The watch industry, and the bulk of the design within its scope, is controlled by trends. We see adverts and celebrities sporting the latest in ceramic, vintage, over-sized, liquid-filled, tourbillon equipped, slim cased watches but that “next big thing” is often not so new. It is often then that when we see a new model we use other models or established trends to frame this newcomer and understand it in a more comfortable context. When I first saw the Schofield Signalman GMT PR I had to reach for a familiar concept, eventually thanks to its large crown, sparse dial design and polished finish, my brain settled on the Panerai form. The Panerai Luminor 321, for example, has a power reserve and a GMT hand, a sparse dial, high contrast design and plenty of polished metal on its case. It seemed reasonable to compare this British designed, German built, and Swiss powered timepiece with the well known and easily digestible Panerai, right? Upon receiving the review unit from Giles at Schofield and lifting the Signalman GMT PR from its case, I realized the inaccuracy of my assumption. The Signalman does not feel, or impress, like any Panerai I’ve ever experienced and I found myself wearing a watch which felt completely unfamiliar.
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by James Stacey on February 15, 2012
in Watch News
Finnish watch manufacturer Suunto has announced a new GPS ready multi-sport watch they call the Ambit. The Ambit will feature all of the tools we have come to expect from Suunto such as a compass, barometric altimeter, barometer, thermometer, weather tracking, and heart rate monitoring (relies on an optional heart rate belt), an alarm and dual time zones. In addition to this bevy of features, the main new skill set of the Ambit is its SiRFIV chip driven GPS ability. Suunto calls the Ambit “The GPS for Explorers” and, providing it delivers a usable and reliable experience, we can’t think of any reason we wouldn’t want one on-wrist for our next adventure.
The Ambit can manage waypoint navigation and can also render your location in conjunction with multiple coordinate systems. The Ambit can also blend data from its accelerometer and GPS connection to render highly accurate speed and pace measurement data. All of the data collected by the Ambit can be synced with Movescount.com where users can plan and share their next sporting achievement or training goal and even customize certain settings for their watch (via a USB cable).
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by James Stacey on February 13, 2012
in Watch News
Generally speaking, when I hear the term “bauhaus” used in conversation the speaker is employing the term to describe their newest Ikea purchase or as a synonym for minimalist and sleek design. Bauhaus is actually a German school of design which was founded in the 20’s and has seen its values and aesthetics woven into modern architecture, furniture, art, fonts and even clocks and watches. Bauhaus is Germany’s interpretation of the international style and promotes unity between the artist and the craftsman in an attempt to improve the aesthetic qualities of manufactured goods. Being comprised of many artists and designers and having a huge effect on typography, graphic art, and architecture, Bauhaus can be hard to define along any one passion or effect.
The Swiss designer Max Bill was trained in the Bauhaus tradition during the late 20′s in Dessau, Germany. Max Bill would go on to lead a long and creative life with many different design outlets including architecture, typography, graphics, sculpture, and timepieces. In the early fifties, Bill founded the Ulm School of Design in Germany and expanded on his Bauhaus roots while teaching in design theory.
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Archimede Watches is a small German brand which has been producing mechanical sport watches since 2003. Archmiede is part of the German company Ickler which also produces Limes Watches, Autran & Viala, and Defacto. In 1924, Karl Ickler founded this case manufacturing business in Pforzheim (Germany) and, after being relaunched by his sons in 1947, Ickler has been manufacturing cases ever since. This interesting company is still controlled by the Ickler family, now three generations older, with one Thomas Ickler currently managing operations.
Being a house brand for a case manufacturer is a good recipe for quality and individuality as it means Archimede watches are not fitted with catalog cases but rather custom designed options that can be made without relying on external manufacturers. Archimede has a loyal following in the watch enthusiast community thanks to many strong designs, competitive pricing, and a wide range of options.
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Benarus has announced availability of their newest TI47 models. The TI47 incorporates titanium construction and an expanded case size into the stylish good looks of the Benarus Moray (which we reviewed here). The TI47 is a lovely and simple design which has been built to be as tough as possible. This Benarus features a 4mm double domed sapphire crystal, 2000m water resistance and timekeeping is provided by the reliable Swiss ETA 2824-2. Assuming your wrist can handle the 47 mm case, the TI47 should have little trouble keeping pace.
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Omega has announced the newest version in their series of James Bond branded watches. This Seamaster celebrates the 50th anniversary of of the 007 films. Based on the “Bond” style Seamaster 300 M platform, these anniversary editions feature either 41 or 36.25 mm stainless steel cases and ceramic bezels which have had the 50 minute marker dressed up in red.
