In late 2020, Seiko announced something very special, at least to people with some knowledge of the brand’s history and evolution through the decades. While Seiko was founded in 1881 and through the years saw immense prosperity, it has many fascinating chapters in that long history. Today it is one of the biggest watch manufacturers in the world, with a vast collection housed under various sub-labels or even as separate brands. The introduction of the King Seiko KSK SJE083 towards the end of 2020 revived the fabled internal rivalry with Grand Seiko. That watch left us wondering whether Seiko would do more with the King Seiko legacy than just this one-time limited edition? Surely not! So with a resounding “Long live the King”, we formally welcome back the King Seiko collection and the introduction of five new references. And they are non-limited, more compact and more accessible.
Like various other brands, Seiko has often relied on a sub-branded range of watches to target new audiences or present a substantially different style. By now, we’re all very familiar with Seiko, Grand Seiko and probably, to a lesser extent, King Seiko. The fact that this name returns in the permanent collection is a testament to the importance of King Seiko to the Seiko Corporation. Without it, the brand simply wouldn’t be where it is today.
As we explained in the hands-on review of the King Seiko KSK SJE083, both the Grand Seiko and King Seiko sub-brands result from the internal rivalry between the Daini Seikosha and Suwa Seikosha factories. We’ve said it then, and we’ll say it again: competition leads to growth, evolution and ultimately change. The first product following Seiko’s decision to put the Suwa Seikosha factory in charge of creating a luxurious, more precise type of wristwatch was labelled Grand Seiko. A year later, and not to be deterred by Seiko’s aforementioned decision, the Daini Seikosha factory would present their own under the King Seiko name.
Soon after, both would follow suit with design guidelines determined by Taro Tanaka. Mr Tanaka set apart Seiko from the traditional (read Swiss) style by defining a simple yet effective set of rules, the so-called “Grammar of Design”. In essence, this meant cases had to be shaped and finished free of distortion, bezels had to be simple, and hands had to be sharp and mainly flat. This is still very much part of Grand Seiko’s watchmaking language and philosophy today and applies to King Seiko as well.
The King Seiko KSK SJE083 Limited Edition from late 2020 was modelled directly after the 1965 King Seiko 44-9990, albeit in a slightly more modern execution. While the shape of the case and the overall look and feel very much has that distinct 1960s style, Seiko has taken a few liberties with the SJE083. Liberties that are now more or less corrected with this King Seiko collection. The new range comes in five references, all featuring a 37mm sized case very close to the original King Seiko 44-9990. The sharp and angular case, with a height of 12.1mm and brushed and polished finishings, looks very close to the original. The faceted lugs, for instance, are directly taken from the 1965 model. The boxed sapphire crystal gives it that quintessential style of the 1960s. Both the crown and the caseback are finished with the King Seiko emblem that was introduced with the original one.
The King Seiko comes in five different dial colours, each with its own flair. The most accurate one in relation to the 44-9990 is the silver dial with sunray brushing, which is reference SPB279. Next, there’s also a silver, or actually light-grey dial with straight brushing, the SBP281. And then, there are three darker dials: charcoal grey (SPB283), brown (SPB285) or burgundy red (SPB287). All dials are finished with applied, polished indices. Just like the 44-9990, the marker at 12 is double the width of the rest and given a fine pyramid-like pattern on the top surface. And like the original, it lacks a date indication, keeping the dial clean and balanced. In line with the “Grammar of Design”, the hour and minute hands are flat with a Zaratsu-polished, faceted finish (without the high-end bevels found on the limited SJE083, however) combined with a needle-thin seconds hand.
The King Seiko is outfitted with the in-house calibre 6R31, which is closely linked to the 6R35. Using the same mechanical architecture, the 6R31 has 24 jewels and runs at a frequency of 21,600vph. The only difference between this and the 6R35 variant is the absence of the date indication, and as a result, the number of jewels is reduced by two. The movement is accurate to run within +15/-25 seconds per day, just like its dated cousin, the 6R35.
To complete the very retro-like appeal of the new King Seiko collection, it comes on a stainless steel multi-link bracelet, very much like the one on the original 1965 model. The faceted links, tapering from case to folding buckle, have a brushed finish with polished bevels. As an alternative option, each reference is also supplied with vintage-styled leather straps with a pin buckle bearing the King Seiko name. Where the King Seiko SJE083 was a bit pricey, the new King Seiko collection retails for a more reasonable EUR 1,700. This puts it directly between the average top-end of Seiko and below Grand Seiko’s entry-level models. Simply put, we love the fact Seiko has brought the King Seiko philosophy back from the past. And to do it in such a faithful and respectful way is all the more reason to be excited. Even on a wrist as big as our editor (Robin has a 19cm wrist circumference), the 37mm sized case looks well proportioned. The dials are fun and offer an appealing variety of colours. Go for the traditional silver one of the original, or a more daring burgundy red, and you will not be disappointed. The only slight complaint we have regards the accuracy of the automatic movement. As King Seiko, much like Grand Seiko, stems from the idea to build the best and most precise watch possible, the precision of the calibre 6R31 is a bit of a let-down. Running within +25/-15 seconds per day means there’s a lot of room for improvement. Other than that, very well done, Seiko! Long live the King!
