Benrus Is Back With The New Heritage Collection

Ever heard of Benrus? No, it’s not one of those ubiquitous and unfamiliar Chinese start-ups you find offering a cornucopia of low budget gadgets, clothes, and accessories on Amazon. It was at one time among the top three largest American watch manufacturers and even attempted to acquire Hamilton back when America led the world in watchmaking.

Now, just in time for its 100^th anniversary, Benrus breathes again. It has been acquired and recapitalized and will be headquartered in New York City, the same city where the brand was born in 1921. Benrus was originally founded in 1921 by Romanian American Benjamin Lazrus (the Ben in Benrus) and his two brothers, immigrants to New York. In 1926, Charles Lindbergh, at the time one of the world’s most famous celebrities, endorsed Benrus and helped put the brand on the map.

Later Benrus also developed a rich military history. After the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor in 1941, the brand became a key military supplier by developing shock-resistant timepieces during WWII, and then later in the Korean and the Vietnam Wars. The DTU-2A was the first military watch produced by Benrus as the sole source of the 1964 U.S. military contract for the Vietnam War. This led to the inspiration for the Type I and II, which went on to define the brand as the “must- have military watch.”

From the 1940’s to the 1970’s Benrus was well known for its military, aviation and dive watches which featured unique groundbreaking functions and quality Swiss movements. Notable Benrus watches include the Ultra Deep Super Compressor and the Benrus Sky Chief, which became the designated watch for the airline industry. They were even given as gifts by U.S. Presidents, Ted Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy.

Steve McQueen, like Charles Lindbergh in the 1920s, made the brand memorably cool by wearing a Benrus #3061 civilian version of the military watch in the 1968 movie Bullitt.

Sadly, it was only a little over ten years later that low-cost Japanese imports fitted with quartz movements forced Benrus to file for bankruptcy in 1977 and beyond that its path became somewhat checkered. In 2017 Mergers and Acquisitions lawyer Michael Sweeney had a Richard Gere moment as in the movie Pretty Woman, and decided he wanted to acquire and build something rather than merge and purge. And so Benrus will be reopened in its new headquarters in its original home at the Hippodrome on 6th Avenue.

“The more I learned about Benrus and its military heritage, the more I found myself wanting to preserve and rebuild this wonderful historic brand, which helped our armed forces protect the USA,”

Michael Sweeney

Going forward, plans for Benrus are ambitious. Former Bulova executive Michael Goeller has taken the helm and assembled a team of watch industry veterans. Benrus will soft launch in early 2020 with the presentation of its new Heritage collection imbued with features of Benrus’ past designs. The official launch will take place later in the year with the reissue of what has been described as “highly collectible” vintage Benrus watches.

“We have a true passion for this project, this brand and the people who believe in us. For this reason, we have recruited top talent in watch design, sales, and management. We look forward to building Benrus back to full strength in time for its 100-year anniversary in 2021.”

Michael Sweeney

The Benrus Heritage collection will sell between $895-$1,395 via the company’s website, as well as at brick-and-mortar locations including Westime in Beverly Hills and Goldtinker in Red Bank, NJ.

 

Shop the Benrus Heritage Collection

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Benrus Is Back With The New Heritage Collection

Ever heard of Benrus? No, it’s not one of those ubiquitous and unfamiliar Chinese start-ups you find offering a cornucopia of low budget gadgets, clothes, and accessories on Amazon. It was at one time among the top three largest American watch manufacturers and even attempted to acquire Hamilton back when America led the world in watchmaking.

Now, just in time for its 100^th anniversary, Benrus breathes again. It has been acquired and recapitalized and will be headquartered in New York City, the same city where the brand was born in 1921. Benrus was originally founded in 1921 by Romanian American Benjamin Lazrus (the Ben in Benrus) and his two brothers, immigrants to New York. In 1926, Charles Lindbergh, at the time one of the world’s most famous celebrities, endorsed Benrus and helped put the brand on the map.

Later Benrus also developed a rich military history. After the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor in 1941, the brand became a key military supplier by developing shock-resistant timepieces during WWII, and then later in the Korean and the Vietnam Wars. The DTU-2A was the first military watch produced by Benrus as the sole source of the 1964 U.S. military contract for the Vietnam War. This led to the inspiration for the Type I and II, which went on to define the brand as the “must- have military watch.”

From the 1940’s to the 1970’s Benrus was well known for its military, aviation and dive watches which featured unique groundbreaking functions and quality Swiss movements. Notable Benrus watches include the Ultra Deep Super Compressor and the Benrus Sky Chief, which became the designated watch for the airline industry. They were even given as gifts by U.S. Presidents, Ted Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy.

Steve McQueen, like Charles Lindbergh in the 1920s, made the brand memorably cool by wearing a Benrus #3061 civilian version of the military watch in the 1968 movie Bullitt.

