The dial features applied luminous hour markers in black, white or orange for increased readability. The Black Swan houses a Roger Dubuis in-house caliber decorated with Geneva Seal. It comes presented on a black divers strap. MSRP 16'500CHF.
2011-08-30
ROGER DUBUIS Easy Diver BLACK SWAN (first look)
By TLex A first look at the latest addition to the ROGER DUBUIS Easy Diver collection. The Easy Diver BLACK SWAN combines a highly scratch-resistant ceramic rotatable divers bezel with a 46mm stainless steel mid-case. The watch, which has a water-resistance of 30 bar or 300 meters recalls its namesake with its black bezel and dial.
The dial features applied luminous hour markers in black, white or orange for increased readability. The Black Swan houses a Roger Dubuis in-house caliber decorated with Geneva Seal. It comes presented on a black divers strap. MSRP 16'500CHF.
The dial features applied luminous hour markers in black, white or orange for increased readability. The Black Swan houses a Roger Dubuis in-house caliber decorated with Geneva Seal. It comes presented on a black divers strap. MSRP 16'500CHF.
REACTOR Poseidon LE V2 (new)
By TLex Did you miss out on the REACTOR Poseidon LE? You might have done because the first version of Poseidon LE sold out faster than any other limited edition REACTOR watch in the brand's history. The Poseidon LE V2 will now sport a new yellow internal rotatable bezel instead of orange. It is a limited edition of just 500 pieces, which which will start shipping this October . . .
BOSCHETT Harpoon (rendering)
By TLex Here’s another look at the new BOSCHETT Harpoon. It will come with both stainless steel and lumed ceramic bezels. And will come fitted with a 24mm steel bracelet with a ratcheting clasp similar to the type used by Cave Dweller. See below for further specifications . . .
Diameter (9-3) = 45mm; (10-4) = 47mm
Lug width = 24mm
Lug-to-lug length = 52mm
Thickness = 14.9mm + 0.5mm bezel lip
Sapphire crystal = 4.35mm thick
HRV at 9:00
Diameter (9-3) = 45mm; (10-4) = 47mm
Lug width = 24mm
Lug-to-lug length = 52mm
Thickness = 14.9mm + 0.5mm bezel lip
Sapphire crystal = 4.35mm thick
HRV at 9:00
2011-08-28
2011-08-27
HELSON Blackbeard WHITE
By TLex Same watch as the Blackbeard, but with a white dial; this time HESLON have gone for an even larger skull 'n' cross bones motif in BGW9 blue lume. For furthers details follow the HELSON logo below . . .
2011-08-24
KAVENTSMANN Bathyal BRONZE (low-tech meets hi-spec.)
By TLex In German, ‘Kaventsmann’ is a term used colloquially to describe hefty objects. It is also used to describe rogue waves, a natural phenomenon whereby large waves seem to spontaneously occur far out to sea. The name BATHYAL refers to the bathypelagic zone lying between 1000 and 4000 meters.
No two names could be any more apt for a hefty handmade German dive watch, which has been pressure tested to 290 bar. A dive watch made using traditional low-tech artisan methods; from the humble paper and pencil to the lathe. And a dive watch that is not only magnificent to look at, but pretty damn impressive on paper, too . . .
Introducing the Kaventsmann BATHYAL Bronze, entirely handmade in Germany, the work of just one man wanting to hand build a watch for his father’s birthday. Like its namesake the KAVENTSMANN Bathyal Bronze is big and hefty. Its case measures 48mm in diameter with a thickness of 19mm and an overall length of 56mm.
The type of Bronze used for the Bathyal Bronze, CuSn8, also used by Panerai for the latest version of the Luminor Submersible, the PAM 382 ‘Bronzo’. It is favored for its high structural strength and warm-tones that are the result of its natural aging process.