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Watch for Sale,Replica watches for sale, cheap watches for sale,fake watches for sale,
Seiko 5 Sports SKX Sports Replica
All three new executions offer a dial with a different color; black, blue and orange.
To ensure that they stand out clearly, the GMT hands are in bright red on the black and blue dial versions and in black for the version in orange.
Just like the time of day hands and indexes, the GMT hand has a generous layer of Lumibrite to ensure legibility in low light conditions.
In addition to the international convenience of the GMT function, the watches also feature a rotating bezel that is in two colors to separate the night and day hours at a glance.
The bezel’s ring indicator is made of Seiko’s Hardlex glass to deliver the high level of durability for which the Seiko 5 Sports collection is renowned.
The design of the case and dial draws inspiration from one of Seiko’s best-loved sports watches, known to enthusiasts as the Seiko SKX series.
The five-row bracelet is a new design also inspired by the original SKX series in which the middle rows are polished to create a contrast with the solid feel of the rows that bind them.
Here’s something I didn’t see coming: an entry-level automatic GMT watch from Seiko has just dropped, and it’s packing some serious GMT-Master vibes. The three colourways remind me of the modding community from the SKX message boards back in the day, where home tinkerers would modify their Seiko divers with aftermarket two-tone bezel inserts and handsets. It appears that Seiko is listening to enthusiasts after all this time, because the new Seiko 5 SKX Sports Style GMT is a great bit of fan service, and a budget-friendly way to add an automatic GMT to your collection.
With its take on classic GMT style, added travel watch functionality, and rather good value, the new Seiko 5 SKX Sports Style GMT is as close to a sure thing as it gets. All three colourways are tasty, but my preference is for the non-flashy black/grey, although I suspect the blue-on-blue Batman version will be the runaway hit. The case’s wearability recalls why we all loved the SKX, and the GMT movement makes it the perfect travel companion. The Seiko 5 SKX Sports Style GMT will be available in July of 2022.
Ever since it was created in 1968, the Seiko 5 Sports collection of mechanical watches has been synonymous with durability and reliability. When, in 2019, the collection was relaunched, an active and youthful dynamism was added. Today the collection takes another step forward with, for the first time, the introduction of a GMT caliber. Based on the tried and trusted platform of Caliber 4R, this new series of three designs offers the convenience of a GMT hand in a case that is just 0.1 mm thicker than the existing one.
All three new executions offer a dial with a different color; black, blue and orange. To ensure that they stand out clearly, the GMT hands are in bright red on the black and blue dial versions and in black for the version in orange. Just like the time of day hands and indexes, the GMT hand has a generous layer of Lumibrite to ensure legibility in low light conditions. In addition to the international convenience of the GMT function, the watches also feature a rotating bezel that is in two colors to separate the night and day hours at a glance. The bezel’s ring indicator is made of Seiko’s Hardlex glass to deliver the high level of durability for which the Seiko 5 Sports collection is renowned.
The design of the case and dial draws inspiration from one of Seiko’s best-loved sports watches, known to enthusiasts as the Seiko SKX series. The five-row bracelet is a new design also inspired by the original SKX series in which the middle rows are polished to create a contrast with the solid feel of the rows that bind them.
All three watches will join the main Seiko 5 Sports collection and will be available at selected Seiko Boutiques and other retail stores worldwide in July 2022.
Seiko 5 Sports SKX Sense Style Watch
Last year, Seiko announced an entire re-vamp of their much-loved Seiko 5 line up. An entry-level staple and certainly a 101 class in mechanical watch ownership, the Seiko 5 had long represented a cornerstone in the foundation of Seiko’s enthusiast-focused offerings. But, as nothing lasts forever, in announcing the new Seiko 5, Seiko ended the lifecycle of all of the older models and began a new chapter in the Seiko 5’s impressive history.
Interestingly enough, this is not the only enthusiast icon that Seiko recently sent to live on a farm in the countryside. What first was a rumor on the forums later became known more widely: Seiko is discontinuing the production of the legitimately iconic SKX007 (and its many siblings).
Seiko 5 Sports SKX Sense Style Watch
I recently shared the story of my first watch, and while that humble little Timex did indeed kick off my interest in watches – like the endless stream of “entertaining” comic book movies every one assures me I should love – there is yet another chapter in my origin story. It’s a story that leads to many many Seikos, but like many of you, it started with one true enthusiast-loved model – the SKX007.
At this point, you may be wondering, “Why is he talking so much about the Seiko SKX? I thought this was a review of the new Seiko 5s”. Well, to my mind, you can’t understand the new Seiko 5s without understanding both the old Seiko 5s and their more dive-focused relative, the SKX007 (for simplicity I’m going to keep saying the SKX007, but this could be largely interchangeable with many of the other versions – more on that in a bit).