Sadly, it was only a little over ten years later that low-cost Japanese imports fitted with quartz movements forced Benrus to file for bankruptcy in 1977 and beyond that its path became somewhat checkered. In 2017 Mergers and Acquisitions lawyer Michael Sweeney had a Richard Gere moment as in the movie Pretty Woman, and decided he wanted to acquire and build something rather than merge and purge. And so Benrus will be reopened in its new headquarters in its original home at the Hippodrome on 6th Avenue.

“The more I learned about Benrus and its military heritage, the more I found myself wanting to preserve and rebuild this wonderful historic brand, which helped our armed forces protect the USA,”

Michael Sweeney

Going forward, plans for Benrus are ambitious. Former Bulova executive Michael Goeller has taken the helm and assembled a team of watch industry veterans. Benrus will soft launch in early 2020 with the presentation of its new Heritage collection imbued with features of Benrus’ past designs. The official launch will take place later in the year with the reissue of what has been described as “highly collectible” vintage Benrus watches.

“We have a true passion for this project, this brand and the people who believe in us. For this reason, we have recruited top talent in watch design, sales, and management. We look forward to building Benrus back to full strength in time for its 100-year anniversary in 2021.”

Michael Sweeney

The Benrus Heritage collection will sell between $895-$1,395 via the company’s website, as well as at brick-and-mortar locations including Westime in Beverly Hills and Goldtinker in Red Bank, NJ.

 

Shop the Benrus Heritage Collection

The post Benrus Is Back With The New Heritage Collection appeared first on watchuseek.com.

Deep Dive — A Closer Look At The Glashütte Original Spezialist Collection

New collections appear and disappear in the watch industry relatively frequently, but these days it’s not that often that a brand jumps headlong into a category or genre that they aren’t as well known for. Just such an occasion materialized midway through last year, as Glashütte Original came to market with the Spezialist Collection. What we have here is a new category of tool watches from the brand that started with a trio of watches; the SeaQ, the SeaQ 1969, and SeaQ Panorama Date. While the SeaQ 1969 was a limited production run of only 69 pieces, featuring a few nominal design cues that further link it to its predecessor, the Spezimatic Type RP TS 200, from (you guessed it) 1969, the SeaQ and SeaQ Panorama Date models are pillars of this new collection.

Though similar in essence, there are some vast differences, both visual and technical, between the SeaQ and SeaQ Panorama Date models. Where one clearly targets the vintage design-loving subset of collectors, the other takes on an already strong field in the modern luxury dive watch category. In both camps there are quite a few competitors to battle, but Glashütte Original being who they are, the approach taken was thoughtful, with ample attention paid to the finest of details. The SeaQ Panorama Date is presently offered in either a black or blue sunray finished dial, whereas the SeaQ is only on offer in black—at least for now. Both variants can be had on a rubber strap, a grey synthetic mesh, or fitted with a stainless steel bracelet. We’re especially fond of the micro-adjustment of the steel bracelet, activated by depressing the Glashütte Original logo. This bracelet has been in use by the brand since 2005, where it was first developed for the Sport Evolution model.

Where It All Started

As previously noted, Glashütte Original isn’t—nor has it ever been—known as a tool watch or dive watch brand. That said, the range of models from its predecessor Glashütter Uhrenbetriebe was quite diverse, especially through the ’60s and ’70s. It was in the interest of diversification that Glashütte Original opted to target the dive watch segment, and though not particularly well known or collectible, the Spezimatic Type RP TS 200 proved to be an ideal base upon which to model a new dive watch offering.

Leveraging Heritage

When looking at the SeaQ model, there’s no questioning that the piece is aimed squarely at the vintage-inspired diver segment. Thankfully, a keen eye for detail has always been the hallmark of Glashütte Original’s watch design, and the SeaQ is no exception.

On its dial, details like the choice of a light beige printing on its indices—a color aptly named ‘old radium’ by Glashütte Original, its minute track configuration, and white box surrounding its date window are all directly carried over from the Type RP TS 200. The limited edition (and currently sold-out) SeaQ 1969, meanwhile, differs in that it has green luminous hands, creating a two-toned look—an homage to the original Spezimatic Type RP TS 200. (Another key difference: the SeaQ 1969 also has “25 rubis shockproof” printed on the dial, plus the watch’s edition number engraved on the base plate.)

One of the benefits of the brand owning their own dial manufacturing facility in Pforzheim, Germany is that the initial design and prototyping phase is much quicker and more fluid than if they were to rely on a contractor. Making changes to refine things during the design process is a much less costly and time consuming affair, and thus allows for an ever greater level of fine-tuning.

Looking at the case itself, its 39.5mm diameter, oversized guard-less crown, and domed crystal continue to echo this vintage sentiment. Really, the use of a ceramic bezel insert is the only obvious giveaway from giving the piece an initial glance, as even the design of the tropic rubber strap is appropriately “period correct.”