The BATHYAL’s large bronze crown system was developed by Kaventsmann; a rundle nut is fixed on tubes and the crown is then screwed into the nut. The crown system has then been sealed 4 times. It features an 8mm thick Plexiglass acrylic crystal of the type used for the windows of the U.S. Navy Bathyscaphe Trieste, the first and only manned submersible to venture to the bottom of the Mariana Trench.
The watch features a 5mm thick caseback fixed with 4 specialized screws. At the moment the prototype caseback is made of bronze, but Titanium or 316L stainless steel are possibilities. Personally I favor titanium for its hypoallergenic properties and light weight, which will make the Bathyal Bronze a far more comfortable wear against the wrist.
Further features and specifications of the Bathyal Bronze include: certified water-resistance up to 290 bar/ 2900 meters (below: destroyed crystal / K.U.M certificate), a Swiss ETA 2824-2 mechanical movement, Super-LumiNova applied hands and markers, a 24mm x 5mm thick leather strap. The buckle is yet to be confirmed, but it will possibly also be handmade and in bronze.
KAVENTSMANN will offer 3 finishes for the Bathyal Bronze: polished, blasted or brushed. A further option for a left-handed crown position is also available. Production of a Limited Edition of just 20 pieces will start in September. The Kaventsmann BATHYAL Bronze is priced at 1199 €uro / ≈ 1734USD
For the latest Bathyal Bronze developments log onto the KAVENTSMANN Facebook page or simply follow the logo below to the Kaventsmann website (currently under construction) . . .
No two names could be any more apt for a hefty handmade German dive watch, which has been pressure tested to 290 bar. A dive watch made using traditional low-tech artisan methods; from the humble paper and pencil to the lathe. And a dive watch that is not only magnificent to look at, but pretty damn impressive on paper, too . . .
Introducing the Kaventsmann BATHYAL Bronze, entirely handmade in Germany, the work of just one man wanting to hand build a watch for his father’s birthday. Like its namesake the KAVENTSMANN Bathyal Bronze is big and hefty. Its case measures 48mm in diameter with a thickness of 19mm and an overall length of 56mm.
The type of Bronze used for the Bathyal Bronze, CuSn8, also used by Panerai for the latest version of the Luminor Submersible, the PAM 382 ‘Bronzo’. It is favored for its high structural strength and warm-tones that are the result of its natural aging process.
The BATHYAL’s large bronze crown system was developed by Kaventsmann; a rundle nut is fixed on tubes and the crown is then screwed into the nut. The crown system has then been sealed 4 times. It features an 8mm thick Plexiglass acrylic crystal of the type used for the windows of the U.S. Navy Bathyscaphe Trieste, the first and only manned submersible to venture to the bottom of the Mariana Trench.
The watch features a 5mm thick caseback fixed with 4 specialized screws. At the moment the prototype caseback is made of bronze, but Titanium or 316L stainless steel are possibilities. Personally I favor titanium for its hypoallergenic properties and light weight, which will make the Bathyal Bronze a far more comfortable wear against the wrist.
Further features and specifications of the Bathyal Bronze include: certified water-resistance up to 290 bar/ 2900 meters (below: destroyed crystal / K.U.M certificate), a Swiss ETA 2824-2 mechanical movement, Super-LumiNova applied hands and markers, a 24mm x 5mm thick leather strap. The buckle is yet to be confirmed, but it will possibly also be handmade and in bronze.
KAVENTSMANN will offer 3 finishes for the Bathyal Bronze: polished, blasted or brushed. A further option for a left-handed crown position is also available. Production of a Limited Edition of just 20 pieces will start in September. The Kaventsmann BATHYAL Bronze is priced at 1199 €uro / ≈ 1734USD
For the latest Bathyal Bronze developments log onto the KAVENTSMANN Facebook page or simply follow the logo below to the Kaventsmann website (currently under construction) . . .