In creating a something of a new formula for the 2019 Seiko 5s, aka the SRPD Seiko 5s, Seiko had to ensure they paid some favor to the enthusiasts that had long been telling their friends to buy SNKs and SKXs, and you can see elements of both in the new Seiko 5 design. The brief is still very much a Seiko 5, but the look is just a skootch off of the SKX007. Let’s dig in.
With the above in mind, I look at the Seiko SKX007 (and in many ways the outgoing Seiko 5s), in two specific ways. First, as a product, and second, as the beginning of a fascination which has claimed more than the last 10 years of my life. I know that it may seem that I have digressed, but I’ll do my best to put the above context to use.
Seiko 5 Sports SKX Sports Style
Here’s something I didn’t see coming: an entry-level automatic GMT watch from Seiko has just dropped, and it’s packing some serious GMT-Master vibes. The three colourways remind me of the modding community from the SKX message boards back in the day, where home tinkerers would modify their Seiko divers with aftermarket two-tone bezel inserts and handsets. It appears that Seiko is listening to enthusiasts after all this time, because the new Seiko 5 SKX Sports Style GMT is a great bit of fan service, and a budget-friendly way to add an automatic GMT to your collection.
Much like the time-only versions that have been released over the last couple years (known by watch nerds as the 5KX), the new GMT takes its inspiration from the classic (and now discontinued) SKX case shape. The smooth contours and lack of hard edges continue in the new series, and anyone who was a fan of the O.G. SKX will find plenty to like in the new models. The 316L stainless-steel case’s dimensions are largely the same, at 42.5mm in diameter with a lug-to-lug measurement of just 46mm, making for good wearability on a wide range of wrists. Seiko did a good job keeping the case height reasonable too, at 13.6mm, just 0.2 thicker than the time-only version, considering the added functionality of the GMT movement. I suppose the case could be thinner by utilising a closed caseback, but I suspect that the audience for this watch will welcome the see-through display back, as many of them will be novice collectors, eager to see the automatic movement ticking away.
One notable difference from the original SKX is the lack of a screwdown crown, limiting the water resistance to 100 metres. People may bitch and moan about the 100 metre water resistance, but honestly, a) You’re most likely not a professional diver, and the rating is more than adequate, and b) The Rolex GMT-Master also happens to be rated to 100m, so maybe this isn’t the issue that you think it is. As it stands, the water resistance is perfectly serviceable for most people’s needs. The crown remains in its familiar spot at 4 o’clock. The bezel retains its grippy two-row texture, but there’s something new going on with the 24-hour insert. Available in three bicoloured versions to complement the dial choices, they come in a Rolex-adjacent black/blue, or black/grey, but notably, instead of being rendered in anodised aluminium, the inserts are made from Hardlex, the very material that Seiko uses in their proprietary crystals. It’s a durable choice, and an interesting alternative to the ceramic found on higher-priced watches.
About those colourways, you have three versions to select from: Black/grey, a Batman-esque blue version, and a bold orange, evocative of many classic divers. The blue and orange versions get a nice sunray treatment, and the black goes for a no-nonsense flat finish. Dial text is similar to the time-only watch, with ‘Seiko’, the Seiko 5 logo, and ‘Automatic’ script all present, augmented by the ‘GMT’ signifier above 6. There’s an additional 24-hour track on the chapter ring, complementing the 24-hour scale on the bezel. Unlike the original printed markers on the SKX, the new watch sports applied indices filled with that legendary Seiko LumiBrite. Lume also lights up the traditional Seiko broad dive-style hands as well, and notably, the orange version’s hands are gold PVD as opposed to the silver of the other two. The GMT hands stand out, courtesy of some high-visibility colour choices: Red for the black and blue versions, and black set against the orange dial. The crystal is Seiko’s Hardlex, a material more durable than mineral crystal or sapphire, but less scratch-resistant than sapphire (but still very good). One other thing to mention: The date window foregoes a day indicator as on most Seiko 5s, but adds a very Rolex-like cyclops. Whether you love it or hate it is a matter of taste, but it does add a bit of retro appeal to the overall package.
The GMT movement is based on Seiko’s Caliber 4R architecture, dubbed the 4R34, and should be as durable as any, given the company’s reputation for some of the most robust mass-market movements available. It has 24 jewells, a beat rate of 21,600 vph, and a 41-hour power reserve. Finishing is bare-bones, with a logo on the rotor, and…that’s about it. To be expected at this price point, but it’s nice for those new to the hobby just to be able to see the movement in action. As far as travel functionality, the 4R34 isn’t a true GMT, but what’s known as a caller movement, which adjusts the 24 hour hand by pulling the crown out to the first position. Again, at this price, it works just fine.