Embracing Modernity

The SeaQ Panorama Date, unlike its sibling, is much more current in terms of both aesthetics and overall execution. Yes, the style of its indices, hands, domed crystal, and bezel remain intact, but that’s where the similarities end. The ‘old radium’ color has been replaced with applied indices filled with white Super-LumiNova for the blue dial and green Super-LumiNova on the black dial version of the watch.

Its case size has also been increased to a much more substantial 43.2mm across and 15.65mm thick. A key reason for these increased dimensions is the larger self-winding Calibre 36-13 that powers the new release—a movement that is also quite modern in specification.

Though its finishing remains traditional, the Calibre 36-13 is no regular movement. First introduced with Glashütte Original’s Senator Excellence collection, the 4 Hz caliber runs a silicon balance spring — a first for the brand — bolstering both its resistance to magnetism and general running stability. Though using a single mainspring barrel, the piece is capable of holding a power reserve of 100 hours, all while passing a litany of stringent tests of the entire watch over a 24-day period — a rigorous quality assurance procedure that we will discuss in another upcoming feature.

Looking through its exhibition caseback you’ll note the 21k gold mass affixed to its winding rotor. Though a nice visual touch, this is done as much for function as it is aesthetics; given the added length and rigidity of its mainspring, and increased mass is required to maintain proper self-winding.

The Glashütte Original SeaQ and SeaQ Panorama Date are priced from $8,700 and $11,200 respectively.

Learn More About The Glashütte Original SeaQ and SeaQ Panorama Date Here



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Deep Dive — A Closer Look At The Glashütte Original Spezialist Collection

New collections appear and disappear in the watch industry relatively frequently, but these days it’s not that often that a brand jumps headlong into a category or genre that they aren’t as well known for. Just such an occasion materialized midway through last year, as Glashütte Original came to market with the Spezialist Collection. What we have here is a new category of tool watches from the brand that started with a trio of watches; the SeaQ, the SeaQ 1969, and SeaQ Panorama Date. While the SeaQ 1969 was a limited production run of only 69 pieces, featuring a few nominal design cues that further link it to its predecessor, the Spezimatic Type RP TS 200, from (you guessed it) 1969, the SeaQ and SeaQ Panorama Date models are pillars of this new collection.

Though similar in essence, there are some vast differences, both visual and technical, between the SeaQ and SeaQ Panorama Date models. Where one clearly targets the vintage design-loving subset of collectors, the other takes on an already strong field in the modern luxury dive watch category. In both camps there are quite a few competitors to battle, but Glashütte Original being who they are, the approach taken was thoughtful, with ample attention paid to the finest of details. The SeaQ Panorama Date is presently offered in either a black or blue sunray finished dial, whereas the SeaQ is only on offer in black—at least for now. Both variants can be had on a rubber strap, a grey synthetic mesh, or fitted with a stainless steel bracelet. We’re especially fond of the micro-adjustment of the steel bracelet, activated by depressing the Glashütte Original logo. This bracelet has been in use by the brand since 2005, where it was first developed for the Sport Evolution model.

Where It All Started

As previously noted, Glashütte Original isn’t—nor has it ever been—known as a tool watch or dive watch brand. That said, the range of models from its predecessor Glashütter Uhrenbetriebe was quite diverse, especially through the ’60s and ’70s. It was in the interest of diversification that Glashütte Original opted to target the dive watch segment, and though not particularly well known or collectible, the Spezimatic Type RP TS 200 proved to be an ideal base upon which to model a new dive watch offering.

Leveraging Heritage

When looking at the SeaQ model, there’s no questioning that the piece is aimed squarely at the vintage-inspired diver segment. Thankfully, a keen eye for detail has always been the hallmark of Glashütte Original’s watch design, and the SeaQ is no exception.

On its dial, details like the choice of a light beige printing on its indices—a color aptly named ‘old radium’ by Glashütte Original, its minute track configuration, and white box surrounding its date window are all directly carried over from the Type RP TS 200. The limited edition (and currently sold-out) SeaQ 1969, meanwhile, differs in that it has green luminous hands, creating a two-toned look—an homage to the original Spezimatic Type RP TS 200. (Another key difference: the SeaQ 1969 also has “25 rubis shockproof” printed on the dial, plus the watch’s edition number engraved on the base plate.)

One of the benefits of the brand owning their own dial manufacturing facility in Pforzheim, Germany is that the initial design and prototyping phase is much quicker and more fluid than if they were to rely on a contractor. Making changes to refine things during the design process is a much less costly and time consuming affair, and thus allows for an ever greater level of fine-tuning.

Looking at the case itself, its 39.5mm diameter, oversized guard-less crown, and domed crystal continue to echo this vintage sentiment. Really, the use of a ceramic bezel insert is the only obvious giveaway from giving the piece an initial glance, as even the design of the tropic rubber strap is appropriately “period correct.”