2011-08-22
JOHN ISAAC Rough Sea (chocolate fantasy)
By TLex The JOHN ISAAC, Rough Sea is a wristwatch with a bit of an identity crisis; it thinks it’s a dive watch! Why am I blogging about it then? Firstly I couldn’t help myself, but also because despite its fantasy about being a diver it’s a pretty decent looking sports watch. This might come as surprise, when you consider all the influences it has drawn from and then thrown together . . .
INFLUENCES Starting with the case; there’s some Patek Philippe going on here, notes of the Nautilus and the Aquanaut. Then what John Isaac call ‘two diametrically opposed crowns' à la JeanRichard DIVERSCOPE. The hour hand is also quite reminiscent of the Bell & Ross BR02’s minute hand. But, shouldn’t it have been the minute hand in orange not the hour hand? That’s the one that’s supposed to be the prominent one, so that a diver can check his dive time at a glance. Finally as if to say ‘Why the heck not?’; the quirky Franck Muller-esque font used for 12 hour index on the dial.
I WANT TO BE A DIVER WHEN I GROW UP John Isaac say: ‘To guarantee the water-tightness of your watch we place it in a specially designed hypobaric chamber to stimulate the pressure 50 meters below sea level. At this level the pressure exerted on the sapphire glass and the case back is equal to 5 tons.’ All that talk of hyperbaric chambers and tons per square foot almost had me fooled for a minute. Only 50 meters though! Even the Patek Philippe Aquanaut has a water-resistance of 120 meters.
Then, when talking about the lume, which has been thoughtfully applied to the hands (including the prominent hour hand!) and markers John Isaac say: ‘This invention was critical for divers to be able to see how much breathing mix they had left in their tanks. It gets pretty light deprived 100 meters under the sea!’ I thought they said the Rough Sea was only good for 50 meters; what are they going on about!?
Nevertheless they go on to say about the Rough Sea, that it’s ‘ideal for those with a habit of riding waves, or diving below them.’ I think the Rough Sea would be more ideally suited for those with a habit of riding the waves of their paddling pools, or those that would dive below their desks!
SIZE MATTERS Although I actually quite enjoy wearing larger watches of 47mm and upwards, I think it would be fair to say that these days 45mm is an optimal size for any sport or divers watch. John Isaac wouldn’t agree, though. The Rough Sea measures a mere 35.5mm in diameter, when a Patek Philippe Aquanaut measures 40mm!
CHOCOLATE Feeling hungry? John Isaac say: ‘The dial is decorated with a fine engraving called ‘Tablette Chocolat’. This involves the cutting of an intricate pattern in the dial’s surface with a lathe-like machine called a ‘Rose Engine’. The resulting decoration gives a sense of a slab of chocolate ready to be broken in to tasty square chunks’. Yummy! Is this an industry term that I haven’t come across? Who else is using ‘Tablette Chocolat’? Do you see what I mean about an identity crisis? The Rough Sea isn't quite sure what it is!
ILLUMINATION OK, comedy hour is over, something interesting. The Rough Sea’s hands and markers have been treated with LumiNova®. That’s not Swiss Super-LumiNova®, but Japanese developed phosphorescent pigments, which are based on Strontium Oxide Aluminate chemistry. This is drastically different from more conventional phosphorescent pigments, which are either based on Zinc Sulfide or on radioisotopes for their self-luminous properties. I have no idea how it compares to the Super-LumiNova.
SPECIFICATIONS Further specification include: An ETA 2824 Self-winding mechanical movement with deluxe finishing, which can be viewed through a sapphire crystal exhibition caseback. The Rough Sea comes on a black water buffalo bracelet with three part fold-over clasp (with threaded length adjustment feature). It is supplied with a second black rubber strap and is available from the John Isaac store priced at 1990CHF.
DEDICATION I dedicate this post to all those old farts, who whine and moan about over-sized dive watches with unnecessarily high depth ratings, you know who you are. I think the 35.5mm Rough Sea with its 50 meter depth rating might be just what you were looking for . . .
