novelty being a tweak to the seconds hand. Now though, the flutters of something big on the horizon are starting to filter through to social media grapevine. A brand new Swatch collaboration is on the way, possibly with Blancpain Fifty Fathoms. Here’s what we know so far.

The biggest piece of evidence that has come to light so far is an advert seen in the German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. It shows the Swatch logo at the bottom of a swimming pool in the same format as the MoonSwatch logo except for a few notable distinctions. For one, the Omega logo is absent and in its place is a blank slot ready for a new brand.

Secondly, the outline is different. Instead of the zigzags that are based on the silhouette the Speedmaster’s crown it has a blocky design. Assuming that it’s also inspired by the crown of the watch it’s a collaboration with, that gives us a major clue as to what the new watch is. A quick investigation turns up a likely suspect: the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms.

The Blancpain Fifty Fathoms is one of the most recognisable dive watches ever produced with its broad bezel, distinctive display and robust case. It was famously a favourite of pioneering divers like Jacques Cousteau. All but confirming the fact that the Swatch Fifty Fathoms (Swatchy Fathoms? Fifty Swatches?) is on the way is the news that Swatch CEO Nick Hayek Jr. reportedly commissioned Swatch editions of the Omega Seamaster and Blancpain Fifty Fathoms at the same time as the MoonSwatch.

What are your hopes for the upcoming collab? Keep your eyes peeled on 9th September.

More details at Swatch.

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Jaeger-LeCoultre initially revived their sporty Polaris line back in 2018 and since then it’s seen quite the rapid expansion. Today the line consists of the standard automatic, date models, a Mariner Memovox edition, a handful of chronographs and even a pair of perpetual calendars. But there’s always room for expansion and two new chronograph references are joining the party with slick gradient colourways and lacquer dials.

There are a lot of really good gradient dial watches out there, so many in fact that we could probably fill an entire article with them (I should write that idea down), and mostly they fall into one of two categories. You have your linear gradients like the Spinnaker SP-5104 that transitions from light to dark on a single axis and you have radial gradients that get lighter or darker in a circle towards the edge of the dial. On top of that there’s a subset of gradients known as fumé that specifically fade to black or grey and give the watch a smoky appearance.

The new Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris Chronograph doesn’t really fit in any of those categories, at least from a traditional view point. That’s because it has a double gradient whereby there’s a central disc that fades from light to dark before reaching an outer disc that repeats the same pattern again fading into the black of the tachymeter. Individually each section might be described as fumé because it does indeed give a smoky aesthetic (especially on the grain finish of the outer portion) but as a whole it kind of swerves around the normal terminology.

I like the look of it, the way it emphasises the double disc design (which is common to all JLC Polaris watches) and the way it intersects with the chronograph subdials is satisfying to look at. What you can’t really tell from still images is that the exterior portion of the dial with the grained finish is much lighter than the centre, likely because of the different lacquer finishes. There are two colourways available, one in blue and the second in an off-white grey tone. The blue gradient we’ve seen before on time and date versions of the watch but the grey is new for the chronograph.

Structurally, the Polaris Chronograph measures 42mm in diameter and is made from stainless steel making it bold and robust. This leans into the Polaris’ role as JLC’s sport collection, although I suppose you could argue that the Reverso is also technically a sport collection based on its heritage. In keeping with the sporty vibe, it’s presented on a rubber strap with the blue version available with an alternative steel bracelet and the grey one a canvas strap.  It’s a great watch and manages to properly feels like a luxury sports watch without relying on that Genta-style industrial design that’s everywhere are the moment (do I dare say overused?).

Under the surface is the JLC Calibre 761, which appears to be the next generation of the calibre 751 from previous Polaris Chronographs. It has a 65-hour power reserve and is equipped with hours, minutes, small seconds, chronograph seconds and a 30-minute counter. You can view the Côtes de Genève finishing through the display caseback.

The price – £13,500 or £14,000 depending on colourway – is interesting because you can contextualise it in two very different ways. Looking at the Polaris Chronograph purely as a sporty, steel chrono puts it in competition with watches like the Omega Speedmaster, which at roughly £6,000-£8,000 makes the JLC seem expensive. But if you look at it through the lens of JLC being a prestige brand then perhaps the most accurate comparison would be to a watch like the Vacheron Constantin Overseas chronograph, which is over double the cost at £31,200. It’s Schrodinger’s price, it’s simultaneously great and poor value but becomes one or the other depending on how you look at it with neither result being incorrect.

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The new Richard Mille RM 30-01 is the next generation of the RM 030 from 2011, which makes logical sense. RM 30-01 features the same functions as it predecessor but has had a major aesthetic updates that make it feel like a different beast all together. Considering that the RM 030 has been a staple part of Richard Mille’s collection for over a decade, it’s about time it saw an update.

There are two versions of the new watch available. The first has a full titanium case while the second has a red gold bezel and caseback for a more luxurious flair. Both are decorated with a dozen screws along the edges of the tonneau shape. In terms of size, it’s fairly large with dimensions measuring 42 x 49.94 x 17.59mm. So far, so Richard Mille. What makes the RM 30-01 stand out from any other RM is the dial display.