The bracelet on the classic SKX models was a rattly, jangly affair, which I always thought was part of its cheap and cheerful charm. Well, the new Jubilee-style five-link bracelet is a good sight more solid-feeling in the links, but the look is much the same. Same bracelet, less rattle! It’s secured with a folding push button clasp with foldover lock. It’s perfectly functional, and the Jubilee style provides Batgirl vibes at beer prices. And if you prefer Batman, you can always switch it out with an Oyster-style bracelet of your choosing.
With its take on classic GMT style, added travel watch functionality, and rather good value, the new Seiko 5 SKX Sports Style GMT is as close to a sure thing as it gets. All three colourways are tasty, but my preference is for the non-flashy black/grey, although I suspect the blue-on-blue Batman version will be the runaway hit. The case’s wearability recalls why we all loved the SKX, and the GMT movement makes it the perfect travel companion. The Seiko 5 SKX Sports Style GMT will be available in July of 2022.
Seiko 5 Sports SKX Sense Style
Here’s something I didn’t see coming: an entry-level automatic GMT watch from Seiko has just dropped, and it’s packing some serious GMT-Master vibes. The three colourways remind me of the modding community from the SKX message boards back in the day, where home tinkerers would modify their Seiko divers with aftermarket two-tone bezel inserts and handsets. It appears that Seiko is listening to enthusiasts after all this time, because the new Seiko 5 SKX Sports Style GMT is a great bit of fan service, and a budget-friendly way to add an automatic GMT to your collection.
With its take on classic GMT style, added travel watch functionality, and rather good value, the new Seiko 5 SKX Sports Style GMT is as close to a sure thing as it gets. All three colourways are tasty, but my preference is for the non-flashy black/grey, although I suspect the blue-on-blue Batman version will be the runaway hit. The case’s wearability recalls why we all loved the SKX, and the GMT movement makes it the perfect travel companion. The Seiko 5 SKX Sports Style GMT will be available in July of 2022.
Since reviving its classic Seiko 5 Sports model back in 2019, watchmaker Seiko continues to tap into five styles: Sports, Suits, Specialist, Sense, and Street. This season, the brand unveils its latest SKX Sports Style GMT range inspired by the lifestyle of the modern jet setter.
With each iteration referencing a different situation an explorer might encounter, the collection arrives in three colorways to suit any setting: a flat black dial and matching black bezel, a navy blue dial and two-tone bezel as well as an orange dial with a dark silver bezel and muted yellow accents.
Comprised of a 46mm diameter and 13.6mm thick construction, it’s powered by a 24-jewel 4R36 caliber automatic movement enclosed in a see-through screw case back and contrasting GMT indicator. Each watch boasts a stainless steel case with a matching stainless steel bracelet that features a three-fold clasp, secure lock and push-button release.
The Seiko 5 Sports SKX Sports Style GMT collection is set for release in July 2022. For more information check out the brand’s website.
Seiko 5 Sports Field Sports Style
Field watches? They’re cool. Inspired by models of the past issued for military forces, they are legible, robust, made for outdoor activities and have a true no-nonsense feeling that makes them appealing. Seiko 5 Sports watches? They’re cool too. Robust, loyal, honest mechanical watches that won’t let you down. Nothing fancy, just accessible models that do the job perfectly. Seiko 5 Sports Field watches? Well, obviously they’re cool too, and if you want to see why, check out this article… But there’s something with field watches that is sort of mandatory to me… they need to be compact. And the Japanese watchmaker has done just that, with the new 36mm Seiko 5 Sports Mid-Field Collection, with three new references (SRPJ81, SRPJ83 and SRPJ85) that seem to be spot on.
The Seiko 5 Sports collection was revamped in 2019 with a complete new range of watches, which at first, felt like reviving the praised style of the SKX007 series. Looking like dive watches (without being actual dive watches), equipped with a rotating bezel, available in dozens of colours, powered by the most mundane automatic movement of the brand – which doesn’t make it a bad movement at all – and fairly accessible. Yes, there has been some criticism, but overall, quite a successful revamp of the Seiko 5 name.
It didn’t take long for Seiko to bring back another much-loved style of the old Seiko 5 series, the simple and bezel-less field watch – which many have known under the reference SNK809. The recipe was simple: take the case of the other Seiko 5 Sports watches, remove the rotating bezel and place a smooth bezel instead, design a dial with a matte background, large Arabic numerals, a 24-hour military-like scale and apply lots of lume on the hands and markers… and voila, you have a field watch with robust specs and an accessible price. In a 39.4mm case. And while there’s nothing wrong with this size, I personally tend to prefer field watches to be even more compact. Think about the Hamilton W10 or the Timor Heritage, both around 36mm in diameter, as my benchmark models for a cool field watch.
