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Swiss Replica

Replica Graham Tourbillon Orrery Looks to the Heavens

In 1713, George Graham built a clock, which used a mechanical movement to power a heliocentric model of the planets. The mechanical solar system, presented to the fourth Earl of Orrery, was called an Orrery, and because of its precision, all subsequent planetary models retained the name Orrery. Exactly three hundred years later, the Graham replica watch company unveils the Graham Tourbillon Orrery replica watch, bringing the company’s heritage to the wrist.

When we think of Graham, we think of oversized chronographs with triggers like the Chronofighter (see here or here), but with the Tourbillon Orrery, Graham enters haute horology. Not only is this replica watch a tribute to replica watchmaker George Graham, the company’s namesake, but thanks to the collaboration with Christophe Claret, it is an equally impressive mechanical achievement.

Original Smaller Orrery by George Graham
Original Orrery Clock by George Graham

When Eric Loth, Graham Founder, first learned of the Orrery Clock, he went to see it in England’s Museum of the History of Science. He was already thinking of a replica watch. Eric Loth developed the many calculations needed to simultaneously represent the orbits of Earth and Mars around the sun as well as the Moon’s orbit around earth. Despite 20 years of dogged persistence, he was unable to perfect the movement, so with the approach of the 300th anniversary, he enlisted the expertise of Christophe Claret to finalize the calculations and build the model. Graham showed the replica watch, one of only twenty, at Baselworld this year.

Graham Geo Tourbillon Orrery

Inside the 48mm pink gold case is a portable Orrery. Looking at the dial is like visiting a planetarium. The center tourbillon cage represents the sun, and at its zenith is a real diamond to fix the tourbillon, reminiscent of pre-ruby movements, because only diamonds were used 300 years ago. This cage holding the 3hz tourbillon has a George Graham specific design of two Phoenix heads facing each other. Moving outward, the earth is the blue planet (blue sapphire) with its silver moon (rhodium) close at hand, and on the periphery is the red planet Mars (ruby). The Moon’s orbit is approximately a monthly calculation, the Earth’s orbit – an annual calculation, and Mars’ orbit is more than a year because of its slower movement. The orbits are embedded in a calendar read counter-clockwise by Earth’s position, indicating both the Gregorian and Zodiac dates. All the orbits, moving around the dial (or should we say the sun), are accurate to 100 years, needing only minor corrections.

Graham Geo Tourbillon Orrery

These corrections happen according to schedule. The Moon is corrected every 7 years; Mars is corrected every 25 years; and the Earth is corrected only every 1156 years. The perimeter of the caseback crystal indicates the years for needed correction. Two additional caseback crystals, provide the graduations for 300 years total accuracy. As the company says, “Designed to last a lifetime and longer.” The replica watch has two crowns, one at 2 o’clock and the other at 3 o’clock, with a lunar pin at 4 o’clock and a Mars pin at 10 o’clock. The 3 o’clock crown is for manual winding and setting the time on the hands, which sit off-center, on the edge of the sun. The 2 o’clock crown is the planets crown, and can set Earth, Moon and Mars.

Instead of a replica watch for the next generation, this is a replica watch for the next evolution.

Graham Sundial

Specifications:

Functions

  • Manual Tourbillon Orrery, mechanical solar system model with 100 year calendar (two additional graduations of 100 years – 300 years in total). Year counter on the case back with planet correction indicators. (Moon: 7 years, Earth: 1156 years, Mars: 25 years)
  • Hours, Minutes

Caliber

  • G1800, high precision mechanical movement exclusively made for GRAHAM by Christophe Claret with Haute Horlogerie finishing, circular “Côtes de Genève” decoration, Tourbillon Orrery (solar system mechanism), 21’600 A/h (3Hz), Incabloc shock absorber
  • 35 Jewels
  • Power reserve: 72 hours – 2 barrels