Embracing Modernity

The SeaQ Panorama Date, unlike its sibling, is much more current in terms of both aesthetics and overall execution. Yes, the style of its indices, hands, domed crystal, and bezel remain intact, but that’s where the similarities end. The ‘old radium’ color has been replaced with applied indices filled with white Super-LumiNova for the blue dial and green Super-LumiNova on the black dial version of the watch.

Its case size has also been increased to a much more substantial 43.2mm across and 15.65mm thick. A key reason for these increased dimensions is the larger self-winding Calibre 36-13 that powers the new release—a movement that is also quite modern in specification.

Though its finishing remains traditional, the Calibre 36-13 is no regular movement. First introduced with Glashütte Original’s Senator Excellence collection, the 4 Hz caliber runs a silicon balance spring — a first for the brand — bolstering both its resistance to magnetism and general running stability. Though using a single mainspring barrel, the piece is capable of holding a power reserve of 100 hours, all while passing a litany of stringent tests of the entire watch over a 24-day period — a rigorous quality assurance procedure that we will discuss in another upcoming feature.

Looking through its exhibition caseback you’ll note the 21k gold mass affixed to its winding rotor. Though a nice visual touch, this is done as much for function as it is aesthetics; given the added length and rigidity of its mainspring, and increased mass is required to maintain proper self-winding.

The Glashütte Original SeaQ and SeaQ Panorama Date are priced from $8,700 and $11,200 respectively.

Learn More About The Glashütte Original SeaQ and SeaQ Panorama Date Here



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Flieger Friday: Zenith Pilot Type 20 Rescue

Zenith has a credible history of over 100 years with pilot watches, notably with Louis Blériot becoming the first to fly across the English Channel in 1909 with his Zenith pilot watch. Modern Type 20 watches, launched in 2012, take their cues from the Blériot watch with the large case, black dial with large Arabic fonts, cathedral hands, and a large ratcheted crown.

Each year Zenith builds upon the Type 20 pilot series with new dial and case variations. The brand also issues limited releases to support good causes like the Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride to fight prostate cancer. The only mis-step Zenith made was in the early days, when Type 20 watches were powered by Sellita movement. In 2015 Zenith re-released the Type 20 Pilot watch by replacing Sellita movement with an in-house Elite movement.  Type 20 Pilot chronograph continued to be powered by El Primero movement.  This move was well received by watch enthusiasts and retailers.

This week Zenith, which is part of the LVMH group, announced two new watches at their Dubai event.  Both Type 20 Rescue and Type 20 Chronograph Rescue are a first in the series with a stainless steel case and sunray dial.  Until now, the collection had been using a combination of aged case materials and textured colored dials to emulate an early 20th century look.  Combination of steel case and slate grey sunray dial offers a more contemporary aesthetic.

Both pilot watches have a 45mm case diameter in brushed stainless steel, and a domed sapphire crystal with AR coating on both sides.  The lugs are narrow; hence the watch wears smaller on the wrist. Both dials have oversized Arabic numerals entirely made of SuperLuminova for ultimate legibility. The focus on the dial remains on time only without date complication. The rhodium-plated hands have a generous coat of SNL C1 SuperLuminova. Another contemporary aspect of Type 20 Rescue watches is the yellow accents on dial, hands, and the strap.  According to Zenith, yellow is a recurring color in the world of aircrafts that grabs the attention for vital controls and information.

The three-hand pilot is powered by Elite 679 caliber with a central hour, minutes and seconds hands, and a power reserve of 50 hours.  The pilot chronograph is powered by automatic El Primero 4069 column-wheel movement, and has hours and minutes in the center, small seconds at 9 o’clock, central chronograph hand, and 30-minute counter at 3 o’clock. It is a pleasure to wind this butter-smooth movement with the big screw-in crown, possibly the closest experience to winding a pocket watch on wrist. Both pilot watches have a stainless steel case-back engraved with the Zenith flying instruments logo, and they are accompanied with a black vintage calfskin leather strap with rivets.

Both Type 20 Rescue watches make for solid modern pilot watches with credible history and movements. Interesting point to note is the pricing – the three-hand pilot (Ref 03.2434.679/20.I010) is $7,100, and the pilot chronograph (Ref 03.2434.4069/20.I010) is $7,600.  For $500 more you are getting the famous El Primero chronograph movement, which makes for a compelling choice, especially since the case size of both the watches are the same.

Learn More About Zenith Pilot Type 20 Rescue Here

The post Flieger Friday: Zenith Pilot Type 20 Rescue appeared first on watchuseek.com.

Flieger Friday: Zenith Pilot Type 20 Rescue

Zenith has a credible history of over 100 years with pilot watches, notably with Louis Blériot becoming the first to fly across the English Channel in 1909 with his Zenith pilot watch. Modern Type 20 watches, launched in 2012, take their cues from the Blériot watch with the large case, black dial with large Arabic fonts, cathedral hands, and a large ratcheted crown.