Seiko is giving us just that… With the new Seiko 5 Sports Mid-Field models. Three watches, three different interpretations of the same concept, and a case that has been reduced by 3mm to now 36.4mm in diameter. Sounds spot on, right? The rest of the dimensions are in the same vein: 12.5mm in height (not the thinnest, objectively) and 44.4mm lug-to-lug, which sounds like the promise of great comfort and a cool vintage look on the wrist. The rest of the specs of these new SRPJ81, SRPJ83 and SRPJ85 don’t change much compared to the larger version, with a classic, unprotected crown at 3 o’clock, a screwed caseback with see-through crystal, a Hardlex (mineral) crystal on top and a reassuring 100m water-resistance.
The dials… Nothing really new here either, with just a day-date window that sits closer to the edge of the dial. Otherwise, it’s all identical to the larger SRPG27 model. Available in black with white lume (SRPJ81), black with beige lume (SRPJ85) and sand with black accents (SRPJ83), all dials have a matte, slightly grained texture, large Arabic numerals, a military-like 24-hour scale and hands and hour markers that are coated with LumiBrite. Simple, legible, straightforward… All you need in a field watch – even though I would get rid of the day-date function.
Inside the case, no surprises. As with all watches from the collection, the new 36mm Seiko 5 Sports Mid-Field watches are powered by the all-time classic calibre 4R36, an automatic entry-level movement that has proven its reliability. Not the most precise on paper, it beats at 3Hz, stores 41 hours of power reserve and features a hacking second. As for the strap, two of the models are worn on nylon NATO-like straps in beige (SRPJ83) or green (SRPJ85) – military style obliges – or a 3-link steel bracelet with a folding clasp (SRPJ81) – just like the bigger brother, but with an 18mm lug width.
TAG Heuer Carrera Porsche Calibre Heuer 02 44 Orange Racing
The TAG Heuer and Porsche partnership is a match made in heaven. It officially started in 2021, with the introduction of this TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph x Porsche Orange Racing, however, it goes well beyond sponsorships of racing events for marketing purposes, and a special edition watch. In case you do not know yet, and to add legitimacy to the story, in the 1980s, when TAG (Techniques d’Avant Garde) Group bought Heuer, Porsche and TAG developed and built a 1.5L V6 TAG-Porsche Turbo engine with 1,060 hp and 12,600 rpm for the McLaren MP4/2B. It was one of the most successful engines of those years, securing McLaren a win in three consecutive F1 world titles with Niki Lauda in 1984 and Alain Prost in 1985 and 1986 at the wheel. Now both brands are winning watch fans with special editions. Including the latest TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph x Porsche Orange Racing.
The new TAG x Porsche collaboration is based on a Carrera Sport Chronograph presented in 2020, and it follows the TAG Heuer Carrera x Porsche of 2021 and the Yellow edition of 2022. All three TAG x Porsche come in a 44mm case, driven by a high-performance Calibre Heuer 02 and capable of racing non-stop for 80 hours. The difference between these models is visible but purely aesthetic. Just as you choose a colour for your car, TAG Heuer x Porsche lets you decide if asphalt grey and white, black and yellow, or black and orange is your thing. TAG Heuer explains the orange “was inspired by the colour of the heat sparks made by the car on the asphalt.” Should this not be enough, please think Porsche’s Lava Orange colour used since the 2000s on the 911 GT3 RS (Type 997) models and the latest generation of 911 GT3s and Boxters, or Gulf Orange from 1972, as Porsche offered vehicles in orange throughout 1960-1970s up until about 1978, but I digress.
The new TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph x Porsche Orange Racing makes lots of vibrant sparks. The bevelled domed sapphire crystal with double anti-reflective treatment will not crack under pressure, no doubt. The stainless steel case is black DLC treated, the screw-down sapphire case back and the crown is made of steel with black DLC, the fixed ceramic bezel is black, and the piston-style pushers, you guessed it, are black, too. And so is the winding rotor, shaped after a Porsche steering wheel. And the folding clasp with double safety push buttons on a textured black calfskin leather strap. The black dial has a vertical brush finish – this is new to this edition. The minutes-track flange is black – this sums up the details in a 0, 0, 0, 100 CMYK colour scheme.
Now, orange is where it should be and in doses just right to whet your appetite. The name Porsche is parked on the ceramic bezel with a white tachymeter scale, in bright orange, as is the middle ring of the crown, orange-lacquered. The black texture of the base dial looks like the speed marks the brand implies, and the dial is orange-outlined, with white applied Arabic numerals that use the same typeface as the dashboards of Porsche cars. Familiar sub-dial layout 3-6-9 is comprised of orange-outlined counters; chrono counter hands are all orange-tipped. The minute chronograph counter at 3 o’clock and the hour chronograph counter at 6 are both black “azuré” finished, and the small seconds sub-dial is black-grained. The chronograph’s central seconds hand is bright orange, and this colour finds a few spots to highlight on the reverse. The black rotor has orange mentions of the Cal. Heuer 02, Tag Heuer and Porsche, and the top part of the column wheel shows this colour.
