Category: News

With the launch of the Swatch x Omega MoonSwatch Mission to Moonshine Gold in the spring and the latest Strawberry edition being released just the other day, the MoonSwatch has proven to be more than a flash in the pan. The fun, plastic Speedmaster is here to stay and you may as well buckle in for the long run. Speaking of buckles, one of our criticisms of the watch is the Velcro strap that it comes on, which doesn’t really sell the accessible Omega illusion. So, we went hunting to find the best alternative straps for the Swatch x Omega MoonSwatch.

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In a recent visit to the Philippines, Casio engineer and G-Shock creator Kikuo Ibe spoke about the continued development of a 5000 series G-Shock concept made of a sapphire crystal exterior. Prototypes of this concept were originally revealed before the G-Shock 35th Anniversary. While a G-Shock with a sapphire exterior may seem counterintuitive (as sapphire […]

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In the watch industry you never have to explain to anyone that form and function are of equal importance. How a watch looks and makes you feel is just as important to consider as how many complications it’s equipped with. It’s a perspective that many other industries could benefit from, especially in the world of tech where we’re all used to the same few sterile designs. XOR are trying to change this by creating hand-built luxury mobile phones, such as the new XOR Titanium X2 and XOR Matte, which focus on quality, exclusivity and security.

On a purely mechanical level, many of the materials and techniques that are used in the production of XOR handsets are similar to those used in horology. Take the Titanium X2 for example. The main body of the phone, which measures 134.5mm x 47mm x 12.9mm, is made from Grade 5 titanium while the screen is made from sapphire crystal and the interface is high tech ceramic.  Even the decorative leather backs have a connection to the watch industry as the material is supplied by Jean Rousseau.

I could just as easily be describing the Rolex Yacht-Master 226627 as a luxury mobile phone. It’s the same story for the XOR Matte except that the titanium has a matte black finish and the leather back is made from Louisiana Alligator. Offering an interesting alternative in terms of texture and appearance. At the same time, while they’re made from all these high quality materials, they remain subtle and understated, building on the notion of quiet luxury.

In terms of its utility as a mobile phone, it provides great quality on that front too. It uses a traditional number pad with navigation control below the screen that allows you to move the cursor around the screen and select various options. Messaging, calls, Wi-Fi, 4G, Bluetooth and Near Field Communication are all possible. However, the key feature offered by the phone is safety.

XOR-Shield functions as inbuilt security scanning for digital threats and vulnerabilities within your network and system. Additionally, multi-level passwords allow you to specify how much information a user can access on the phone, keeping your contacts and messages private to guest users. You can also use the XOR Peer function to have secure, peer to peer conversations with another XOR handset or XOR Peer enabled smartphone using end to end encryption, making it ideal for business or personal use.

It’s a premium device that will last well beyond the 12-month cycle of mass market equivalents. Of course, between the high end materials, artisanal construction and in-house systems, it has an equally premium price, starting at £5,100. But when it comes to luxury mobile phones XOR are right up there.

More details at XOR.

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If the ’80s-’90s stylings of certain G-Shock series aren’t retro enough, then perhaps the new Casio A1100 series is the one. The A1100 series is based on the Casio 52QS-14B, which made its debut in 1978. The launch models for the revival include the black A1100B-1, the silver A1100D-1, and the gold A1100G-5. The A1100 […]

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The Oceanus Manta OCWS6000SW2A, previously released in Japan in June 2023, is now available in the United States. This luxury Casio watch is made in Japan at the Premium Production Line and is limited to 350 units worldwide. Like the debut OCW-S6000 models (OCW-S6000-1A and OCW-S6000B-1A), the OCWS6000SW2A has a sapphire crystal bezel. Unlike those […]

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When writing about the Hamilton Pan Europ my first instinct is to give the disclaimer that yes, it really is spelt Europ and not Europe. Not sure why they decided to drop the E but here we are. Fortunately, a small spelling quirk is easy to overlook for a watch as cool as the new Hamilton Pan Europ Automatic Day-Date, a watch designed to count the passing hours of a coast to coast road trip.

It has a 42mm case in stainless steel with what Hamilton are calling a cushion shape. I would personally describe it as a tonneau case rather than a cushion as it has more of a barrel shape than the rounded square typically associated with a cushion. Regardless of what you call it, the case is completed by a unidirectional rotating bezel with a 60-minute scale that’s designed to allow you to keep accurate timings while driving long distances, whether that’s as part of a road trip or race.

The reason I put such emphasis on the idea of a road trip rather than a race is that it’s not a chronograph. To me, it’s built for cruising across America in a vintage mustang or across Europe in a retro 911. The display is a classy day-date with central hours, minutes and seconds with a sunray brushed dial in sage green or beige. That retro quality comes from the fact it’s inspired by the Chrono-Matic D from 1971, a watch that embraced the era of jukeboxes and roadside diners.

Under the hood is the Hamilton H-30 automatic movement. It’s movements like the H-30 that make Hamilton amazing value because with an 80-hour power reserve it has the performance of a much more expensive watch. For a sub-£1k timepiece it’s really good.

