Category: Watch for Sale

Watch for Sale,Replica watches for sale, cheap watches for sale,fake watches for sale,

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Louis Vuitton Escale Spin Time

The Louis Vuitton Escale Spin Time Tourbillon Central Blue watch is a new-for-2018 product that as of writing isn’t even on the Louis Vuitton website. It is common that the brand’s most exclusive timepieces aren’t listed widely or at all on their website. I can’t say why that is, but for the time being, it certainly adds a serious perceived level of exclusivity to these products. This particular Louis Vuitton watch combines three important features that the brand is proud of. First is its dress-style Escale case, which here is 41mm wide and in 950 platinum and titanium. Second is the brand’s proprietary “Spin Time” complication, and third is the central in-house made tourbillon.

The Louis Vuitton Escale Spin Time Tourbillon Central Blue certainly isn’t a watch for the average Louis Vuitton customer with its close to $150,000 price point. Aside from some very exclusive pieces of luggage, the brand’s timepieces represent among the most expensive items available in their catalog. Fine watches, in general, make for a very appropriate halo product for fashion brands who want people to take their in-house craftsmanship and manufacturing capabilities as seriously as possible. Where does this leave watch collectors? A lot of times watch collectors look upon pricey luxury timepieces from “fashion houses” with skepticism. “Are these actually well made? Are these actually mechanically competent? How much of the price is just a brand tax?” These are all important questions whose answers greatly depend on the brand and product. In the context of Louis Vuitton, the simple answer is that the larger LVMH group is very seriously into watches given its ownership of Hublot, TAG Heuer, Zenith, Bulgari, and more. On top of that, Louis Vuitton itself has its own watchmaking facility known as La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton. It is there that the Louis Vuitton Escale Spin Time Tourbillon Central blue is produced.

Centrally-mounted tourbillons are no longer as rare as they once were – though they are still uncommon and very cool. The idea is that the spinning tourbillon is mounted in the absolute center of the dial, as opposed to a position such as right over 6 o’clock. Omega was the first brand that helped popularize the central tourbillon – and they still produce a few of those on a limited basis. Centrally-mounted tourbillons are tricky because you can’t exactly mount hands over them. So watches with central tourbillons all need alternatives to the traditional centrally-mounted hour and minute hands. Here the solution is interesting and fun – and this is where the Spin Time complication comes in. Note that “Spin Time” actually represents a few different types of complications Louis Vuitton has used over the years. What each has in common is the use of twelve cubes which spin in order to indicate information such as the current hour. As such, on the dial of the Escale Spin Time Tourbillon Central are twelve painted cubes that spin to reveal the current hour when it is their turn. The cubes are colored blue using a form of hand-operated pad printing, which carefully transfers segments of color onto the small surfaces one small piece at a time. A smaller hand to indicate the minutes projects from the periphery of the tourbillon assembly, whose mounting is actually under/around the tourbillon system. Another note on the hour hands is that they indicate the time in 24-hour format. That means the first time around the dial, the hours indicate 1-12. The second time around they indicate hours 13-24. This makes the watch a bit quirkier, but at the end of the day, I think it is more interesting. Though the appeal will be for places which are more familiar using the 24-hour format – which doesn’t include the United States where most consumers prefer a 12-hour format. In true brand fashion, the tourbillon cage is shaped to look like a “V” for “Vuitton.” It is set against a lovely matte blue surface and the flying tourbillon visual experience is really handsome and attractive, in my opinion. The movement is known as the Louis Vuitton LV 92, and it is an automatic with a sort of hidden automatic rotor whose motion can be viewed on the rear of the watch. You can see more about how this rotor looks and more about the Escale-style case in my aBlogtoWatch review of the Louis Vuitton Escale Time Zone 39 watch here. The LV 92 automatic movement operates at 4Hz (28,800 bph) with 40 hours of power reserve. I believe it is a base movement with a module on top for the Spin Time and flying tourbillon systems.

In general, I like the Escale case a lot. It is dressier than the brand’s Tambour cases, and the lug structure design is inspired by Louis Vuitton trunk luggage from the past. Again, this model has a 41mm wide case that is actually not too thick at 12.8mm. It’s water-resistant to 30m, of course, has a double sapphire crystal on the front and back, and is produced from titanium and 950 platinum parts. What an interesting combo that we don’t see every day. The middle case is brushed titanium, while the lugs, crown, and bezel are in 950 platinum. Attached to the case is a blue-colored alligator strap with a cool yellow rubber lining that promotes comfort and the overall life of the strap.

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Richard Mille RM 07-04

Richard Mille has expanded its line-up by introducing the new Richard Mille RM 07-04 ultra-lightweight sports watch. What makes the latest collection truly special is that it’s the brand’s first-ever multi-faceted sports watch dedicated to women. Richard Mille has a long history of working with renowned athletes and sporting personalities, with its long-standing collaboration with Spanish tennis superstar Rafael Nadal being the most famous of them all. But the watch brand is known for supporting different sports, especially motorsports, and crafting highly technical watches that can withstand the demanding conditions linked to those sports. However, this is the first time Richard Mille has made a sports watch specifically for women and dedicated it to six of its female sporting ambassadors, which include racecar driver Aurora Straus, Florida-based golfer Nelly Korda, and Ukrainian high jumper Yuliya Levchenko.
The new Richard Mille RM 07-04 Automatic Sport features the brand’s familiar tonneau-shaped case with curved edges that measures 30.50mm x 44.95mm x 10.35mm. Constructed out of quartz TPT or carbon TPT depending on the version, the entire watch weighs just 36 grams, including its Velcro strap. The collection includes 6 different variants for the six athletes, rendered in different radiant colors. The Richard Mille RM 07-04 watch is powered by the new CRMA8 caliber. The sturdy in-house skeletonized automatic winding movement is made of grade 5 titanium and offers 50 hours of power reserve.
The baseplate and bridges are in black PVD-coated titanium, and the movement is resistant to 5,000g of acceleration. The skeletonized dial also features a clutter-free design with just hours, minutes, and a function selector on offer. “Rather than limit ourselves to a minimalist aesthetic, we chose a skeletonised movement with visible complexity,” explained the creative and development director at Richard Mille Cécile Guenat. As far as the pricing goes, it can be yours for $300 apiece.

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seiko king seiko review

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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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.