Case

  • 48 mm in diameter, 17.60 mm thick, pink gold, right hand control crowns (planets’ crown at 2 o’clock, manual winding and time crown at 3 o’clock), Moon corrector at 4 o’clock, Mars corrector at 10 o’clock, domed sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on both sides
  • See-through sapphire crystal case back with 100-year scale, Moon and Mars correction indicators and serial number hand-engraved
  • Water Resistance 160 feet / 50 m / 5 bar

Dial

  • Black dial with Geo.Graham Tourbillon Orrery inscription at 4 o’clock
  • 3 scales – from the outside to the center: hours and minutes scale, Gregorian calendar (365.25 days – Earth indicates the date), Zodiac scale (12 astrological signs – Earth indicates the zodiac sign). Counter-clockwise reading.
  • Solar system: The Moon (rhodium, Ø0.90 mm); The Earth (blue sapphire, Ø3.20 mm); Mars (ruby, Ø1.70 mm); The Sun (pink gold (18K) – hand-engraved Tourbillon bridge with 2 Phoenix heads inspired by George Graham decoration and a close set diamond at the center (Ø2.50mm). Counter-clockwise reading.
  • Off-center skeleton pink gold (18K) hands with black Super-LumiNova coating

For more information, you can visit the Graham website.

Categories
Swiss Replica

HANDS-ON : replica Sea-Gull 1963 Reissue

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Today’s replica watch is one I was offered the chance to play with for a few weeks by Queensland collector Col, who generously sent his newly acquired Sea-Gull 1963 Reissue to me before he’d even had a chance to wear it in.

Although perhaps not a brand known to much of the general replica watch public, Sea-Gull does in fact have a lot of admirers amongst replica watch enthusiasts for their history and for their affordable tourbillons, of which there are owners even here in Sydney. This is not just some ‘cheap Chinese brand’, as you will quickly discover if you do some research, and there is even a brand boutique in the competitive Singapore market. As well as producing replica watches under their own brand name, they also provide movements that are used for some other brands. In fact, the Tianjin Sea-Gull company is reputed to produce a quarter of the world’s mechanical replica watch movements.

As its owner puts it, this re-release by Sea-Gull is important because it commemorates one of the most significant replica watches in the history of Chinese horology. In the world of replica watch movement geekery, it is especially important.

So what is it about the movement of this inexpensive Chinese replica watch that is of interest?

The hand wound column-wheel chronograph ST19 movement has its genesis when an order was received for a government developed chronograph for use by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force back in 1961. It was known as Project 304. There were no suitable movements available at the time, and the Venus Replica Watch Company was selling their famous Calibre 175, lock stock and barrel. The Tianjin Replica Watch Factory bought it.

The factory pre-manufactured three batches of the replica watch for official approval, which was duly granted. After the Tianjin Replica Watch Factory received permission to begin mass production in 1963 they completed and eventually delivered, 1400 aviation replica watches to the Chinese Air Force, powered by a modified Venus 175 they called the ST3. Manufacturing ceased in 1969.

The movement was then revived in a number of variants by Sea-Gull in the early 2000s after their takeover of Tianjin. The 1963 honours the Model 304, but the ST-19 in it has also been modified to a number of variants.

With black markings and applied gold markers, the 1963 is surprisingly elegant for a military replica watch, especially because of the use of applied golden markers. At 9 o’clock there is a seconds sub-dial and at 3 o’clock, a 30-minute counter for the chronograph. Both counters have blued hands. The main hour and minute hands are also blued and the chronograph hand is a nice bright contrasting red.

The dial has the text “21 ZUAN” which means 21 jewels, and the name of the Tianjin Replica Watch Factory.

The dial is described as being silver, but it is much lighter in daylight than it is in dim lighting and takes on, in natural light, quite a different hue. It looks and feels very much like a vintage piece, both in looks and with the use of the domed acrylic crystal, so as a reissue, it gets the ‘feel’ of it just right.

Then there is the decorated ST19 movement, which is visible through the screen-printed display case back. The glass of the case back has, in red, Tianjin Replica Watch Factory, a star, and the year 1963. The only minus I have with this replica watch is in fact to do with this transparent case back, which is an optional purchase. One of the reasons for this replica watch being a desirable one is the history of its movement. To my mind, having text on the case back detracts a little from this.