Although the Hamilton Pan Europ Day-Date in sage green or beige only just slips in at under £1,000 priced as it is at £965. It also comes with two interchangeable straps. There’s a perforated leather number that matches the dial or a NATO strap in the colour of the bezel – either chocolate brown for the green or burgundy for the beige. I like the Americana image of the sage green Pan Europ paired with an old style drop top Cadillac in a matching colour, just eating up the miles through the desert on the way to Vegas. Probably pair it with a Khaki Field of any flavour to complete the two-watch collection.

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When the Escudo Ocean Seacrest Chocolate Bronze passed through the Oracle Time office last year I was sad not to be able to spend more time with the piece. Fortunately, I’ve been able to spend a few days with the latest additions to the Ocean Seacrest collection, the Ocean Seacreast Silver Inox and Silver Rose.

The two watches are essentially recolours of the existing range featuring white dials and silver mirror bezels. Off the bat we should talk about the bezels because they’re kind of crazy. Mirror polishing is a type of finishing that is not necessarily uncommon in watchmaking but neither do you see it all the time. The most famous example of the technique is Grand Seiko’s Zaratsu polishing, which is also known as black mirror polishing because it creates such an intense shine that it can appear black.

A similar effect has been achieved with the bezels here. They are physically silver but more often look black or white, shifting depending on the angle you look at them and the lighting conditions of the space around you. As a side note, that also makes them incredibly difficult to photograph – we had to delete many images where you could see the camera being directly reflected in the bezel. When I wear either version of the watch, I often find myself absentmindedly staring at my wrist and shifting it in the light as the colours move like an optical illusion.

I should also probably specify that the difference between the Silver Inox and Silver Rose editions comes down to the accent colours. The Inox has a silver coloured bezel ring, crown and hour markers while the Rose is bronze. Additionally, the Inox has white lume and the Rose has beige. Picking between the two is difficult. I naturally found myself gravitating towards the Inox the most because I like the neutral monochrome aesthetic. But on the occasions that I did pick the Rose, it stood out more on the wrist and drew attention.

What initially attracted me to the Ocean Seacrest was definitely the dial and in particular the distinctive shapes of the hour markers. The arrow heads at the cardinal points look great and the complexity of their shape is balanced by the simplicity of the circles in between. It feels like a compass or piece of nautical equipment ready for seafaring adventures. Which with 200m water resistance it would be well suited for. It’s also no accident because the Escudo brand is based on the shared history of Great Britain and Portugal as naval powers.

Hidden behind the solid steel caseback is the Escudo Calibre 1488, which uses the Sellita SW200-1 as a base. It only has a 38-hour power reserve which proved a little problematic considering I was trying to juggle two watches over the span of a few of days. If you want to regularly swap between a couple of 38-hour reserve watches then investing in a watch winder is a good decision. Of course, if you just have the one then it’s less of an issue. Plus, having a Sellita base movement means it’s more accessible and easy to repair since it’s fairly common.

In terms of price, the Escudo Ocean Seacrest Silver Inox is £1,450 while the Ocean Seacrest Silver Rose is £1,650. A slight difference in price for the slight difference in materials. Ultimately, the two new watches are good additions to the collection, they’re bright, intriguing and distinctive. However, I can’t say that they’ve scratched one specific itch that I’ve had for a while, which is to see a brand new model from Escudo. Whether that’s another dive watch or maybe something a little different like a field watch, I feel like Escudo has a lot of potential and I want to see it.

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Montegrappa 007 Spymaster Limited Edition Fountain Pen, €4,995 (approx. £4,240)

2023 marks 60 years of the ultimate stealth wealth icon (if taken very literally), James Bond, and Montegrappa have been getting in on the act with, of course, a stunning limited edition. As we’ve come to expect from the Italian maestro of writing instruments, the Spymaster is rife with 007 details, from the pistol grip rifling on the black barrel to the ink system, which is reloaded using brass bullets. A great pen is already a solid way to subtly flash the cash, but this particular take on the Ian Fleming cannon is worthy of a globe-trotting superspy.

Available at Montegrappa.

Oliver Co Premium Classic Bi-Fold Wallet, £99

There’s nothing like a classic leather bi-fold, but that doesn’t mean you can’t be eco-conscious with it too. Despite its deep black lustre akin to fine leather, Oliver Co’s premier wallet is entirely plant-based, using material derived from apples. With eight pockets, a 10-card capacity and a note section large enough to hold plenty of walkabout cash and (unless you’re spending stealthily too) your receipts, it’s also supremely practical. In short, it’s a necessity done right.

Available at Oliver Co.

Tateossian Black Diamond Rotor Cufflinks, £1,850

With more of a rock ‘n’ roll vibe than the dainty, glitzy look of their lighter cousins, black diamonds are the kind of precious stone that men’s jewellers love. It’s obviously luxurious, but in a way that whispers rather than shouts. These handsome pendulum cufflinks from Tateossian combine the diamonds with blacked-out, rhodium-plated silver and a pendulum that watch fans will instantly recognise as a rotor, backed by a touch of mother-of-pearl for contrast.

Available at Tateossian.