Each year Zenith builds upon the Type 20 pilot series with new dial and case variations. The brand also issues limited releases to support good causes like the Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride to fight prostate cancer. The only mis-step Zenith made was in the early days, when Type 20 watches were powered by Sellita movement. In 2015 Zenith re-released the Type 20 Pilot watch by replacing Sellita movement with an in-house Elite movement.  Type 20 Pilot chronograph continued to be powered by El Primero movement.  This move was well received by watch enthusiasts and retailers.

This week Zenith, which is part of the LVMH group, announced two new watches at their Dubai event.  Both Type 20 Rescue and Type 20 Chronograph Rescue are a first in the series with a stainless steel case and sunray dial.  Until now, the collection had been using a combination of aged case materials and textured colored dials to emulate an early 20th century look.  Combination of steel case and slate grey sunray dial offers a more contemporary aesthetic.

Both pilot watches have a 45mm case diameter in brushed stainless steel, and a domed sapphire crystal with AR coating on both sides.  The lugs are narrow; hence the watch wears smaller on the wrist. Both dials have oversized Arabic numerals entirely made of SuperLuminova for ultimate legibility. The focus on the dial remains on time only without date complication. The rhodium-plated hands have a generous coat of SNL C1 SuperLuminova. Another contemporary aspect of Type 20 Rescue watches is the yellow accents on dial, hands, and the strap.  According to Zenith, yellow is a recurring color in the world of aircrafts that grabs the attention for vital controls and information.

The three-hand pilot is powered by Elite 679 caliber with a central hour, minutes and seconds hands, and a power reserve of 50 hours.  The pilot chronograph is powered by automatic El Primero 4069 column-wheel movement, and has hours and minutes in the center, small seconds at 9 o’clock, central chronograph hand, and 30-minute counter at 3 o’clock. It is a pleasure to wind this butter-smooth movement with the big screw-in crown, possibly the closest experience to winding a pocket watch on wrist. Both pilot watches have a stainless steel case-back engraved with the Zenith flying instruments logo, and they are accompanied with a black vintage calfskin leather strap with rivets.

Both Type 20 Rescue watches make for solid modern pilot watches with credible history and movements. Interesting point to note is the pricing – the three-hand pilot (Ref 03.2434.679/20.I010) is $7,100, and the pilot chronograph (Ref 03.2434.4069/20.I010) is $7,600.  For $500 more you are getting the famous El Primero chronograph movement, which makes for a compelling choice, especially since the case size of both the watches are the same.

Learn More About Zenith Pilot Type 20 Rescue Here

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Watch of the Day: The IWC Aquatimer Split Minute Chronograph

Continuing on our exploration of eBay’s authenticate program once again—their buyer protection/authenticity verification program that launched a little while back—we’re onto another pre-owned gem that we’d just about forgotten about since its discontinuation back in 2009. We’re talking about the IWC Aquatimer Split Minute Chronograph, an out-of-the-ordinary diver chronograph with a total of three separate means of timing events. This sounds like overkill—and in many respects it is—but I’ve always had an interest in out-of-the-ordinary complications and this thing entirely fits the bill.

For those who follow IWC’s reference numbers, this is the 3723-04. In production for a fairly brief stint from 2004 to 2009, the line of GST Aquatimers was the brand’s follow-up to their collaborations with Porsche Design on the Ocean 2000.  It’s cased in titanium, and fitted with an integrated bracelet (as is oddly all the rage these days). The bracelet is fitted with a clean single-fold clasp, but it pre-dates the brand’s sleek micro-adjustment that came on later models. The lightness of titanium helps keep the Aquatimer from feeling like a behemoth on the wrist, though it’s worth noting that a rubber strap variant is also available.

Those used to smaller watches are often scared off of pieces like this based on their larger dimensions alone, but much in the same way that my Girard-Perregaux Laureato Evo3 wears much smaller than its specs would suggest (it’s also 44mm on paper), The way the integrated rubber strap drops down from the case makes this piece hug the wrist nicely, rather than being a big, broad, and flat wrist pancake (like some larger IWC models out there).

Functionally, things are relatively straightforward here. On the right, you have your traditional pusher and crown layout; the start/stop pusher is at two, screw-down crown for time setting at three, and reset pusher at four. The lower pusher has added functionality to it, as you may have guessed from its added knurling. rotating this pusher also rotates its inner timing bezel.

Aside from these two timers, there’s now the matter of its split minute complication. Basically the split minute allows for timing within a timing period, I’ve heard of the example of timing the exploring of an underwater cave while timing a dive, but let’s get real here and own the fact that 98% of us aren’t diving. Let’s say you’re on your way to a new job, and you want to see how long it takes you to get from door to door (presuming your commute is less than an hour).

