By TLex Let’s get the not so exciting news out the way with, the new Seastrong Diver 300 Black Chronograph Big Date from Alpina is quartz diver. If you’re comfortable with that, then read on because despite its lack of mechanics this is pretty great dive watch from the Alpina, who have been a part of dive watch history since the 1960s when the vintage Seastrong 10 was already capable of reaching depths of 200 meters.
2015 saw Alpina unveil the SEASTRONG Diver 300 Chronograph Big Date Collection; today, we see the introduction of the new Diver 300 Black, an all-black variant of its successful professional diving big date chronograph. That promises to be a highly recognizable dive watch owing to its all black color code and its oversized red minute hand.
Despite their sometimes ‘’extreme’’ moniker, Alpina don’t actually make the most extreme dive watches that there are – however they do take their diving features pretty seriously. The new Seastrong Diver 300 Black Chronograph Big Date has been designed to deal with whatever conditions a professional diver might encounter while being equipped with all the necessary divers features so that he (or she) can get the information they need, when they need it, for a safe dive.
These include: a 44mm black PVD coated cushion case, luminous dial markers and hands that perfectly contrast against the matt black dial – the minute hand has been oversized, a unidirectional rotational divers bezel with a black aluminum inlay – the 60 minutes markers are luminous, a scratch-resistant Sapphire crystal, a screwdown caseback and crown and a water-resistance 300m/100ft.
So how about the quartz module; this is an Alpina AL-372 Swiss quartz chronograph caliber, a high precision and extremely reliable 1/10th of sec movement that features 30 minutes and 10 hours chronograph counters, add and a split functions, a big date and provides a battery life of 48 months.
Finally the Seastrong Diver 300 Black Chronograph Big Date Chrono comes on a black rubber divers strap and for the desk-diver, there is a beautiful engraving of the Alpina diving symbol on its caseback.
Like Alpina? Check out their latest divers from Basel 2016, the Seastrong HERITAGE and 300 Diver AUTO . . .
By TLex Founded in 1976, Raymond Weil might not be one of the oldest or most famous Swiss watch companies, but they are certainly a well-established brand that most of us have come across in our local watch store.
This is their first dedicated divers watch in (if I’m not mistaken) at least a decade, possibly longer or perhaps ever. And, no I don’t considered the Nabucco a dive watch, which is why I have never discussed it, here.
As supporters of the Realteam sailing team and as its Official Timing Partner for the 2016 season of the D35 Trophy on Lake Geneva and the GC32 Racing Tour internationally, Raymond Weil have launched a new model, a dive watch!
The Freelance Diver Automatic’s modest 42.5mm by 11.8mm thick Stainless steel case is endowed with all your typical divers features: an anti-reflective-coated Sapphire crystal, a unidirectional rotational divers bezel in black ceramic with a luminescent dive-time scale in either white, green or orange and 300 meters of water-resistance.
Beneath its Sapphire crystal caseback is Raymond Weil Swiss automatic movement, the RW4000 caliber with 25 jewels, a beat-rate of 28,800 vph and a power-reserve of 38 hours. Above that, a black galvanic dial with a steel handset and applied markers with green or orange SuperLuminova.
The Freelance Diver Automatic is presented on either: a brushed multi-link steel bracelet or a black rubber sports strap with a steel or steel black PVD folding clasp.
Thoughts? While the RW Freelance Diver Auto is absolutely no threat to any of its better known Swiss dive watch contemporaries, it does offer something a different – that’s if you can live with the weird date window!
BACKGROUND Okay, let's get the obvious out of the way with - this is not a divers watch. At the moment EDMOND Watches don't have a dedicated diver in their collection. This, the Pole Guardian, though is absolutely no slouch. It is a proper sports / adventurists watch with one or two cool tricks up its sleeve that would put more than a few dive watches to shame. If you are not yet au-fait with EDMOND Watches, please follow the link embedded, below.
DIAL This is great starting point for the Pole Guardian because it has imho one of the coolest dials I've seen in a mechanical sports watch; particularly at its price point. To start with the Pole Guardian has a really large dial aperture making it nice and visible. And, yes there is a fair amount going on, but for me, this not only puts the "clock" back in clockwork with its impressive open-work elements and show of cogs but offers something unique in a sports watch.
