Luxury and Affordable Watches
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 Case This Seiko 5 diver actually has a nice and sleek solid 316L steel case with drilled lug holes. The size is a bit biggee than norm coming in at 43.5MM x 13MM thick with a lug to lug width of 49.3MM. The watch definitely wears a bit bigger than something like a Seiko SKX but fits slimmer on the wrist. The flanks are highly mirror like polished with decent work and the tops of the 22MM lugs are finely brushed. As most Seiko 5 sports "Dive" models this watch does feature 100M of water resistance with a Pull/Push crown. I would not call it a true dive watch because of the lack of deep depth diving capability but it is certainly swimmable in most scenarios. Overall, it feels right on the wrist and does not sit out of place in any way.   Dial The Blue sunburst dial is actually very eye catching when light hits it giving off different hues of blue. The applied markers are filled with lumibrite which gives off some decent brightness in the dark - but it does not seem to be as heavily applied in comparison to its' older brothers such as the Turtle or SKX. We get a date aperture at the 3:00 and an applied "5" logo and "Seiko" below 12:00. Personally, I always feel as if the 5 and the sports cheapen the look of the watch...but It IS a cheaper watch so I really cannot complain here. Another gripe of mine is the hands themselves...while legibile and filled with ends of lume - they just look out of place to me and I honestly do not like the semi skeletization aspect they embody. The crystal is Seiko Hardlex which is pretty common amongst most Seiko 5s and prospex models. Its obviously not as hard and scratch resistant as a true Sapphire crystal but once again we have to expect and deal with these things at lower pricepoints. Overall, it is legibile and gets the job done at the end of the day. Lastly, the unidirectional rotating Bezel is a good aspect on this model and feels pretty decent with minimal backplay and perfect alignment. ( Yay Seiko ) MovementThe common and robust Seiko 4R35 automatic movement is shown beneath the screw down caseback of this model. This movement is produced by Seiko and features a beat rate of 21,600 BPH whilst containing 23 jewels. The good aspect of this movement is the hand wind and hacking capability. Now, Seiko has a tolerance of around -35 +45 seconds a day for this movement - BUT usually they gain around 10 seconds a day max and sometimes even less. BraceletThe solid steel bracelet contains hollow end links and push pins to adjust along with a decent ammount of micro adjustments for exact fit. Its your typical seiko 5 bracelet - it works and gets the job done without looking too out of place. It does feature a stamped fold over clasp with a signed seiko buckle which is a nice touch. Honestly, if it doesnt pull hair and fits right I would leave it on the watch.    ConclusionFurthermore, this watch is definitely a good piece to have as an everyday sports/leisure watch while your more expensive pieces take a break from destruction. It looks good on the wrist, comes in some nice dial colors, and keeps fairly good time. I can definitely reccommend this watch to any experienced watch collector or someone just getting into the hobby. 
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 Box This watch comes with an Egard Zulu style leather NATO strap as well! Case The Poseidon by EGARD is definitely a truly unique watch in terms of the esquisite finishing and engraving they have achieved on this model. The case itself is 44MM in diameter and measures around 12MM thick. Of course comprised of solid 316L stainless steel which is a must, and featuring 100M of water resistance with a screw down signed crown. The case does resemble or homage a Rolex Submariner a bit, but honestly what company has a model that doesn't? If we look closely at the fine engraved sides of the case and lug tops - it is really precise and professionally done. Now, if you wanted to do something like this custom to your watch it would cost you around $2500 USD from a few different engraving artists which have done work that mimics this on many luxury timepieces. With that being said, this watch is truly a great value in that aspect. The sides and tops are smooth to the hand without any error or sharp edges. I really was quite blown away by the level of finishing once I had the Poseidon in hand.   The screw down caseback features your unique serial number as well as an engraved octopus, as well as basic specifications. Dial The black gridlock style dial features applied luminous markers with a date window at 3:00 minus the cyclops. Overall it is definitely really legibile and does kind of match the motif design which fits together just fine I think. The crystal utilized is a genuine sapphire crystal topped off with a traditional coin edge 90 click unidirectional dive bezel. The action is good, with minimal back play and perfect alignment. The lume itself is not Seiko LumiBrite bright - but its bright enough and gets the job done.  MovementThe popular and affordable Japanese Miyota 8215 automatic caliber is used inside the Poseidon - which is a fairly robust and easy to maintain mechanism. It features a quickset date, 40 hours of power reserve, hand winding, and can go many years without attention or care. In my experiences with this movement over the years reviewing watches, these movements tend to gain or lose around 15 seconds a day. I think it was the right choice because I am sure the case work and other aspects of the watch were not cheap to bundle all this together at $550 USD. Full Engraved Bracelet Now, the 22-20 MM engraved bracelet is where the design really flows into reality. Considering this is a dive style watch there are tons of ocean related drawings engraved such as a Starfish, Divers Helmet, Anchor, and more. The detail is very good as well on the bracelet just as the case is. A signed egard clasp tops it off with a two button stamped durable clasp.  