The dial features a less-than-subtle 007 design repeated across its surface and a date window at three o’clock. This COSC certified model is powered by the Omega 2507 automatic Co-Axial movement with a special rotor featuring a design that looks like a bullet. As this is a Seamaster, the predictable 300m water resistance and a manual (crown operated) helium escape valve are still present.
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Few companies have embraced the “vintage inspired” trend with more enthusiasm (and success) than Jaeger-LeCoultre. JLC has a wonderful horological history and many classic models on which they can draw inspiration for new designs or tributes to past models. With notable examples like the lovely Grande Reverso Ultra Thin Tribute to 1931 and the gorgeous Memovox Tribute to Deep Sea, JLC has a firm grasp on their strengths in both aesthetic watch design and technical innovations. The latest model to join their vintage brigade is the Deep Sea Vintage Chronograph (ref: 207857J) which builds on the success of 2011′s Memovox Tribute to Deep Sea by incorporating a two register chronograph into its vintage diver DNA.
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Seiko recently announced a new model in the SAR line of mid-range dress watches. The new SARX range is powered by the Seiko 6R15 automatic movement and comes with a domed sapphire crystal up front and a display case back. The 6R15 is Seiko’s answer to the ETA 2824 and offers the hacking and hand winding ability not seen in their 7Sxx models. Measuring 40 mm across and 13 mm thick, the SARX series should suit any wrist but its styling may prove to be polarizing.
Precursor SAR lines features reserved styling and subtle details while the new SARX features massive markers and roman numerals at twelve and six. These new SARX models are nice looking watches, but we wonder how much more elegant the design might have been if the markers were 50% smaller. Available with your choice of a white (SARX001), black (SARX003) or blue dial (SARX005), this new range from Seiko appears to be available only in Japan with a list price of 68250 JPy (~$890 at time of publication) but grey market dealers will ship worldwide and their pricing is closer to $680 USD. This new design adds a considerable amount of depth and texture to the dial but the over sized markers may prove to be too flashy for an otherwise conservative design. Additional models after the jump.
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Last year we saw the introduction of the Schofield Watch Company and their launch models, the Signalman GMT PR and Signalman DLC GMT PR. These limited edition models pack a formidable case size, lovely British styling, and a host of additional complications. What had essentially started as a passion project for Schofield owner and founder Giles Ellis, has now evolved into a legitimate and very appealing watch brand.
Based out of a small village north of Brighton in the UK, Ellis has no fellow employees and applied his background in design to shape a watch he would like to own. Ellis invested over two and a half years on the Signalman design and production while still managing to create and launch the Schofield brand, its website and he even does all of the photography in house. It’s this attention to detail and love of control that often makes for an excellent product.
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Bremont announced yesterday that they have built upon the success of their military-only C-17 Globemaster model by creating their first World Timer, the ALT1-WT. Featuring the same super hardened Trip-Tick style case we loved on the Supermarine, this new globetrotting tool is powered by the COSC certified Bremont BE-54AE movement and buyers will have the choice of a blue, black or white dial. The BE-54AE is the same movement found in the ALT1-Z line of GMT chronographs and, in addition to its ability to track multiple timezones, allows the ALT1-WT distinct sub-dials for 30 minutes, 12 hours (total measure) and sub seconds.
World timing is handled by the chapter ring of the ALT1-WT which includes a complete timezone listing and allows the user to easily track time changes between their home timezone and any timezone they may travel too (using the GMT hand). Along with a listing of a main cities from each zone (Paris, Tokyo, New York, etc), each of the 24 cities includes a numerical timezone reference. For example, New York City is in EST-5 or, using London as 24 (GMT), NYC is numbered 19. By applying these numbers, the user will be able to quickly determine the local time of any of these cities and reference it against their own.
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The watch industry, and the bulk of the design within its scope, is controlled by trends. We see adverts and celebrities sporting the latest in ceramic, vintage, over-sized, liquid-filled, tourbillon equipped, slim cased watches but that “next big thing” is often not so new. It is often then that when we see a new model we use other models or established trends to frame this newcomer and understand it in a more comfortable context. When I first saw the Schofield Signalman GMT PR I had to reach for a familiar concept, eventually thanks to its large crown, sparse dial design and polished finish, my brain settled on the Panerai form. The Panerai Luminor 321, for example, has a power reserve and a GMT hand, a sparse dial, high contrast design and plenty of polished metal on its case. It seemed reasonable to compare this British designed, German built, and Swiss powered timepiece with the well known and easily digestible Panerai, right? Upon receiving the review unit from Giles at Schofield and lifting the Signalman GMT PR from its case, I realized the inaccuracy of my assumption. The Signalman does not feel, or impress, like any Panerai I’ve ever experienced and I found myself wearing a watch which felt completely unfamiliar.