As you step out the door you rotate the timing bezel to align with the minute hand in its current position. You’re half way to work, and suddenly your train stops due to some sort of nonsense—cue the split minute. Trigger the toggle switch at eight o’clock, and a secondary minute hand that usually runs beneath the standard minute hand is paused. When the train starts again, you’ll be able to see the number of minutes elapsed during the unforeseen incident, and subtract it from total time once you get to the office to see how long your commute should take on a normal day. Clever, right?

OK, so this isn’t the most practical complication in the grand scheme of things, though if you use your chronographs for timing things in the kitchen then an additional timer could also come in handy. No matter how many of the three functions you’re considering putting to use, the Aquatimer Split Minute Chronograph is a handsome tank of a watch, and one that’s usually pretty well priced on the secondary market.

Shop the IWC Aquatimer Split Minute Chronograph Here

 

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Omega and the 321 — the Business of Selling the Moon

You’ve likely all seen/heard/read the big news this morning—occurring on the overplayed “Speedy Tuesday”, no less—about the release of Omega’s new Moonwatch Calibre 321 in steel. That’s right, as we’ve been expecting/waiting for, the relaunched hand-winding (and I hate the term) icon of a caliber has appropriately been wedged into a steel 39.7mm case and slathered in vintage-inspired details from the old reference ST 105.003 Speedy from Ed White’s space walk in 1965.

While this news is spreading like wildfire, with many singing praise from rooftops, the real conversation to be had here is all about one thing—pricing. We knew from the moment Omega announced the return of the Calibre 321, which contrary to popular belief could not have taken the ‘extensive research and reconstruction’ touted by the marketing materials, that any watch fitted with the new-old caliber would come at a premium. That said, I’m still bewildered by the fact that those in charge of Omega’s pricing strategy determined that $14,100 USD was the appropriate ask.

Rewind to last year, specifically to Omega’s significant festivities at Cape Canaveral where I had the chance to chat with (among others) Omega’s sitting CEO and President Raynald Aeschlimann shortly after the formal announcement of the 321’s return. At the time I only had one real question on my mind; one question that I asked Raynald directly: ‘Given the caliber 321’s roots as a utilitarian everyman’s chronograph, was there any intent or plan for this caliber to be offered in a more basic and utilitarian steel-cased model down the road?’

Of course (as I’ve seen him do on several occasions), Raynald danced his way around the question without offering a tangible answer, leaving me to wait and speculate until this release landed, which has sadly confirmed nearly a year’s worth of speculation and suspicion.

There are a number of things wrong with a $14k sticker price for this new Speedy—a position I take regardless of knowing that I don’t have a horse in this race. While I can 100% respect its history, and the fact that countless folks out there are Speedy-obsessed, the Speedmaster just doesn’t do anything for me as an enthusiast and watch collector. Closest I’ll ever get to wanting to add one to my personal collection is my appreciation for the Flightmaster, but I digress.

Before even looking at outside competition, the new Speedmaster Moonwatch Calibre 321 fails when facing offerings within its own collection. Yes, I get that Omega has a dedicated workshop for the caliber, a workshop where a single watchmaker deals with a single caliber/watch. But what is that really worth, if you’re in the market for a steel Speedy? At a technical level the 321, past or present, is not a better caliber than the 1861 it eventually evolved into. It’s certainly a quality caliber, robust enough for NASA to bring it into service, and in present guise more elegantly finished than its counterpart, sure.

The point is, Omega already produces the Speedmaster FOIS in a 39.7mm steel case—a recreation of the first Omega in Space, and a watch that can be had for $5,300 on a leather strap. It uses different hands, and does not have the ‘Dot over Ninety’ bezel from the original ST 105.003, nor does it have an exhibition caseback. It’s hard to ignore the question of whether or not the new 321 is worth 2.67 times the price of the FOIS when examined at a purely physical level. Taking things a step further within the world of Omega Speedmasters, would you rather have the reissue 321 for $14k at retail, or a clean, original ST 105.003 Ed White for slightly less than that?

While we’re at it, let’s go through the rest of the catalog. Co-Axial Speedys remain significantly less expensive, and even Dark Side and Grey Side of The Moon references undercut the new Speedmaster 321 by just over $2,000. Speedy Tuesday releases and Snoopy? Both came in a hair over half the price of this latest release. Outside of the solid gold anniversary piece that launched last year (north of $34k), only one limited edition Speedmaster in the current offering eclipses the 321 by a couple grand, and it’s the only one that does so with some semblance of legitimacy. A 357-piece limited edition Split Seconds speedy is out there, powered by a self-winding co-axial caliber with a double column wheel setup. It priced out at $16,200, and unlike this new release (which is not limited) it will be quite scarce in the grand scheme of Speedmaster references.