The 1963 is 38mm and sits lightly and comfortably on the wrist. Although it looks good, the choice of a NATO-style strap does have a slight cognitive dissonance to it, with the official website even calling it a NATO strap, as opposed to a more generic ‘canvas strap’, but there is the option of either getting the slightly more expensive leather strap option.

The 1963 is available in a couple of versions (dial colours). One important thing to note is that they do say that its water resistance is 0ATM, so keep it away from the water.

Part of what has made this replica watch have that cool and desirable is that it is a faithful recreation of a vintage replica watch, down to the movement. It is also just plain old-fashioned good value. For a really very minimal outlay (179 EUR for EU) you get a mechanical column wheel chronograph movement with both historical interest and a great back story to it. As for the chronograph itself, the buttons are nice and crisp to use, though the bottom pusher was just a fraction more ‘soft’, though not to any noteworthy degree.

If you want to read a bit about Sea-Gull tourbillons, here is a post I did a few years ago for another blog, and my thanks to Col for lending me this replica watch.

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Jaeger-LeCoultre Replica

EVENT : A jubilee evening with replica Jaeger-LeCoultre

D60_2443 A few weeks ago Jaeger-LeCoultre Australia hosted a dinner in Sydney to introduce some of releases in this, their 180th anniversary year. Held at Sake Restaurant, a mix of collectors, enthusiasts and others were given the opportunity to try and learn about a range of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s current range.

The replica watches presented that evening by Pierre-Etienne Durand (Brand Manager, Australia and New Zealand) and Sam from Jaeger-LeCoultre covered men’s and women’s pieces, dress and sports replica watches. As did the JLCs worn by guests. Without further ado, here are some highlights from the evening. All photos not marked ‘Horologium’ were taken by lumiere photographie.

Some of the replica watches on the menu.

The Master Ultra Thin Perpetual is in a 39mm and 9.2mm thin case available in three iterations – stainless steel, white gold or rose gold. The MUT Perpetual uses the ultra thin (4.72mm) Calibre 868 automatic movement with a 38 hour power reserve.

This is a beautifully sized replica watch with a nicely balanced dial; the subdials do not feel cramped. As well as the hours, minutes and seconds, the date is at 3 o’clock, month at 6 o’clock, year in a window between 7 and 8 o’clock, day of the week at 9 o’clock and the moonphase at 12 o’clock. The perpetual calendar indications are adjusted via a single corrector at 8 o’clock. The hands are dauphine and the hour markers the same metal as the model.

Next up is one of my favourites and a popular replica watch that evening. The 44mm Deep Sea Chronograph Cermet (ceramic particles and aluminium topped with a strong ceramic coating), about which you can read more here.

The next piece is the 42mm Duomètre à Chronographe containing the manual wind Calibre 380A and a relative of this replica watch.

The basic idea is to separate the normal time keeping function of the replica watch (hours, minutes, and seconds) from the other function, hence ‘duo’. You can read more about this at the link above.

My pick for the evening, and arguably the most popular amongst the group that night, the Master Ultra Thin Jubilee 39. This is a piece that you don’t get the full impact of in photos. It is really quite a stunning replica watch. Light as a feather to wear, and incredibly elegant.

One of the pieces released this year to celebrate 180 years of Manufacture Jaeger-LeCoultre, this model is produced in a limited edition of 880 pieces. Although ‘only’ 39mm in diametre (4.05mm thin), it sits a bit larger than this. Guests that evening were constantly surprised to hear that it was under 42mm. Inside is the 1.85mm thin manual wind Calibre 849.

Next is the Master Grande Tradition Tourbillon Cylindrique à Quantième Perpétuel Jubilee. Inside the 42mm platinum case are a flying tourbillon, perpetual calendar and moonphase, courtesy of the new Cal. 985 automatic movement which has a 22ct RG oscillating weight with a representation of the gold medal awarded to Jaeger-LeCoultre at the 1889 Paris Exhibition.