At its core, the dial is a relatively simple skeleton display featuring central hours, minutes and seconds along with an oversize date, function selector, power reserve indicator and clutch engagement indicator. What makes the display feel dynamic is the fact that the components and bridges have been arranged in a specific angular pattern so that the dominant shape is a diamond. This is particularly apparent if you follow the line of the power reserve indicator or the main bridges that run in straight lines from 12 o’clock to 3 to 6 to 9 and back to 12.

This arrangement of the skeleton display gives the RM 30-01 a highly technical appearance. It looks more like a circuit board than a movement with wires connecting the various functions. It’s very distinctive and almost disguises the fact you’re looking at a skeleton calibre. Specifically, it’s the calibre RMAR2, an updated version of the RMAR1 from the RM 030. Both the new calibre and the older one are notable for using declutchable rotors.

In the same way that the clutch pedal engages and disengages the gears of your car, the clutch here is used to engage or disengage the winding rotor. The way it operates is that once the power reserve reaches its max threshold at 55-hours the rotor automatically disengages and then when the reserve drops below 40-hours it re-engages. You’ll spot that these two points are specially marked on the power reserve indicator. The concept behind this design is to prevent the movement being at risk of over-winding while also keeping the power reserve high enough to provide optimum torque to the system.

It’s worth pointing out that most automatic watches have mechanisms in place to prevent over-winding and the most common one is a system known as a slipping mainspring. A combination of a sliding flange and grease allows the mainspring to slip, preventing it from winding any further. But this system can be abrasive to the movement and create debris, which is what Richard Mille’s gear style clutch is designed to prevent.

I wouldn’t say that the RM 30-01 is the most exciting Richard Mille launch of the year, it lacks a little of the drama of, say, a Quartz TPT model. However, as a baseline entry level RM, it’s really solid. Although perhaps the idea of an “entry level” RM doesn’t really exist since it has a price tag over £200,000.

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The deep, deep places of the Earth are pretty hostile to both humans and wristwatches and it takes a different kind of animal (or timepiece) to survive down there. Recently the realm of ultra-deep diving watches has seen a lot of development with Rolex launching the Sea-Dweller Deep Sea Challenge, Omega’s Planet Ocean Ultra-Deep and even lesser known names like Ralf Tech’s The Beast all heading into the depths. Now though, Oris are throwing their hats into the ring with the launch of their most water-resistant watch ever, the Oris AquisPro 4000m – and yes, it’s better looking than a blobfish.

I don’t think I should have to tell you what the depth rating on the AquisPro 4000m is, I imagine it should be pretty obvious. But to spell it out just in case, it has 4,000m water resistance, which is equivalent to 400 atm or 400 bar depending on your preferred metric. That’s seriously impressive considering that the majority of their Aquis diving watches have 300m resistance and the Divers Sixty-Five has 100m resistance (that does sound particularly low but as a skin diver it’s not unexpected).

Of course, to achieve such incredible water resistance, the Oris AquisPro’s case has been developed specially. It’s made from a multi-part titanium construction that measures a pretty mammoth 49.5mm in diameter. That’s nearly two inches across. And it has a thickness to match, measuring 23.4mm from caseback to crystal. Honestly that might be the biggest thickness I’ve ever seen and the design of the piece does little to hide its huge proportions – the crystal, bezel and case are all stepped like a ziggurat. But hey, when something’s this big, you may as well embrace it.

One of the major developments included in the Oris AquisPro 4000m is the new bezel locking system. Dive watches, as you may know, typically have uni-directional rotating bezels equipped with dive timing scales that let the wearer record how long they’ve been underwater for and how long their oxygen supply will last. The idea behind the uni-directional rotation is that if it gets knocked or adjusted underwater, you can only ever use it underestimate how much oxygen you have left, meaning you’ll safely return to the surface before having to face a real shortage.

Oris have taken this safety feature a step further with their locking system to prevent any unintentional movement whatsoever. It works by raising the rubber ring around the edge of the bezel to unlock it and allow rotation and then pushing it back down to lock into place. In addition to that, the main surface of the bezel is ceramic, an incredibly hard and scratch resistant material that means the scale will never become scuffed, damaged or hard to read.

Focussing in on the dial, we see that it has a blue wave pattern with a slight gradient. It’s a nice geometric pattern and I think it would suit a regular Aquis very well. Beyond the pattern, it’s a very conventional dive watch display with large, lumed hour markers and easily readable hands for optimal legibility in the underwater dark. Or just regular dark I suppose. The display is completed by a date window at 6 o’clock for a little extra utility on land.

Housed inside this deep-sea giant is the Oris Calibre 400, their high spec in-house movement with 120-hour power reserve and 10-year recommended service intervals. It’s a great movement and it’s good to see it here. Not that you can actually see it since it’s protected by a solid caseback engraved with a 4000m depth gauge.