In this edition, the designers of the TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph x Porsche Orange Racing decided to leave out the Calibre designation and power reserve capability “statements” found in the previous edition at 6 o’clock. All for the better, the crowded dial needed some space, and this decision made the date window a little more obvious, not lost. Inside the case is the in-house Heuer 02 calibre, a modern integrated chronograph with a column wheel and a vertical clutch to ensure smooth and accurate operations. Running at 4Hz, it has a healthy 80-hour power reserve. This watch is worthy of the brand names it proudly bears, and it is a good chronograph, perfectly legit, technically advanced and original. The textured strap has orange stitching modelled after the sports car upholstery, and the strap lining is orange, so Orange Racing it is, no doubt, with so many elements to support the name.
Hublot Big Bang Zermatt Watch
Hublot, a Swiss-based watchmaker, has a special relationship with Switzerland and the Alpine resort of Zermatt. To celebrate this connection, they have created the Big Bang Zermatt watch. This watch is available in both men’s and women’s styles. The men’s version features a 44mm stainless steel case with alternating polished and satin finishes, a detail not used by the brand since 2018. The watch also has titanium bezel screws and the iconic Matterhorn on the 9 o’clock subdial. It is powered by a HUB4100 self-winding chronograph movement. The Hublot Big Bang Zermatt Watch comes with two straps, one in slate grey and one in stone white, to reflect the colors of the town of Zermatt.
Hublot’s new release is inspired by the Matterhorn, one of the most well-known of all the Alps. When I had a look, I was wondering what I was meant to say about these watches, and it got me thinking. There’s a really great program on the BBC’s iPlayer right now called Around the World in 80 Days and, no, it’s not just another interpretation of Jules Verne’s classic novel. Well, it technically is that, but it’s split into eight-hour-long episodes which gives it plenty of time to dwell on the details. I haven’t gotten all the way through it yet, in fact, as I’m writing this I’ve just finished watching the episode set in India and it was a cracker.
The story is set in the 19th century and features everyone’s favourite iteration of Doctor Who’s The Doctor play the role of Phileas Fogg. The story so far is rather excellent, as I mentioned, because this is an episodic set rather than a movie there’s plenty of time to get acclimated with each of the major stops that Fogg and his friends are travelling through. Not to give it away too much, but all sorts of events have taken place in England, France, Italy, Egypt and now India. One of the most defining features of Verne’s story is of Fogg taking a hot air balloon over the Alps. And so in comes our tie into the watches.
The new Hublot Big Bang Zermatt Watch pay tribute to the Matterhorn in their own way. According to my quick search of Googlepedia (or is it Wiki-oogle?), the Matterhorn is the 12th tallest of the Alps, although its near perfectly symmetrical outline makes it one of the most recognisable alongside Mont Blanc. Both watches feature the Matterhorn on their dials, in fact, that’s about the only thing that really stands out on the dials as the rest is matte black. It appears as though there is lume on the hands, although I’m not sure how brightly black-coloured lume shines.
Nevertheless, both Hublot Big Bang Zermatt Watch are black as you like, which is becoming a more popular trend. The larger of the two has a 44mm x 14.1mm case made of matte black ceramic, while the smaller features a 41mm x 12.75mm case. That one also has eight black diamonds set on the dial with more within the bezel. Both are water-resistant to 100m.
Inside the larger is the calibre HUB4100 which is based on the ETA 7753 calibre and has a 42-hour power reserve. The smaller of the two uses the Hub4300 which is not based on the ETA 7753, instead, it’s based on the ETA 2894-2. The main difference between the two is the diameter and the jewel count, apart from that the beat rate and the power reserve (and most other details that matter) are the same. It’s nice that Hublot has covered the movement with a representation of the Matterhorn.
Richard Mille RM 66 Flying Tourbillon
Richard Mille has unveiled its latest technical timepiece with a rebellious spirit — the “Horn To Be Wild” RM 66 Flying Tourbillon.
Attired in a fully curved, tripartite tonneau-shaped case made of Carbon TPT and grade 5 titanium, the Richard Mille RM 66 Flying Tourbillon features an incredibly complex build that underwent an arduous manufacturing process with high level of quality control. It stars a golden skeletal hand gesturing “the devil’s horns” as the centerpiece, which is set in place over the manual winding tourbillon calibre.
Positioned at the 12 o’clock mark is a skull seal that pays homage to Richard Mille’s iconic RM 052 model, which is also the brand’s first watch to “stir up rebellion and the advent of non-conformity in haute horlogerie.” The skull motif is echoed on the spidery and claw-like torque-limiting crown, accompanied by polished red gold pyramid studs. In addition, the watch incorporates unusual-looking hour markers that are screwed onto the upper flange, which comes in a shape that emulates guitar picks to add to its rock’n’roll aesthetics.
Richard Mille knows how to get conversations started on the world-wide-watch-web. Whether you love the brand or hate it, you’re bound to feel something when confronted with a picture of a new RM release on your Instagram feed. Which kind of means they’re doing something right.