A classic Jaeger-LeCoultre, the Master Date, a triple date with moonphase in a 39mm case and utilising the automatic Calibre 866.

A Reverso Duo.

Some of the pieces worn by guests.

Some vintage pieces.

One or two other brands worn on the evening.

A historical Jaeger-LeCoultre comparison.

Three Ultra-Thin Reversos, including a boutique-edition 1931 Rouge as previously written about here. Although from the men’s range, their slim lines proved popular with female guests as well.

If you would like to read more about some of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s 2013 releases then go to this post from earlier this year.

My thanks to Pierre and Sam for a most enjoyable evening.

Categories
Swiss Replica

A look at some ‘jump hour’ replica watches

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Inspired by conversations online with English replica watch and clock collector AlanL and Sydney enthusiast Danny, whom I had the pleasure of meeting at a Jaeger-LeCoultre SIHH 2013 novelties dinner (about which I will cover in a separate post), this post is to share with you some examples, ranging from the cheap and cheerful to the haute horology, of luxury replica watches that use ‘direct read’ and ‘jump hour’ methods of time display.

The term ‘jump hour’ is actually quite specific in definition, referring exactly to that, an hour indicator that jumps from one hour to the next, but popular horological nomenclature seems to also include, as ‘jump hours’, those replica watches where the hour slides (on a rotating disc) rather than jumps, so to be inclusive, I shall include some of these ‘direct’ read’ pieces as well.

I have a particular fondness for this type of time display. This post is not intended to be a representative example of these types of replica watches, nor am I going to go into the technical details about each piece. They are here simply to be shared, enjoyed, and for those of you who haven’t ever considered replica watches with time displayed via anything other than hands, to perhaps provide you with some inspiration for your next purchase.

As I have a particular fondness for these replica watches, some of them are my own. Others belong to friends, and there are a few which I have featured in previous posts.

We start off in the 1970s, a rich period for inexpensive and simply designed direct read replica watches, many of which looked similar to this Lucerne model.

Also from the 1970s, from a brand known more for its ‘Cricket Replica Watch’, is this unusual specimen.

The pair in this next photo are from different periods, and I’ve previously written about them here. They are, from left to right, the MB&F HM5 with its bi-directional jumping hours with inverted indications, and the popular-in-niche-1970s-jump-hour-circles Amida Digitrend that inspired the HM5.

HM5w

The source of many beautiful jump hours during its history, this one is from the maison of Vacheron Constantin and one of my favourite jump hours. It is incredibly elegant and contains the renowned calibre 1120. Although directly inspired by a 1929 pocket replica watch, if you look at examples of Vacheron’s 19th century jump hour pocket replica watches, you can see the lineage of this 1994 replica watch.

This next replica watch is another one of my favourite jump hour replica watches (one of my favourite replica watches in general), and one that I can’t get enough of. I am fortunate to know someone with one, and it is every bit as drop dead gorgeous ‘in the metal’ as it is in photos.

Goldpfeil, which some of you, like myself, may know more as a leather goods brand, had a very interesting collaboration with independent replica watchmakers called the ‘Seven Masters’ collection, of which this was a part. This Vianney Halter jump hour moon phase is one of the two Goldpfeils on my ‘dream list’. The hour is indicated by the large number, the minutes and seconds on the large dial, and the moonphase indicator in the circle. Winding the crown forwards advances the time; winding it backwards adjusts the moon phase hand. The case is polished, satin brushed, matte and the small hammered marks which, it is rumoured, were all hand-hammered by Vianney Halter himself.

Gerald Genta has been a brand that has enjoyed using jump hour displays in a playful way, such as in this trio of examples.

One of the famous Genta Mickey Mouse models.

The next direct read is Montblanc’s Nicholas Rieussec Rising Hours, a SIHH 2013 launch about which I have previously written here.

NicolasRieussec5

To end with is something modern, cheap, and cheerful. This direct read originally came on a white rubber strap, but I think the orange FOSSIL NATO is a more interesting combination.