Taking the lens up a few thousand feet for a moment, we’re all well aware that there’s ample price correction going on in the market, though the direction of said correction is incongruous. While some (Zenith, among others) have been taking steps to make corrections downward overall, we’ve seen steady increases from the likes of Rolex, AP, Patek, and others. Now, on that side of the equation there are a couple of things at play, but more than anything it’s a matter of greater demand than there is supply, and prices are being pushed upwards after the existence of said demand for existing models. In the case of Rolex, the brand has been slowly but consistently updating the specifications of its calibers, further justifying an increase in retail pricing (reportedly 7% in the coming month for the UK market).

This is precisely the difference at hand here. Sure, it’s the return of a caliber that many glorify and obsess over, but what is that really worth? Is it worth 2.67 times that of the Speedy FOIS? At some point there has to be a ceiling where even the most hardcore Speedy enthusiast sees through the shimmering veil of heritage and nostalgia that masks the new 321’s true value.

At the end of the day, take this position on Omega’s ‘latest and greatest’ for what you will. After all, we all know that watch buying is an emotional decision as much, if not more than it is a matter of math and physically attributed value. We also know that there are MANY Speedmaster fanatics out there, and based on sales of past Speedy Tuesday releases, Omega is bound to sell at least a good handful of these to collectors that will be happy to part with the demanded $14,100 sticker price. Would I support the decision personally? No. Do I think it has the slightest chance to become the next Daytona or Nautilus, inflated on the secondary market do to high demand and low supply? While anything is possible, I sincerely hope not.

Learn More About the Speedmaster Cal. 321 on Omega’s Website

The post Omega and the 321 — the Business of Selling the Moon appeared first on watchuseek.com.

Watch of the Day: Frederique Constant Yacht Timer Collection

Even though it’s been nearly four years since Peter Stas and his partner Aletta sold the business to the mighty Citizen Group, they still spend at least two days a week overseeing the entire Frederique Constant operation and deciding upon all the new creations.

While connected watches represent fully 15% of sales for FC, and is what helps the brand to keep afloat, Peter personally still feels a strong connection to the sea. So perhaps he can be forgiven for his latest indulgence, a new Yacht Timer collection comprising five new models.

Changes to the countdown system for yacht races were changed at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. With an increase in the number of boat categories over the years, the time for successive starts had become too long. It was therefore decided to reduce the intervening time gap from 5 – 10 to 3 – 6 minutes.

Introduced in 1997, the Frederique Constant Yacht Timer was the first watch to integrate these new racing rules. It was developed barely 10 years after the founding of the brand in 1988. Now, twenty-two years later, the Regatta has made a comeback to the FC collection.

The new Frederique Constant Yacht Timer collection is not merely inspired by a love of the sea but is designed to be a functional tool—a competition timer, operational in yacht racing conditions.

The Regatta Yacht Timer comes with a built-in timing mechanism that can count down the vital 5 or 10 minutes before the official start of a sailing race. Though the initial start structure shifted in 1996, many professional organizations maintained the 10-minute start until 2001. Some recreational/amateur organizations will still abide by the 10-minute start, and accordingly most regatta timers will maintain the ability to count down more than just 5 minutes. A bad start in yacht racing can be disastrous, and in many respects, the most important part of a yacht race unfolds in those 5-10 minutes before the action begins.

This is when sailors must maneuver their vessel into the best start position without overstepping the imaginary starting line or worse, hitting another boat before the starter’s gun. Such mistakes have been known to cost millions in fines in top races such as the Americas Cup. Proper boat control is paramount, and that control comes from a team effort and knowing when to anticipate the gun. It’s a game of tactics demanding a precision instrument that can be read at a glance since sails have to be raised and then lowered in order to hold the position as close to this line as possible.

A regatta watch is essentially a modified chronograph with a countdown timer, and at sea with strong sunlight and sometimes questionable weather conditions, good visibility is critical.  The five circles at the top of the white dial remain white when the chronograph is not in use, but when activated with the 2 o’clock pusher, one by one they are filled with blue for the first five minutes and then orange for the next five minutes. The indexes of the watch are faceted so as to constantly display a shiny polished side that can be seen regardless of the angle of the sun, while the hands and indexes are filled with luminescent material for dull and overcast days.

Five New Models To Choose From

There are three models in the new 42mm Yacht Timer Regatta Countdown Collection: One is finished in rose gold with a navy-blue dial on a matching navy-blue alligator strap. The second features a blend of steel and rose gold on a two-tone bracelet. The third is in a monochromatic color scheme, with a steel case and silver-plated dial on a black alligator strap. Prices start at US$3,195.

There are also two new Yacht Timer GMTs with a second-time zone function. One features a rose gold-plated case with indexes and hands on a white grained dial and a brown alligator strap. And there’s bicolor steel and rose gold-plated steel bracelet variation finished in rose gold with grained anthracite dial. The watches also come with an extra rubber strap to take the rough and tumble of strenuous activities. Prices for the GMT version start $1,995.

