CIRCULA AquaSport 2 AVENTURINE & SuperSport RED Limited Editions

Circula kicks of the summer with the launch of two scintillating new Limited Editions models for its diver’s watch AquaSport 2 and SuperSport collections. The AquaSport diver’s watch from Circula which is already being built in its second, improved generation continues to gain in popularity. The highly popular blue version makes its return and is now once again available but in addition Circula has also added a sparkling new Limited Edition to the AquaSport collection: the Aventurine LE, which is a Limited Edition of just 99 pieces. It dial has been made from real blue aventurine quartz. Thanks to the natural material, each dial has a unique structure and is reminiscent of a starry sky due to the microcrystalline inclusions. Launched in Summer 2021, the true super compressor diver's watch SuperSport is now also available in a 99-piece Limited Edition with a red dial with a date disc and is presented on matching red Tropical rubber strap. > The popular SuperSport variant in petrol is also back in stock and now also comes with its own color-matching tropical strap. Both Limited Editions as well as the other models that are available again make use of the high-quality SW200-1, now in Elaboré grade, from Sellita in Switzerland. The AquaSport also gets an improved BOR (Beads of Rice) Stainless steel bracelet with a diver’s safety clasp. The case size of 40mm, the proven water resistance of 200 meters for the AquaSport 2 and 300 meters for the SuperSport, the screw-down crown, and the anti-reflective sapphire crystal with double anti-reflective coating on the inside remain unchanged. The AquaSport combines the design codes of those 1970s skin-divers with modern colors and detailing that set accents. As a special extra, the bezel insert is made of scratch-resistant sapphire crystal. The design of the SuperSport lives up to its name. As a real super compressor with an internal diver's bezel, it is based on models from the middle of the last century, modernized with sporty elements of today, such as its sandwich dial with Swiss Super-LumiNova®. The AquaSport II Aventurine LE and SuperSport Red LE can be ordered from the online shop of the brand, starting at EUR 749 (incl. VAT) / USD ~659 (excl. VAT), including worldwide free shipping. With an additional steel bracelet, it costs EUR 100 (incl. VAT) / USD ~90 (excl. VAT) more. Both watches were developed together with watch enthusiasts from all over the world. During the joint development on the brand's website and in the German watch forum, hundreds of comments and thousands of votes were cast on various aspects of the watches. The result is watches that are unique in both design and construction, that meet the highest quality standards and remain affordable. All mechanical Circula watches are built in Pforzheim. Thoughts? I would imagine that these renderings don’t begin to do the aventurine quartz dial justice; it must look stunning in person. 

H2O Watch HYDRA Titanium TiMASCUS [anodized artisanry]

H2O Watch’s second Exotic Materials, summer drop is here and likes its namesake someone has taken a flaming torch to it! This new model mightn’t possess immortality, head regeneration or even have poisonous blood coursing through its veins but like the Hydra of Greek mythology someone has taken a flaming torch to it and the results are quite spectacular. You see the only way that Hercules could defeat the Hydra was to lop of its main, immortal head from its body and have his nephew; Iolaus immediately cauterize the wound with a flame. I digress; this new Hydra’s TiMascus dial was forged by a highly proficient German knife-maker after which H2O cut and engraved its markings using an in-house, high-precision laser ablation machine. Beyond its hand-polished, sandwich dial with its captivating heat anodized coloration, the Hydra exudes olde world charm from its 1940s case architecture while offering the very latest in materials technologies with the use of Titanium Grade 5. Framing the TiMASCUS dial is a choice of 4x rotational bezel engravings that include; classic dots, a handy 12hr GMT, a minimalist single 12hr dot as well as retro California markings using a mix of Arabic and Roman numerals. Meanwhile the Hydra’s exotic striped dial has been duly appointed with plenty a chromed handset making use of the strong glowing Swiss Super-LumiNova BGW9 which is covered with your choice of flat or domed Sapphire crystals. Powering the H2O Hydra with TiMASCUS dial is a choice of two hand-cranked movements, a Swiss made UNITAS 6497 caliber with a beat-rate of 18.000vph or a Seagull TY3600 beating at 21.600vph.

The H2O Watch Hydra G5 Titanium with TiMASCUS dial is only available in limited quantities from H2Os Exotic Materials SALE that runs from the 20th to the 30th of June 2022 where it is currently on OFFER for 950euro.

 

DEEP BLUE Watches JUGGERNAUT 5 Swiss AUTO [Salmon Ahoy]

Catch yourself a truck-sized salmon from Deep Blue’s hot Summer DROP! It’s Summer time and if you’re an Alaskan salmon you better have your wits about you because the salmon fishing season is well underway. On the other hand if you're just a regular common all garden, ichthyophile or pescatarian looking to get your fish on for Summer 2022, then Deep Blue Watches has a lovely bit of salmon for you. It mightn’t be a Patek 5270P but here’s an affordable yet tasty salmon that like its namesake likes to swimm upstream. Yes, Deep Blue’s Swiss trucker, the JUGGERNAUT 5 Auto is back by popular demand and it comes in a tantalizing array of colors from tasty salmon to hazy purple. The in fact not so juggernaut-sized Juggernaut watch is offered in a reasonable 44mm diameter and is made from 316L Stainless steel. Water-resistance is 1’000ft or 330m. Its power comes from a reliable Swiss made Sellita Sw-200 automatic movement with a beat-rate of 28,80vph, 26 jewels, Incabloc shock protection, a date function and custom DB rotor - displayed via a see through back. Diving credentials of the Juggernaut 5 include: a screw-down crown and case-back, a luminous ceramic 120-click unidirectional diver’s bezel and Sapphire crystal with AR-coating.