This latest model is anything but short of divisive. At first glance, the Richard Mille RM 66 Flying Tourbillon “Horn To Be Wild” looks like a watch made for two sides of extreme. Exhibit A : aging rockstar who wears deep v-neck t-shirts, skinny jeans and prayer beads, this rockstar once lived to beat the system, and now resides in a 20 million pound home in Kensington. Exhibit B: L.A. hypebeast decked out in Amiri with zero taste barometer and a rose gold Brabus G Wagon (car reference courtesy of Highsnobiety automotive editor Jonathan Schley).
Now for the actual watch and its contents . The rose gold openwork hand, which sits as the proud centerpiece of the RM66 is instantly recognizable. Its representation of the “sign of the horns” symbol was popularized by Ronnie James Dio of Black Sabbath fame. The link isn’t hard to make: think Ozzy Osborne biting off bat heads, think Gene Simmons and his “The Demon” stage persona (or the Family Guy parody thereof), think Hells Angels and faded “I heart mom” tattoos.
The “sign of the horns” is ultra emblematic to a modern audience, but this type of skeletal imagery has always been imbued with meaning. Visual artists have employed the same code for hundreds of years, typically as a Memento Mori – a symbolic reminder of the inevitability of death. Found across various mediums, these ancient skulls weren’t intended to scare. Peversley, they were a jovial reminder of the imminent pleasures of the afterlife as famously depicted in the Danse Macabre. This watch uses much of the same code. The RM66 isn’t morbid, it’s life affirming, it’s rock and roll.
The message carries through onto the design of the rest of the watch. No surface or detail is spared of the punk rocker aesthetic. The Carbon TPT bezel and caseback almost resembles a Glam Rock style monochrome animal print, the caseband features 5N red gold plates with a clou de Paris pattern (aka a studded belt pattern, the ultimate punk rock signifier and early 2000s Kelly Osborne / Avril Lavine accessory) and the gothic-inspired spider-like crown displays a small skull engraving and encases a synthetic ruby. The crown resembles the top of a scepter, a symbol of gothic culture; it embodies something I like to call The Great Frog aesthetic: a crossover of gothic, punk and leather.
But let’s set these audacious looks aside for a second, because there’s a whole lot of fine watchmaking happening inside of this black carbon TPT tonneau shaped case.
The openwork Richard Mille RM 66 Flying Tourbillon features a manual winding caliber which showcases a fast-winding barrel positioned at six o’clock and the tourbillon at 12 o’clock. The grade 5 titanium movement, whose lines follow those of the hand, is highly skeletonized. This is possible thanks to a flying tourbillon with a cage that is fixed at only one end of its axis, eliminating the upper bridge.
The tripartite case is assembled using 20 spline screws in grade 5 titanium and is fitted with 2 Nitril O-ring seals to 50 meters of water resistance.
Of course it’s all in the material at Richard Mille: The Carbon TPT used is composed of multiple layers of parallel filaments obtained by dividing carbon fibers. These layers are then woven on a special machine and heated to 120°C. Using Carbon TPT basically means there’s far less chance of you scratching, cracking or making nicks in your watch. The damascene effect (I’m still calling it animal print) differs from one watch to the next, making each watch unique.
Back to the decorative elements of this openwork splendor. There is a small skull engraving set atop the tourbillon, which echoes the skulls we’ve seen in previous RM designs. The indices could be mistaken for joint sockets, or tiny baby teeth. Turns out they are meant to be guitar plectrums.
The engraved hand is attached to the barrel bridge, with the index and little fingers outstretched and visible from the front, whilst the thumb holding the middle and ring fingers are visible from the back of the watch. Whether this is very much your cup of tea or your worst possible nightmare, the engraving work executed here deserves all the praise and more. As somebody who has collected and inherited charms since their early teenage years, the level of detail on this x-ray hand has me wondering if RM only hires engravers with doll-sized hands. The finishing is indeed manual, with the contours of the bones and delicate joints created by deburring and polishing.
Yes, ossuary artifacts are inherently morbid, but the point here is to turn that natural instinct on its head. Something that should be weird, scary and gross is instead associated with free spirit and rebellion which echoes the RM anti-conformist spirit perfectly.
Richard Mille just gave us permission to stick up our horns and embrace our inner rebel, something I enjoy doing in this sometimes very stuffy watch space.
OK, so the watch has a million-dollar price tag, but this watch isn’t for us mere mortals. It’s for the actual aging rock stars collecting their royalties from a castle in France. I don’t see the problem with enjoying Richard Mille from afar. Are we not allowed to enjoy something without owning it? This is an objet d’art!
Divisive as the brand’s products may be, their cultural relevance is so significant that the Tonneau-shaped RMs are not just relegated to the musings of hardcore watch enthusiasts, Richard Mille is part of the mainstream cultural discourse. Yes, it helps when Pharrell and Rafael Nadal are your brand ambassadors, it also helps when the price tag can sometimes be north of a million dollars. But I love RM for pushing the boundaries and essentially reframing the definition of a luxury watch: Luxury is no longer just about owning a giant gold or platinum brick timepiece.