Surprising Practicality

Let’s be fair here—these things are mighty niche, and we know it. That said, a Regatta/Yachting Timer has its own practicalities in day-to-day life. People who like to cook or spend time in front of the BBQ (our EIC Justin Mastine-Frost, for one) find good use for a regatta timer when keeping an eye out for the perfect time interval on the grill or in the pot. Given the dressy design and leather straps on these models they’ll be less practical for things like interval training, but a more casual-wearing Regatta Timer on a rubber strap could also be turned practical during your workout routine too. There are far less practical complications out there—the moon phase, for example—so even though this complication might seem obscure at first glance, don’t discount it too quickly

Shop the Frederique Constant Regatta Countdown Collection

The post Watch of the Day: Frederique Constant Yacht Timer Collection appeared first on watchuseek.com.

Watch of the Day: Frederique Constant Yacht Timer Collection

Even though it’s been nearly four years since Peter Stas and his partner Aletta sold the business to the mighty Citizen Group, they still spend at least two days a week overseeing the entire Frederique Constant operation and deciding upon all the new creations.

While connected watches represent fully 15% of sales for FC, and is what helps the brand to keep afloat, Peter personally still feels a strong connection to the sea. So perhaps he can be forgiven for his latest indulgence, a new Yacht Timer collection comprising five new models.

Changes to the countdown system for yacht races were changed at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. With an increase in the number of boat categories over the years, the time for successive starts had become too long. It was therefore decided to reduce the intervening time gap from 5 – 10 to 3 – 6 minutes.

Introduced in 1997, the Frederique Constant Yacht Timer was the first watch to integrate these new racing rules. It was developed barely 10 years after the founding of the brand in 1988. Now, twenty-two years later, the Regatta has made a comeback to the FC collection.

The new Frederique Constant Yacht Timer collection is not merely inspired by a love of the sea but is designed to be a functional tool—a competition timer, operational in yacht racing conditions.

The Regatta Yacht Timer comes with a built-in timing mechanism that can count down the vital 5 or 10 minutes before the official start of a sailing race. Though the initial start structure shifted in 1996, many professional organizations maintained the 10-minute start until 2001. Some recreational/amateur organizations will still abide by the 10-minute start, and accordingly most regatta timers will maintain the ability to count down more than just 5 minutes. A bad start in yacht racing can be disastrous, and in many respects, the most important part of a yacht race unfolds in those 5-10 minutes before the action begins.

This is when sailors must maneuver their vessel into the best start position without overstepping the imaginary starting line or worse, hitting another boat before the starter’s gun. Such mistakes have been known to cost millions in fines in top races such as the Americas Cup. Proper boat control is paramount, and that control comes from a team effort and knowing when to anticipate the gun. It’s a game of tactics demanding a precision instrument that can be read at a glance since sails have to be raised and then lowered in order to hold the position as close to this line as possible.

A regatta watch is essentially a modified chronograph with a countdown timer, and at sea with strong sunlight and sometimes questionable weather conditions, good visibility is critical.  The five circles at the top of the white dial remain white when the chronograph is not in use, but when activated with the 2 o’clock pusher, one by one they are filled with blue for the first five minutes and then orange for the next five minutes. The indexes of the watch are faceted so as to constantly display a shiny polished side that can be seen regardless of the angle of the sun, while the hands and indexes are filled with luminescent material for dull and overcast days.

Five New Models To Choose From

There are three models in the new 42mm Yacht Timer Regatta Countdown Collection: One is finished in rose gold with a navy-blue dial on a matching navy-blue alligator strap. The second features a blend of steel and rose gold on a two-tone bracelet. The third is in a monochromatic color scheme, with a steel case and silver-plated dial on a black alligator strap. Prices start at US$3,195.

There are also two new Yacht Timer GMTs with a second-time zone function. One features a rose gold-plated case with indexes and hands on a white grained dial and a brown alligator strap. And there’s bicolor steel and rose gold-plated steel bracelet variation finished in rose gold with grained anthracite dial. The watches also come with an extra rubber strap to take the rough and tumble of strenuous activities. Prices for the GMT version start $1,995.

Surprising Practicality

Let’s be fair here—these things are mighty niche, and we know it. That said, a Regatta/Yachting Timer has its own practicalities in day-to-day life. People who like to cook or spend time in front of the BBQ (our EIC Justin Mastine-Frost, for one) find good use for a regatta timer when keeping an eye out for the perfect time interval on the grill or in the pot. Given the dressy design and leather straps on these models they’ll be less practical for things like interval training, but a more casual-wearing Regatta Timer on a rubber strap could also be turned practical during your workout routine too. There are far less practical complications out there—the moon phase, for example—so even though this complication might seem obscure at first glance, don’t discount it too quickly

Shop the Frederique Constant Regatta Countdown Collection

The post Watch of the Day: Frederique Constant Yacht Timer Collection appeared first on watchuseek.com.