Oddly, one of the best features of the AquisPro 4000m is its price. At £4,900 it’s certainly a serious bit of kit but considering that a regular Aquis can be anywhere up to £2,900 depending on its specs, it’s not an outrageous jump in price considering that it’s a big jump in performance and materials. Plus, it’s a damn sight more accessible than the Omega Ultra-Deep and Rolex Deep Sea, which both sit around £11,000. I wouldn’t say it’s a watch everyone will want to, or even should, buy but it’s definitely an intriguing novelty. I’d put it in the same category as the Oris ProPilot Altimeter, it’s not for me but I’m glad it exists.

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The previously sold out MTP1302D-2A2VT “Tiffany Casio” is currently back in stock at Casio U.S. for $74.95, and another smaller women’s model with a turquoise blue dial is launching in Asia soon. In Singapore, the MTP-B145D-2A1V (pictured below) will be released at casio.com/sg for S$85 on September 2, 2023, at 11 a.m. The watch measures […]

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We’ve already talked a lot about this year’s edition of Only Watch, the charity auction of 1-of-1 special edition watches raising money for Muscular Dystrophy research. We’ve talked about the most outrageous watches being sold, we’ve talked about some of the highlights like the Tudor Prince, we’ve even talked about the UK equivalent EveryWatch. Through it all though, we’ve been waiting for one final watch to be announced for the auction and now it’s here. The H. Moser & Cie x MB&F Streamliner Pandamonium for Only Watch 2023.

This is the second time that H. Moser & Cie. and MB&F have collaborated on a watch and for this piece, what we have is essentially an MB&F LM housed within the H. Moser Streamliner case. That means structurally it has a 42.3mm diameter design with an integrated bracelet and a sweeping shape inspired by historic streamliner trains from America.

The complication on display is a minute repeater with a flying balance wheel and double hair spring. As a fun touch, where the chiming gong and hammers are located at 10 o’clock, a miniature panda sculpture is present, sculpted as if it’s using the complication as a set of DJ decks. Hence the name Pandamonium, a pun based on the words pandemonium meaning large noise and well… a panda. Forming the base of the dial is an aquamarine fumé gradient.

A dial side chiming complication wristwatch with an exposed mechanism and a blue dial – where have I heard that description before? Ah, that would be the Christopher Ward Bel Canto, and actually the Pandamonium is having a similar amount of positive feedback online as the Bel Canto did when it was originally announced. Although there are obviously some major differences based on the fact that the Streamliner Pandamonium is a true minute repeater with a price estimated at £300k+ while the Bel Canto is an adapted jumping hours module and highly accessible at less than £3,500.

Is the H. Moser & Cie x MB&F Streamliner Pandamonium the best watch from Only Watch 2023? It’s not out of the question, although personally I still prefer some of the more colourful entrants like the Grönefeld Mandala. And ultimately it’s not really a question of it being the best when what matters is that it’s another great watch raising money for important research.

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It’s wristwatch award season at the moment and the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève, also known as the GPHG, has announced their short list for 2023. They’ve gone for the ‘expert panel making decisions behind closed doors’ approach, but hey, so do the Oscars via the Academy. At Oracle Time we prefer a more open, community focussed awards, which is why for the Oracle Time Watch Awards 2023 we’re asking you, our readers, to nominate in the Reader’s Shortlist Pre-Selection and lastly vote for your favourites later this year. For now though, let’s take a quick look at the GPHG shortlist.

Rather than go through the entire shortlist (which you can view on their website) let’s focus on a few of the key watches that have been nominated. First of which, we simply have to mention one the British brands who have been included. Studio Underd0g’s Watermel0n chronograph has been nominated in the Challenge category, which is the section for watches with a price below CHF 2,000. The £500 Watermel0n certainly qualifies and even just a quick search on watch retail platforms like Chrono24 will show just how popular this watch is, commanding pre-owned prices of £700 – £1,200. In fact, at a recent EveryWatch charity auction a 1-of-1 blue colourway known as the Blueberry sold for £16,000.

Studio Underd0g isn’t the only British interest in the awards because in the Petite Aiguille category, for watches priced CHF 2,000 – CHF 8,000, is the Christopher Ward Bel Canto (read our review here). It has stiff competition from the likes of the Tudor Black Bay and Bulgari Octo Roma Automatic but I actually think it has a really good chance of winning. It caused a real stir when it was released because quite frankly no one had ever seen a chiming complication watch for £3,000 before.

Other prominent watches to look out for in the nominations include the Tag Heuer Carrera, celebrating its 60th anniversary this year. The Parmigiani Tonda PF Minute Repeater Rattrapante, which was the darling of Watches and Wonders back in spring. And last but by no means least, the Laurent Ferrier Grand Sport Tourbillon, which is just one of my personal favourite watches from the last 12 months.

If you want to see any of the nominated watches in the metal, they’ll be taking part in a world tour from September – December taking in Macao, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, New York, Geneva, Dubai and Zurich. Sadly no trip to London this time around.

More details at GPHG.

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