INFLUENCES Starting with the case; there’s some Patek Philippe going on here, notes of the Nautilus and the Aquanaut. Then what John Isaac call ‘two diametrically opposed crowns' à la JeanRichard DIVERSCOPE. The hour hand is also quite reminiscent of the Bell & Ross BR02’s minute hand. But, shouldn’t it have been the minute hand in orange not the hour hand? That’s the one that’s supposed to be the prominent one, so that a diver can check his dive time at a glance. Finally as if to say ‘Why the heck not?’; the quirky Franck Muller-esque font used for 12 hour index on the dial.
I WANT TO BE A DIVER WHEN I GROW UP John Isaac say: ‘To guarantee the water-tightness of your watch we place it in a specially designed hypobaric chamber to stimulate the pressure 50 meters below sea level. At this level the pressure exerted on the sapphire glass and the case back is equal to 5 tons.’ All that talk of hyperbaric chambers and tons per square foot almost had me fooled for a minute. Only 50 meters though! Even the Patek Philippe Aquanaut has a water-resistance of 120 meters.
Then, when talking about the lume, which has been thoughtfully applied to the hands (including the prominent hour hand!) and markers John Isaac say: ‘This invention was critical for divers to be able to see how much breathing mix they had left in their tanks. It gets pretty light deprived 100 meters under the sea!’ I thought they said the Rough Sea was only good for 50 meters; what are they going on about!?
Nevertheless they go on to say about the Rough Sea, that it’s ‘ideal for those with a habit of riding waves, or diving below them.’ I think the Rough Sea would be more ideally suited for those with a habit of riding the waves of their paddling pools, or those that would dive below their desks!
SIZE MATTERS Although I actually quite enjoy wearing larger watches of 47mm and upwards, I think it would be fair to say that these days 45mm is an optimal size for any sport or divers watch. John Isaac wouldn’t agree, though. The Rough Sea measures a mere 35.5mm in diameter, when a Patek Philippe Aquanaut measures 40mm!
CHOCOLATE Feeling hungry? John Isaac say: ‘The dial is decorated with a fine engraving called ‘Tablette Chocolat’. This involves the cutting of an intricate pattern in the dial’s surface with a lathe-like machine called a ‘Rose Engine’. The resulting decoration gives a sense of a slab of chocolate ready to be broken in to tasty square chunks’. Yummy! Is this an industry term that I haven’t come across? Who else is using ‘Tablette Chocolat’? Do you see what I mean about an identity crisis? The Rough Sea isn't quite sure what it is!
ILLUMINATION OK, comedy hour is over, something interesting. The Rough Sea’s hands and markers have been treated with LumiNova®. That’s not Swiss Super-LumiNova®, but Japanese developed phosphorescent pigments, which are based on Strontium Oxide Aluminate chemistry. This is drastically different from more conventional phosphorescent pigments, which are either based on Zinc Sulfide or on radioisotopes for their self-luminous properties. I have no idea how it compares to the Super-LumiNova.
SPECIFICATIONS Further specification include: An ETA 2824 Self-winding mechanical movement with deluxe finishing, which can be viewed through a sapphire crystal exhibition caseback. The Rough Sea comes on a black water buffalo bracelet with three part fold-over clasp (with threaded length adjustment feature). It is supplied with a second black rubber strap and is available from the John Isaac store priced at 1990CHF.
DEDICATION I dedicate this post to all those old farts, who whine and moan about over-sized dive watches with unnecessarily high depth ratings, you know who you are. I think the 35.5mm Rough Sea with its 50 meter depth rating might be just what you were looking for . . .
2011-08-21
BOSCHETT Harpoon (update)
By TLex These are the final drawings of the new BOSCHETT Harpoon. A slight change to the 'harpoon' second hand pointer has been made, but that's about it. Some corrections to my original post, too. The lip will only rise up 1 millimeter not 2, and the lug width is 22mm instead of 24mm. More info. and images can be had on the BOSCHETT Facebook page . . .
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