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 Today, fellow watch addicts we will take a look at the all new 2018 Baselworld Victorinox INOX Automatic release, which is available on the Victorinox website for around $795 in this configuration. Previously, I have reviewed a couple standard INOX Quartz pieces, which were quite impressive and many viewers really liked them! Let us see what this new upgraded automatic version has to offer for the money...Case When thinking INOX, we think tough, robust, and a great daily wear watch that can withstand tough conditions. The Quartz versions certainly have a slight advantage over the automatic versions due to the mechanical components being in this model - But it is still built like a tank and is essentially the same watch. The case diameter on this solid chunky 316L stainless steel case comes in at exactly 43MM. The actual wear on the wrist is great though, considering the rounded shape case. In terms of thickness, we are looking at 13.4 with a lug to lug distance of 53MM. The screwed down signed crown tucks in nicely to the crown guards and almost sits flush to the case, allowing for no discomfort what so ever when on wrist. Another nice feature is the scalloped bezel with polished edges - allowing for a bit of class and pop on this completely brushed watch. This is an INOX, so we do get that 200 Meters of water resistance which will get you through almost any water related activity you can think of, besides extremely deep diving ( which nobody really does anyway ). Our crystal is a genuine Sapphire Crystal ( Front and Back ) with 3 layers of Anti-Reflective coating for extreme crisp legibility during high light conditions.   *Extra Feature includes a plastic bumper to protect your watch even more...*  Dial This variant contains the guilloche blue dial which sits nicely inside the case without any alignment issues or nothing of that nature, and a nice compliment nodding to the handles of their Swiss Army knives. The broad applied luminous markers are certainly legibile, as well as the sweeping seconds hand which contains a nice red tip for some legibility.The date window is tucked away in between the 4:00-5:00 position and stays out of the way of things, but can still easily be seen.   MovementThe Swiss Made automatic movement inside this model is one I am very familiar with. That being the ETA 2824-2 self-winding automatic caliber. It is pretty much the industry standard for a decent Swiss Made timepiece and performs excellent with no major issues for some years. This movement contains 21 jewels, 38 hours of power reserve, and features hand winding and a hacking capability for precise timeset. My current model is running at around +3 seconds a day! This is essentially the same as a COSC certified timepiece...I may have got lucky! Genuine Leather “Wood” Strap The 21MM genuine leather Wood strap is something new for victorinox and I must say it does match the adventurous tough theme of this model. This is actual a wood strap on top of a genuine leather piece, showing their environmental awareness. It comes equipped to a miller fold over clasp which allows for on the go adjustment within seconds. It most certainly is flexible, and no real break-in period is needed for this one.   ConclusionFurthermore, for the $795 pricepoint Victorinox is asking for this model is definitely fair in my eyes. The watch passes all the standard checkpoints for me when it comes to components, build quality, and fit and finish. This is a Swiss Made watch and Victorinox is a swiss made brand, but the price for this model and quality is definitely a decent deal. I like the overall case design and even slightly reminds me of a Genta-ish case in some ways, which is pleasing. I hope you guys enjoyed , and please do check out the full hands-on video review on watch addiction watch reviews.   
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 You can Save 20% on ANY Spinnaker watch using code WA20 ( Includes free international shipping )Following the release of the Bronze Swiss Made Spinnaker Tesei, the hong kong based brand has decided to release a more affordable variation in grade 5 Titanium...Let’s take a look. Case So, the case itself seems well cut and smooth which is a good sign of quality and overall machining. The diameter comes in at 42MM which really is not all that big, but certainly wears a bit bigger than a 40. This model features all the goodies including 200M of water resistance, a domed Sapphire crystal with display back, and a very grippy 120 Click Matte finished ceramic bezel. In terms of thickness, my calipers are reading 15MM, which is pretty standard and not too thick for a capable dive watch. Nice features I did notice were the smooth integration of the crown guards which almost sits flush with the screw down signed crown. This crown is definitely well protected and will withstand your average doorknob knocks or desk diving incidents..    Dial The dial on this example ( SP-5061-01 ) is a grainy textured black dial which matches the blue ceramic bezel just fine from my perspective. I like the fact that the applied hour markers are large and filled with C3 SuperLuminova ( bezel also ) for a really nice and easy to read time at any given moment. The hands are actually brushed and definitely play along with the aesthetic of the timepiece which is a good thing of course. I do like the small hint of red text above 6:00 for some “Red Rolex” vintage feel, as well as the matching date wheel at 3:00. MovementNow, the movement used in this watch is quite a common japanese automatic movement - being the Miyota 8215. This caliber does have a 42 hour power reserve, 21 jewels, hand winding, and no hacking. Some folks might absolutely hate the 8215 because it doesn’t hack...and well I can understand that. With all that being said at the end of the day it is indeed a very reliable and somewhat accurate movement that has stood the test of time. StrapI love when brands change things up on their newer models completely, and Spinnaker did it this time using a new MilSpec Back Cordura strap. The strap itself is actually water resistant even though the backside is genuine leather. It is a 22MM strap and is definitely wearable out of the box, and will slowly break into your wrist over a few days of daily wear.    ConclusionFurthermore, it is not easy to find a grade 5 titanium dive watch with a set of decent specs for $349, which is the current deal they are offering on their website. The watch is well built and finished, has zero quality control issues, and has some neat features such as the lumed matte bezel, and Milspec style strap. I think overall it is a good pick if you are looking for a lightweight dive watch comprised of titanium under $500. Thanks for taking the time to read and please do check out the full hands on review on my YouTube channel.     