The watch’s winding crown is protected by an integrated crown-guard the 9 o’clock position while a manual Helium Release Valve 10. By the way no matter which dial color you opt for, all feature a unique sunray wave pattern, all come with blue-colored indexes, minute tracks and hands with blue SLN lume. The Juggernaut 5 form Deep Blue comes on a 22mm custom design soft silicon diver’s strap or an optional 22mm Stainless steel link bracelet with tension pin and collar, push button deployant clasp, 3x micro-adjustments. The Juggernaut 5 Swiss Automatic is currently on OFFER for just 279USD – catch one while you can. Thoughts? This might be the first ever salmon dialed diver I have encountered; it looks good enough to along eat with some baby potatoes and a dollop of dill sauce. But what do you think?

HELBERG CH1 7CARBON TiMASCUS [case-hardened exoticism]

They say the mark of a truly great watchmaker is in the execution of its dials; case and point H2O Watches under their premium label, HELBERG has just opened a special ten-day exotic materials SALE that includes this brand-new CH1 variant boasting a mesmerizing handcrafted TiMascus (Titanium Damascus) dial. The TiMascus dial was forged by a highly skilled German knife-maker after which H2O cut and engraved its markings using an in-house, high-precision laser ablation machine before it was hand polished and finally heat anodized to achieve its extraordinary coloring. Beyond the spellbinding dial of the CH1 7CARBON TiMASCUS that bewitches and beguiles when viewed through the distortions of a spherically double domed sapphire crystal, the watch offers so much more than just a pretty face; it has all the brawn of nuclear attack submarine to boot. The watch’s 6’000m water-resistant main case, case-back, bezel as well as an optional steel bracelet have all been given H2O’s 7CARBON hardening treatment the processes of which were carried out in Germany and result in increasing the steel’s hardness by a factor of seven.

Housed inside the 7CARBON hardened case is a Swiss made ETA 2824 automatic movement while a sterile unidirectional rotational bezel also in 7CARBON hardened steel with a lumed 12hr marker wraps around the watch’s crystal with the show stopping TiMASCUS dial, below. 

The HELBERG CH1 is delivered with a black leather strap in its standard configuration while its handsome, optional 7CARBON hardened bracelet has been made from Stainless steel with a micro adjustment clasp and offers imho an even more compelling look.

Due to the heavily time consuming and expensive manufacturing process this special version of the HELBERG CH1 is only available in limited quantity from H2Os exotic materials SALE that runs from the 20th to the 30th of June 2022. 

It is currently on OFFER for 990euros. By the way you can check out H2O Watch’s 7CARBON in action HERE.

Thoughts? The CH1 as you may or may not know is based on the fabled DSS; but for all its eccentricity, H2O has really taken ownership of the design, honing it, modernizing it, evolving it from the outlandish experimental watch of yesteryear to the elegant daily wearer of today. 

Btw, as stunning as the TiMASCUS dial is, and it truly is; it won’t be to everyone’s tastes so there is also a classic black dial variant available. But what do you think?

 

AUDAZ Seafarer 200m [Accessible Compressor Style]

Taking its inspiration from the famous super compressor diver’s watches of the late 1950s and 60s, Audaz introduces the new Seafarer 200m collection. The Seafarer 200m collection captures the heart and soul of the compressor style dive watches with their unmistakable dual-crown silhouette. It does this while adding touches of modernity as well as some good old fashion artistic flair to deliver a diver’s watch fit for everyday wear.

Featuring a 42mm in diameter, case made from 316L Stainless steel, with 14mm total height and downward sloping lugs the new Seafarer also promises a comfy ride on the wrist. 

While it beautifully finished case provide plenty of wrist presence with their striking contrasting brush and highly polished.

The Seafarer 200m compressor style case has dual crowns, one at 2 o’clock for its inner rotating bezel and another at 4 o'clock for normal winding / setting the time.

Both crowns come with screw-down functionality for maximum water protection of the watch. 

Meanwhile a largely uncluttered dial with the date aperture harmoniously positioned at the 6 o’clock position maintains a much needed sense of balance.

Very much in keeping with the dive watch codes, the indices and sword shape hands are infilled with C3 grade, Swiss Super Luminova ensuring clear visibility in even the darkest environments. The face of the watch is also guarded by a scratch resistant Sapphire crystal with multiple layers of anti-reflective coating on the inner side to keep the glare to bare minimum.

Powering this handsome new compressor-style dive watch with its 200 meters of water resistance is the highly dependable 24-Jewels NH35 TMI automatic movement with 41 hours of power-reserve. 

The new Seafarer is offered in 5 different color combinations: black, blue, green sunray, unique Abalone or a brilliant full-lume dial. It is price just 425USD.

Thoughts? There aren’t nearly enough affordable options in a compressor style, so at a snip over 400 bucks this makes a compelling proposition.  

All the dial variants look pretty good; I’ll pass on the Abalone (it’s an acquired tastes) but I’m loving that full lume!