Fantom X Wallet, £96

If there’s one thing you don’t want to flash about it’s your cards, so the Fantom X keeps them safe, secure and stealthy. The blacked out, carbon fibre fan wallet isn’t just a svelte bit of kit, as it’s able to hold all your cards, cash and keys (yes, even keys), but it’s been stress tested to the nth degree for assured durability. If you have more specific needs, the Fantom X has plenty of modular attachments to choose from, but even at its baseline, it’s one of the slimmest, sleekest bits of stealth wealth around.

Available at Fantom.

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Raymond Weil have unveiled a new version of their sporty chronograph called the Freelancer Pop Bi-Compax Chronograph in a limited edition of 400 pieces. The name Pop comes from the fact that it’s inspired by live music, a subject close to Raymond Weil’s heart. So, let’s pump up the volume and dive right in.

Off rip, the new watch is essentially a recolour of the previous Freelancer Chronograph special edition. Where that watch was a combination of black and brown, the Pop features black and turquoise. It sits right in the pocket of what’s popular at the moment with the proliferation of turquoise watches and it may actually be my favourite colourway that Raymond Weil have ever produced.

The pale blue is striking against the gradient black background and it has a sense of brightness and fun that I sometimes feel RW can lack. It also makes sense for a watch called Pop because it has that bubblegum sweetness that’s associated with chart music, toned down by the black. I almost want to call it the mullet of watches (in case you didn’t know, mullets are making a comeback in the music scene): business in front, party in back – although in this instance, it’s business in black, party in blue.

Beyond the new colourway, the Raymond Weil Freelancer Pop Bi-Compax Chronograph Limited Edition is more or less the Freelancer as we know it. It has a large 43.5mm case in titanium sporting a tachymeter bezel and an internal pulsometer scale. There is a small seconds subdial at 9 o’clock and a 30-minute timer at 3. At 6 o’clock is a date window with the signature Freelancer Chronograph typography, which also suits the pop music theme because you could imagine a band name written in a font like this.

Housed inside is the Calibre RW5030, a solid automatic movement with a skeletonised rotor and a power reserve of 56-hours. Of course, it’s also a chronograph calibre with the central chronograph seconds hand being controlled by the two pushers that flank the crown.

As for pricing and availability, it’s £3,495 with 400 pieces being produced. That’s the same cost as the previous bronze limited edition, although that watch was limited to 300 pieces rather than 400. That actually works out in the Pop’s favour though because you should be able to get hold of it if you want one. I do really like this version of the Freelancer, even if the music theme is a little tenuous. It’s more just a fun colourway than a themed watch, unlike other Raymond Weils such as the Let It Be that go all out, perhaps even a little too much, on the inspiration.

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The 1815 Rattrapante Perpetual Calendar has been a feature of A. Lange & Söhne’s haute horology lineup for a full decade now, having first debuted in 2013 with a silver, argenté dial. In the intervening years they’ve only occasionally returned to the model for special editions like the Handwerkskunst. For the anniversary, they’ve created a 100-piece limited edition with a pink gold dial – don’t be surprised if you see us updating our article on the best salmon dials of 2023.

Let’s not beat about the bush and dive right into the dial, which is where most of the action is. As a Rattrapante Perpetual Calendar, there’s a lot of information on display. Starting at 12 o’clock and working our way around clockwise we have: a 30-minute chronograph counter with power reserve indicator, a months display with leap year indicator, a small seconds subdial with moonphase and lastly a day and date subdial.

But that’s not all because around the outside is a railway minute track and Arabic numeral hour markers that correlate to the central hour and minute hands. They’re joined in the centre by the titular rattrapante (aka split seconds) chronograph hands. A rattrapante is a form of chronograph complication that uses two hands that move around the dial together but that can be stopped independently to record specific moments within a larger period of time. Think individual laps within a 1,500m race. In blued steel or rhodium, the hands have a lovely contrast to the salmon tone of the pink gold dial and pair nicely with the blue of the moonphase at 6 o’clock.

As well as the fresh dial the case has had a small update in that it’s now in white gold. The previous versions have only ever been in pink gold or platinum. Although, while there’s a material change, the overall shape and size haven’t been altered, measuring 41.9mm in diameter with a round design. It has a very classy and refined aesthetic, as does the hand-stitched, brown alligator strap.

Combining two of horology’s most prestigious complications in the form of the rattrapante chronograph and perpetual calendar is no mean feat, but A. Lange & Söhne have accomplished it with the L101.1 calibre. It’s a manual wind piece with a power reserve of 42 hours and is constructed from an astonishing 631 individual parts. There are over 200 parts dedicated solely to the operation of the perpetual calendar, which will only need adjusting by one day in March… in the year 2100.

As with the existing editions of the 1815 Rattrapante Perpetual Calendar, the new limited edition A. Lange & Söhne Rattrapante Perpetual Calendar Pink Gold version is price on request and a boutique exclusive, meaning it’s only available directly from A. Lange & Söhne. I think the new version is a worthy tribute to the model, reinvigorating the design with a new colourway while staying true to the classical aesthetic of the 1815 collection.

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