You can save 20% on this watch or any other Spinnaker using code WA20 at checkout!Click here to learn more about the Spence Drab on their webstoreCase The all new iteration of the popular Spinnaker Spence series dubbed the “Drab” is housed in a solid 316L solid steel case with a coat of IP black plating in a matte finish. It is certainly a smooth finishing and looks clean to my eyes. The actual dimensions are rather nice as well coming in at 41MM x 14 x 48MM. It is definitely a robust watch and even features a flat sapphire crystal on the front whilst mineral is used on the exhibition caseback for a view of the movement at work. The crown is something to take note of and is very tough feeling with zero wobble and has a nice pop out once unscrewed. The case itself is water resistant to 200 Meters making this a very capable dive or sports watch.  Dial Our dial is done in a greenish forest tone with applied lumed Superluminova markers and a nice set of arrow hands to go with a rather thin pointer seconds hand. As seen in the photo, there are no alignment issues on this example which shows decent quality control. I do like the yellow hint of color in the “AUTOMATIC” above 6:00 and feel it plays along well with the green colors on the Drab. Our 1950’s style Spinnaker logo is applied in Silver as usual below 12:00 and matches the framed markers perfectly. I like how Spinnaker kept it simple here without much clutter or overuse of writing. The 120 Click Bezel contains 0-15 minutes which is matte finished and contains some nice lume as well. I can almost see a “Minimalist” style bezel here...almost. MovementNH35. Need I say More? Most watch enthusiasts reading this article are very familiar with this Seiko automatic 24 jewel movement, and it is considered one of the most reliable affordable automatic movements for the coin. It also does come with a decent power reserve of around 40 hours and generally keeps decent time at around +5 seconds a day on this example I have. Conclusion The Drab definitely offers something way different than its older brother, the standard original spence. It has all those good components, and some new tricks such as a lumed bezel and a super legible no nonsense tool watch styling. Personally, I do like this color combo and almost reminds me of something I would take camping, swim with in a lake, or just hop on a boat with. The affordable pricing of this timepiece also allows folks to get a decent well made automatic watch for under $300, which is a win in my book. Thanks for taking the time to read and please do check out the hands on video review on YouTube.     Today, we are going to take a look at a recent addition to my personal collection of watches. I have been eyeing a 16570 Rolex for some time now and have come to the conclusion that this definitely is the best value packed rolex for your money. It is not the least expensive Rolex at around $5000-$6000 USD for a decent pre owned model with box and papers from the F serial years mine came from. The new Maxi case Explorer II is just a bit odd looking to me, using a large orange gmt hand which resembles the vintage Explorer II in a way. Anyway, enough rambling on - let’s explore this timepiece!Case The 904L solid stainless steel 40MM case is finely brushed and polished on the flanks of the case and bracelet in a very nice and luxurious manner. I don’t know, whenever I pick up a 904L steel Rolex it just feels of better quality and the finishing looks better, but that’s just my opinion. In terms of thickness including the Sapphire crystal which sits a bit above the stationary 24 hour bezel we are looking at 12.2MM. The lug to lug distance of 47MM allows for a perfect fit on my 6.5” wrist with zero overhang, which is very pleasing. The case itself is also water resistant to 100 Meters making this a capable watch. Whether your climbing and exploring mountains and caves, flying over different time zones, or simply riding your bicycle to the beach for a quick dip, the Explorer II will satisfy in each of these situations. The watch itself feels tough, robust, and can definitely get away with the term “Tool Watch”.  Dial I chose to go with the glossy black dial, it just speaks to me much more than the “Feminine” white dial option. I also do really enjoy the 18K white gold hands and lips of the applied Superluminova markers. The 2.5X magnification lens is certainly helpful with reading the date at a quick glance whilst driving or jogging as well. There are three lines of text on this model and two lines at the bottom stating the COSC certification. It is a rather simple, no nonsense dial meant for use of each of the three functions ( Date , GMT time , Regular Time ). Another bonus of getting a more recent 16570 (2005) is the lume. The lume glows green and is certainly bright at night lasting a decent ammount of time.  Movement The Rolex 3186 Automatic calibre is a COSC certified Rolex in house movement featuring a blue parachrom hairspring as well, whilst the previous 3185 did not. One can expect around 50 hours of power reserve which is quite good and a bit over two days. The movement contains 31 jewels and has a high beat of 28,800 BPH. Caliber 3186 also features a GMT function of course for the two time zones this watch can hold at any given moment. My example is performing at +2 seconds a day which is just as good as my current 2016 Submariner. BraceletThis model uses a 20MM 904L steel oyster bracelet with the older style stamped clasp and flip over lock. We also do get a few micro adjustments for tweeking the perfect fit to your wrist, which is always useful during summer season for me. The tops are brushed while the flanks and polished. However, you cannot compare the quality of these bracelets to the newer style bracelets. They may be comfortable and 100% functional , but the overall solidness and robustness of the newer oyster bracelets on the Maxi cases blows these away. On a good note, this model does contain the solid end links.   Conclusion Furthermore, the 16570 is most definitely overshadowed by many and quite bland for some. However, It is certainly the best value 5 digit sports steel rolex currently on the market. I mean...you are getting a Gmt function, Date, and small details not found on any other model like the unique brushed finish on the 24 hour bezel. In some years, I can picture this watch jumping in price to around $6-$7,000.....If you are in the market for a 16570 , find one in good condition which shouldn’t be hard and I am sure you will have a great experience as I am currently having. Thanks for reading and stay tuned for the full video review on YouTube.       |