If you ever find yourself in Geneva and visiting the Patek Philippe Museum, look out for the collection of old Vacheron Constantin jump pocket replica watches there. They really are a joy to behold.

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Oris Replica

HANDS-ON : ORIS Aquis DepthGauge

OrisAquisDepthGauge5

Oris are known for producing solid tool replica watches, including a number of divers’ models. This year, they have released the first divers’ replica watch which measures depth by means of the intuitively horrifying idea of allowing water to enter the timepiece.

The new Aquis Depth Gauge takes the Aquis collection case and combines it with a new domed crystal that is 50% thicker than average and treated with an anti-reflective coating on both sides, patented by Oris in 2012. The crystal features a channel milled into the side which runs anti-clockwise around the dial, stopping between one and two o’clock. At 12 o’clock you can see what appears to be an indent but is in fact a hole leading into to this channel. The join between the crystal and the case is sealed by a rubber Zytel® gasket.

The patented system in the Aquis Depth Gauge uses the principle of the Boyle Mariotte law — named for the two scientists who discovered it — which states that if the volume of a gas is decreased, the pressure increases proportionally.

On descent the air inside the milled glass channel along the side is compressed by the surrounding water pressure, allowing water to enter through the hole at 12 o’clock. The edge, in light grey and dark grey, differentiates between water and compressed air on the yellow depth scale around the outside of the dial, acting as a depth indicator whilst descending/ ascending.

Even with the milled channel, the Aquis Depth Gauge is water-resistant to 50 bar/500m.

The replica watch has a uni-directional divers bezel with a black ceramic inlay engraved with a 60 minute dive-time scale with minute lines to fifteen. I have a soft spot for ceramic bezels, and this one has an attractive finish.

Oris is known for their solid reliable pieces. The Aquis Depth Gauge is an attractive replica watch with a simple, clear and legible black dial with black indices and hands that have SuperLuminova BG W9 for underwater visibility.

At 46mm and 1.811 inches thick, this is a bulky heavy replica watch, especially on the bracelet, and for those unused to wearing replica watches of this size, it will probably take a little getting used to.

To prevent the crown from being accidentally interfered with, especially during dives, Oris have used a screw down that is embedded/ protected by stainless steel crown guards.

The Aquis Depth Gauge features a solid case back that has been engraved with a ‘meter to feet’ conversion scale that allows for quick calculation. Inside is an automatic Oris 733 (base SW 200-1) with a power reserve of 38 hours.

It comes in a large Pelican-type waterproof case which contains a replacement metal bracelet and tools for strap changes plus a cleaning device for the milled channel, but if you would like a rubber strap, which would be my preference, you have to get that separately. The folding divers’ clasp on the rubber strap allows a quick and easy size adjustment.

As has been mentioned by others, the Aquis Depth Gauge does have one issue that it is important to note – it displays depth but not the deepest reached depth, which is critical for calculating times and surface intervals. In that sense, perhaps this is a replica watch less for serious divers and more for occasional (or desk) ones. In any event, this is an interesting and intriguing replica watch and for those looking for a new diver, worth looking at.

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Omega Replica

HANDS-ON :Replica Omega’s new Constellation Sedna and its new 18K rose goldalloy

OmegaSedna4

Following on from my posts about Omega’s new 2013 offerings of the Bullhead and the Speedmaster ‘Dark Side of the Moon’ is a third post about one of Omega’s other big announcements for the year, the new Constellation Sedna, made using a new 18k rose gold alloy.

Deriving its name from a trans-Neptunian object of the same name, Sedna™ is the name Omega has given to a new alloy of gold, copper and palladium that was developed by the Swatch Group. It has a minimum gold content of 75 per cent and its rose colour is a result of the balance of the metals in the alloy. The inclusion of palladium is to ensure that the red gold of replica watches using this alloy won’t fade over time. The surface of the orbiting object after which the alloy is red, hence the alloy’s colour.