The RM66 is an accessory with a whole lot of personality, done in the most Richard Mille way. The high grade materials, the progressive mechanical function, the top-notch decorative elements. The various themes and motifs used by the brand can often be tongue-in-cheek but they are always done to material and mechanical perfection. This type of watch world rebellion is what keeps me interested in the brand. Serious haute horlogerie but always fun, always with a f**k you approach.
Wearing a Richard Mille is like the rich man’s equivalent of dying your hair blue. It’s punk with a price tag. Is this going in my personal Richard Mille hall of fame? Probably not. I’m an RM88 Smiley, RM07-03 Bon Bon kinda gal. This watch would have even scared the 14-year-old version of me who listened to slipknot and wore safety pins in her jeans.
Does this look like an archeological excavation gone wrong, does this watch belong to James Goldstein? Richard Mille doesn’t care. They are sticking it to the purists.
Urwerk UR-100V “T-Rex”
You can call Urwerk watches by many names, but shy or conservative aren’t part of this vocabulary. Daring, bold, provocative, futuristic, unusual, these are perfect ways to describe these complex and avant-garde creations. Apart from the watches inspired by sci-fi and space exploration, one of the most striking models ever was the UR-105 T-Rex, a textured, patinated bronze reptile that, incidentally, also displays the time, in classic Urwerk style. This design is back, this time in the brand’s latest creation, with the new UR-100V T-Rex.
As said, bronze was used for the first time by Urwerk in 2016, with the UR-105 – back then, the simplest model in the collection. At first, the use of this metal, which somehow represents the past and antique objects, doesn’t really make sense in the context of ultra-modernism usually presented by Urwerk. But the brand likes to do things in a different way. Bronze isn’t used here to bring a vintage diver’s watch idea but to make an object with a more organic look, a more primal attraction, which is reinforced by the unusual texture of the case.
Now, in 2022, the brand introduces this same design concept on its new classic model, the UR-100V T-Rex. Presented in 2019, this watch is a sort of back to basics, the “essential” Urwerk with a focus mostly on its signature display. Since its debut in the 1990s, the independent brand created by Martin Frei and Felix Baumgartner stands out with its radical, futuristic designs and its original way to portray time. The idea of wandering hours, like those on a sundial, is omnipresent. The stage was set from the very beginning with the creation of the UR101/102 displaying time on an arc. Then came the satellite time indication with a host of creative and complex iterations… satellites, cams, transporters, rotating cubes, telescopic hands, and retrograde indications. But with the UR-100, there was the intention to go back to the roots of the brand, with a display that echoed the first watches of Frei and Baumgartner.
The UR-100 features the emblematic satellite time display with orbital hour satellites. The red-tipped minute pointers on the hour satellites disappear after 60 minutes, later replaced by the next hour. Yet, the red tip reappears on another part of the dial, to display original astronomical indications: distance travelled on Earth (at 10 o’clock) and distance travelled by Earth (at 2 o’clock).
As explained in our article on the first models: “Basically, it uses the speed of Earth at the equator or the Earth’s orbital speed around the sun to display the distance travelled from these different perspectives in about 20 minutes. For instance, at the equator, the circumference of the Earth is 40,070 kilometres, and the day is 24-hours long so the speed is 1,670 kilometres/hour. That gives you the 555.55km travelled in about 20 minutes by the indicator at 10 o’clock. In a similar fashion, the indicator at 2 o’clock shows the distance Earth has travelled around the sun, a journey spanning some 35,740 km every 20 minutes. Naturally, these additional ‘space-time’ indications won’t be of any practical use in everyday life (at least to me) but it’s more an invitation to dream that matches URWERK’s space-age universe quite well.”
This year, the brand brings back the UR-100V T-Rex concept with this new Urwerk UR-100V model, which only differs in terms of colours and materials. The 41mm width x 49.7mm length case is made of bronze and PVD blackened titanium. The bronze has undergone three successive treatments. The first lies in the unusual composition of the alloy which results in a delicate patina. The bronze is then in the hands of a computer-controlled milling station that carves the pattern of scales on the top and sides of the case. The final processes, sand-blasting and Urwerk’s proprietary method of biochemical burnishing, give the watch its distinctive colour. Finally, these bevelled pyramids are truncated and polished to present a surface that is pleasing to the touch.
The display is here presented with a combination of dark colours – black background and bronze-coloured rotating elements – with bright yellow indications for maximum contrast. The watch is worn on a black alligator strap with bronze pin buckle.
The UR-100V T-Rex back of the watch reveals the movement, the automatic calibre 12.01. The drilled full rotor is regulated by a planetary flat turbine to minimise shocks to the rotor bearing and to reduce wear and tear. A traditional URWERK feature, the baseplates are in ARCAP, an alloy that does not contain iron and is not magnetic. The calibre 12.01 beats at 28,800 vibrations per hour and its power reserve is 48 hours.