ConclusionFurthermore, the Poseidon by California based EGARD is definitely a piece of art as well as a decent timepiece. It fits, functions, and feels great just as any other automatic diver would - with the exception of the great value propositin which is the engraving. I feel many people do not understand the ammount of work and time it actually takes to do this - thus stating the watch may be overpriced. However, it is truly a very good value considering what it actually does cost to have this done to your watch! I definitely can reccommend this watch to my readers if your on the hunt for something truly artistic, functional, and good looking at the same time. I highly doubt you will meet another person with such a unique timepiece.   9/24/2019 0 Comments Automatic Super Compressor Watch Launching October 25th - Oceanica Seahorse Dive Watch Oceanica, a watch company based in New York is set to launch their latest model via Kickstarter October 25Th, 2019. They have had two successful campaigns so far with their Flieger and Reef Dive watch - So I do not see a reason why this one should not succeed! It is actually a rather very nicely designed and executed super compressor styled automatic diver. It also features a nice modern aesthetic mixed with a twist of vintage characteristics, such as the hands and font utilized. I have tried the watch on myself, and at 42MM with a lug to lug of 46MM it wears like a true 40MM watch on my small 6.5” wrist. Some nice new features include a lumed logo / markers / inner bezel - and a fully custom milled bracelet with screw links. There are other Super Compressor styled divers on the market such as the Dan Henry Super Compressor and I do not believe any other smaller companies are producing these ever so popular styled pieces. The watch will kick off at $200 USD shipped worldwide Via Kickstarter October 25TH. I think this is a really great offering and have high expectations for this release. Please do sign up for the newsletter on their website below to be notified of updates and day of launch! Full review coming soon on Watch Addiction Watch Reviews YouTube channel!     You may enter code “WATCHADDICT10” to save 10% Packaging Case The new revised Sternglas Zirkel features a solid brushed 316L Stainless Steel case with 50M of water resistance. It is very circular in shape and stays true to the bauhaus theme of German watchmaking. The exact dimensions are definitely modern and wearable coming in at 40MM x 48.5MM x 10MM. The lugs themselves are quite thin and long adding some substance and visual excitement to a rather bleek traditional design. If we jump over to the caseback, a nice detail is the screws holding down the solid caseback along with an exhibition sapphire window for a view of the automatic Miyota 9015. Overall, it fits comfortablly on my wrist without any sharp edges nor errors in production.  Bauhaus DialHeading to the black dial, you can see it is rather plain and legible. The print work in a white text is very on point and neat. The pencil style brushed hands and thin seconds hand follow along the same Bauhaus and minimalist theme as the printed numerals, allowing for perfection at every visible angle. I do like that they matched the date window at 6:00 with the dial - If it were in white I do not think it would be a good look.  MovementNow, the movement utilized is certainly a big upgrade from the prior iterations. This time around they chose the automatic Japanese Miyota 9015 calibre. This movement was created by the Citizen group and sort of competes with the other 4HZ movements used in the swiss watchmaking industry. It feaures hand winding, hacking, 24 jewels, and around 40 hours of power reserve. The best part is that it beats at 28,800 BPH allowing for a super smooth continuous sweep of the seconds hand. I do have a lot experience with this movement and can honestly say that they are quite accurate, robust, and reliable.  Genuine Calf Leather BandI am a big fan of the straps Sternglas creates, and it was no surprise to me this time around the strap was super comfortable and well made. It is a thin Quick-Release black genuine calf leather band with a brushed buckle. It is definitely one you can wear straight out of the box and does not require a break in period. There are many different strap options they offer, but I figured a black dial watch with a black band would look just right.    ConclusionFurthermore, the Zirkel V2 certainly shows that Hamburg based Sternglas is trying to constantly improve their watches with each new edition they release. The quality is there, as well as the design factor. There are much more higher end Bauhaus styled watches with better movements from more prestigious brands of course, but those would cost almost 4 times the ammount of this watch. I think for a well made Bauhaus design German timepiece, at $438 USD you cant really go wrong with the Zirkel. It gets the job done in style at an affordable entry level price - and most definitely will scratch that Bauhaus itch for your collection.    Available for Pre Order on Kickstarter Now Case The all new Beaufort Aerotimer out of New Zealand is a mix of traditional pilot styled watches with World War II Era design cues. It is indeed named after the Bristol Beaufort Torpedo bomber which was utilized by British, Australian, and NZ forces. The watch itself comes in a few different flavors but I must say the Pastel light blue color dial is my favorite. It is a very well constructed watch and does not feel like it comes from a smaller brand or “Microbrand”. The 316L solid steel rose gold case measures in at 40MM x 11.5MM x 48.5MM. It features 20MM lugs and an excellent and useable 100 Meters of water resistance. The leaf like lugs are rather bold and really stand out when on wrist, while the thickness is actually quite thin for a swiss made automatic caliber. I like the neat exhibition sapphire caseback which is held down with real screws and done right. Overall, it feels good on the wrist and the finishing is very good in comparison to other timepieces at this price bracket of under $400 USD ( Kickstarter Pre-Order Price ).    