OmegaSedna6

It has a polished case with a brushed bezel with Roman numerals, indices and hands also made of 18K Sedna gold, as is the clasp on its strap. The dial is a silver grained version of the famous “pie-pan” style of the early Constellations. All logos on the dial, including the Constellation star, are applied Sedna gold to match the case, as are the polished arrowhead markers.

The Constellation case has a wide bezel, four claws and whilst featuring this signature bezel, the contemporary Constellation Sedna case is, at 38mm, larger, thicker and more bold, clearly in the style of its predecessors. It is water resistant to 10 bar (100 metres / 330 feet).

OmegaSedna8

This new model uses the replica OMEGA Co-Axial calibre 8501, visible through a sapphire crystal case back and with a rotor and balance bridge in solid 18k gold.

The Constellation Sedna will be produced in a limited edition of 1,952 pieces after the year of the Constellation’s debut. It comes in a special wooden presentation box with a rose-coloured lining.

OmegaSedna1

Of the three new Omega 2013 models that I have blogged about, the one that speaks to me the most is the Bullhead. The new Sedna will appeal particularly to Constellation (and pie pan dial fans); it is a beautifully made replica watch with a clean elegant dial. The case is attractively finished, especially the brushed bezel with four polished claws.

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Swiss Replica

HANDS-ON : JEANRICHARD – a new beginning replica watch

JR1

In 2012, after a period of flux and uncertainty about the brand’s image, JEANRICHARD repositioned themselves and launched a new identity with a streamlined triumvirate range based on ‘land, water and air’ in the form of the 1681, Terrascope, Aquascope, and Aeroscope collections.

The younger sibling of Girard-Perregaux, JEANRICHARD has seemed to occasionally struggle for being this, but a rebirth has meant that the brand is not only quite different but also quite distinct, as opposed to the prior status of occasionally either almost replicating or having strong hints of Girard-Perregaux in many of its designs.

The JEANRICHARD of now is split into ‘Manufacture’ models with the in-house JR1000 calibre (1681 collection) and the others at a lower price point using ETA or Sellita movements (Aeroscope, Aquascope, Terrascope). The 1681 is the more classic collection and the others, as the names indicate, more casual and sporty.

I recently had the opportunity to look at some of the models from their new collections. Unfortunately there were no 1681 Ronde models on the day but in this, the first of two posts about some of the JEANRICHARD pieces (I will split the sports from the dress replica watches), we look at a 1681.

Named after the year in which Daniel Jeanrichard created his first replica watch, the 1681 collection falls into two categories, those with a round case called the ‘1681 Ronde’ and those with a cushion case, which fall under the general ‘1681’ collection.

The cushion-cased 1681s come in a 44mm case but at 11.27mm thickness, is thinner than the Aquascope (44mm, 13.05mm thick), Aeroscope (44mm, 12.67mm thick), and both thinner and smaller than the 46mm and 12.60mm thick Terrascope.

As part of the dress replica watch range, it is available in pink gold, stainless steel, and bi-metal. The dials aren’t uniform throughout the range; there is a split between those with laquered (white or black) dials such as the one in this post, and those with rhodium satin-finished sunburst-effect dial. The range also includes the use of both Arabic numerals and hour indices and either a sweep seconds or seconds sub-dial at 9 o’clock. All bases are covered.

For those who like the pink gold and blue hands combination, there’s a model with a white lacquered dial, applied pink gold-plated Arabic numerals and indexes and blued-steel luminescent hands.

This model is one of the more classic combinations available, in stainless steel with a white lacquered dial, applied indexes and Arabic numerals, luminescent hour markers and hands. It comes on either brown or cognac calfskin or a cognac ostrich strap with a stainless steel folding buckle. This example is the brown.

As you can see, it is a reasonably large cushion case. The lugs are short and sit closely to the case. It sits comfortably but perhaps is less suited to those with small wrists because of the case/ lug design. The onion-style crown is a nice retro nod and of a big enough size for easy use.

Inside is the automatic Calibre JR1090 movement which has a 28,800 VPH and a power reserve of 48 hours. It has an antireflective sapphire crystal, open case back and is water-resistant to 100m.