Let's quickly walk through all the features of this special 24hr dial. To start with we have a matte black background with 5 major elements:
1: An outer ring where all the hour markers are - these are 3D polished appliqué with Swiss C3 lume.
2: A set of 4 cogs, three large cogs with hours: 6/18, 9/21, 12/24 (ED logo) and a small central cog.
The large 24hr cogs are secured to the dial via a polished strut-brace - engraved with "EDMOND Pole Guardian".
3: An open-work date aperture with a large red anodized indicator above it.
4: An outer re-haut with minutes.
The dial is finished off with a set of polished wide trapezoid hands with Swiss C3 lume and a central sweeping seconds hand with a red tipped arrowhead.
The only other thing to remark about the dial is the "Swiss Made" text proudly showing at 5 and 8 o’clock .
My personal feeling for the dial is that I absolutely love it. I take enormous pleasure from simply setting the time or date and watching all the mechanisms working together - so cool!
CASE Well you can't very well have such an impressive dial without an equally impressive case within which to house it. The Pole Guardian has a generous 44mm 316L Surgical Grade Stainless steel multi-piece case. Its is also available in black PVD.
Mid-Case: This has a satin finish. Its shape is more barrel- like than square but something between the two.
Upper / Lower Case: Two additional pieces are secured to the main case with 8 hex-bolts (4 on top and 4 underneath). These pieces have a high-polished finish.
Bezel: A solid Stainless steel, perfectly round fixed bezel with a satin-finished top and sides.
Crown: Integrated into the mid-section of the case is large semi-circular crown guard with a hinge system that allows the crown to be fully and safely closed. It is opened via a
small lever at its top.
At a glance the whole crown system, the mechanism and its overall design is pretty similar to the one that Panerai use. However and this is important - it is totally different. Edmond's crown locking technology goes one step further by allowing you to completely open the guard and crown with one click. And to close is it - similarly with one push of the lever.
EDMOND Watches have spent a lot of time and effort perfecting their system and I can verify that it works beautifully but not only this, it is also rock solid!
Caseback: Screwdown Stainless steel caseback with Sapphire crystal exhibition window.
CRYSTAL The Pole Guardian is fitted with a high-quality, scratch-resistant flat Sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating.
LUME The hands and dial markers of the Pole Guardian have been generously applied with Swiss C3 SuperLuminova which has a green hue. I would rate the lume at "very good".
WR The Pole Guardian has a respectable 200 meters of water-resistance.
MOVEMENT The Pole Guardian is powered by a Swiss made Sellita SW200 automatic movement with: 28 800 alt/h 25 rubies, customized with the Edmond "Power Ring", and a power-reserve of 40 hrs.
The Power Ring is another EDMOND innovation: it is customized piece of additional mass that not only provides better automatic winding but adds another dimension to the winding-rotor’s design.
BRACELET The Pole Guardian comes with either an integrated: high-quality black rubber divers strap or (as shown here), really lovely full Stainless steel bracelet with combination polished and satin-finished center-links. It closes via a butterfly clasp.
LUGS The lugs hare held onto the bracelet via a set of dual lug screws. These are very sturdy and give a nice feeling of security. Of hand I can only recall REACTOR Watches who also use this set-up.
BUILD This is a superbly built and very beautifully finished watch. Everything is top-notch. A huge amount of time and effort has been spent on the watch's design and functionality. It looks good - it feels good!
PRICE You can buy the Pole Guardian online from Edmond for 2150CHF. This is unbelievable value for money. You get so much watch for your money. The Pole Guardian is a proper Swiss made watch and feels every bit as good as any Oris or Hamilton (this are pretty fair comparison brands for me).
© OceanicTime
OVERALL This is my first non-diver review. Obviously my experience lies within the dive watch sector but I know a good watch when I see one. If you aren't exclusively into divers and want something beautiful and unique that can still stand up to the rigors of daily life and more - then please give EDMOND a go. Imho they are not nearly getting the sort exposure that they should be.
If further down the road they decided to adapt the Pole Guardian with its dial into a proper diver I'd be in touch immediately because that would be a fantastic dive watch. The Pole Guardian as it stands is a fantastic sports watch!