Dial The dial is probably the most beautiful part of the watch with its’ light pastel colour and traditional California dial layout. The California dial consists of half Romans and half Numerals. The sword style hands and applied indexes at 12-3-9 will feature BGW9 Blue lume which I think will look slick on this color dial. Everything is very legibile at a glance thanks to the Inner AR coated single domed sapphire crystal. Classical railroad tracks circle the outer portion of the dial marked with minute and seconds. There are a few different dial color options so I would suggest looking over all of them, as the white option really caught my eye as well. There was an alignment error on the prototype models at the 1:00 marker but no worries as the owner has told me this issue will be fixed on the production models. MovementPowering the Aerotimer is the trusted and reliable Swiss Made automatic Selitta SW200. I have tons of experience with this caliber and really enjoy its’ solid performance and reliability. The movement features a 38 hour power reserve, 26 Jewels, Hand-Wind, and seconds hand stop. My prototype model is keeping decent time at around +5 seconds per day, which is A OK in my book! Full grain Italian Leather BandThe bands they have chosen are Genuine Italian leather quick-release straps equipped with a two button deployant clasp. In terms of comfort, they are soft, supple, and broken in out of the box. A nice detail is the double stitch on esch end which matches the 12/3/9 applied markers just fine. If I were to take the Aerotimer near water or in water I would probably throw it on a nice seatbelt NATO or canvas band...that would look stellar.     ConclusionFurthermore, the Aerotimer has certainly surprised me in terms of overall fit and finish. It IS a well made timepiece at a reasonable price and It is no surprise they have surpassed their goal already on Kickstarter. I like the clean aesthetic which is traditional and classical - yet slightly sporty at the same time. It is definitely one that can be dressed up and dressed down for casual situations. I can certainly reccommend the Aerotimer by Beaufort and wish them more success in the future.      Packaging A very nice zip up pouch is included with the piece, as well as a NOVE polishing cloth.. Case The Craftsman model by Swiss brand NOVE features some unique technology and design cues. The case itself in this model measures in at 50MM in diameter and contains a thickness of 13.9MM. Now this is by no means a small watch but it does contain an integrated lug design which helps keep the size down a bit. The materials utilized are Stainless steel IP Blue and Ebony wood. This watch actually features 60 individually polished ebony and stainless steel parts. In terms of water resistance, we get a very nice 200M when the caseback is locked down - making it very suitable for water activities. Overall, it is a very unique looking timepiece and a lot of planning and thought went into designing and constructing such a sophisticated and modern timepiece as the Craftsman truly is. Caseback Time Set - The best part! The caseback really stands out due to its’ blue nature and neatly printed text. Here is where we can unscrew the “Crown” and set the hour and minutes by pushing down on the lever. Once your all set and done just screw it back down for the 200M of water resistance and your all ready to go! It is as simple as that!  Dial The dial is a very light grey color and festures applied pip like markers for the hours. It is quite simple indeed featuring long luminous sword styled hands and a printed logo and “Swiss Made” at the 6:00 position. Topping all of this off is a genuine sapphire crystal with scratch resistance capability. A nice detail is the blue screws which hold the genuine ebony wood bezel in place. Overall, it is super clean and easy to read the time on this model - which is a refreshing take on a somewhat sporty case design. MovementThe Craftsmans utilized a Swiss Made Quartz movement with a 6 year battery life. Most of you know these are extremely reliable and accurate as they should be. You have the luxury of setting the time without having to change it for some months - compared to an automatic calibre which will gain or lose a few seconds per day. Integrated BandThe Blue genuine leather integrated band is certainly bold enough to match the aesthetics of the case. It is also extremely comfortable and supple on wrist. A nice feature is the custom molded N blue IP plated steel buckle. It literally snaps write into place and sits firm on the wrist. The holes on the strap are firm enough so no slippage is possible as well. I do hope though that they offer a Rubber strap variant in the future so I will be able to use it to its’ extent.   ConclusionFurthermore, I have enjoyed spending my time wearing the NOVE craftsman. It is definitely unique enough to stand apart from other brands, and is one that will draw attention. Although my favorite part of this piece is definitely the unique timeset caseback feature. I found it very easy to use and I really dont mind a watch without a crown that is going to dig into my wrist at odd angles. Thanks for taking the time to read and definitely do check out the youtube hands on review to see the Craftsman in action!   |