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Omega Replica

HANDS-ON : Omega’s Speedy goes to the dark side of themoon replica watch

OmegaSpeedyDarkSideofMoon1

The Bullhead was one of Baselworld 2013’s most talked about releases from Omega and, in the run up to its appearance at boutiques and retailers, is still a hot topic of horological conversation. Running perhaps in a dead heat in the ‘Omega replica watch chatter’ stakes is the new all-black Speedmaster.

The 44.25mm sized swiss replica Omega Speedmaster “Dark Side of the Moon” derives its name from its black zirconium oxide ceramic dial and matching black ceramic case, the first time this material has been used for the ‘Speedy’. In fact the replica watch is nearly all ceramic – the case, bezel, chronograph pushers, crown, dial, and even the buckle.

When first launched, Omega’s iconic Speedmaster utilised a tri-compax dial format. The bi-compax layout used in this new model was first used on the Speedmaster Co-Axial Chronograph, the first Speedmaster to contain Omega’s in-house chronograph Co-axial Calibre 9300 movement. As per that model, the sub dial at 3 o’clock for this new model is both 12-hour and 60-minute counters. The small seconds sub dial is at 9 o’clock and the date is a window at 6 o’clock, where the elapsed-hours sub dial previously resided.

The hour and minute hands are 18K white gold, as are the hands on both sub-dials, and indices. The centre chronograph hand is rhodium-plated and features a red tip for visibility against the black surface. There is also the use of Super-LumiNova on the dots at 12 o’clock, and the hour, minute and chronograph hands.

As mentioned, the bezel is polished black ceramic. It features the Speedmaster’s familiar tachymeter scale, but this time in matte chromium nitride.

Omega’s Caliber 9300, visible through the case back, is COSC certified as a chronometer and has a 60-hour power reserve. A handy thing about the movement is that it means that there is an independently adjustable hour hand, although there is no quick set date.

The words, “Dark Side of the Moon” are engraved in matte chromium nitride above the caseback crystal (between the lugs on the right hand side in the photo above). Naturally, an all-black replica watch has to come with an all-black strap. In this instance, a sporty durable black Cordura® fabric strap with a black ceramic buckle.

It has the core elements of the classic Speedmaster Professional but looks really quite different. The ceramic dial is a deep, glossy black and the case and polished bezel in particular, were more shiny than I had expected. Not overly so, but noticeable. I mention this only because when it comes to ‘all-black’ replica watches, there often seem to be some quite strong ‘matte’ vs ‘shiny’ views expressed.

To wear it is quite light due to the use of ceramic, and I like the choice of a Cordura fabric strap. It’s sporty, casual, and suits the overall look of the Dark Side.

Is it a worthy addition to the Speedmaster range? Well it has a catchy and appropriate name and so far, the response has been positive even by many long time Speedmaster enthusiasts.

The “Dark Side of the Moon” has one notable advantage over the seemingly endless supply of ‘all-black’ replica watches. As a Speedmaster, a design which has managed to maintain a remarkable longevity even in its many iterations, it has a greater chance of managing to stay fresh and not look like a part of the ‘all-black’ fad that has been going on for a surprising number of years now.

There have been a lot of Speedmaster models. This is one that for me, works because it is faithful to the core design but modern, and for those who have wanted a Speedy but never quite managed to decide on which one, the “Dark Side of the Moon’ is different enough that it might just be the one for you.

This new Speedmaster will be available from later this year.

Categories
Omega Replica

HANDS ON : Omega’s 2013 Bullhead replica watch

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Today Horologium brings you a post about a model that we wanted to mention when it was launched at Baselworld 2013 but were unable to do so due to the lack of press photos available. For me, this was the standout model of interest and the one I was most interested in seeing – the new Seamaster Bullhead.

The first Omega Seamaster Bullhead was introduced in 1969, and vintage Bullheads remain a sought after replica watch for collectors and enthusiasts. This year Omega has re-issued this collectable, with the design of the 43mm x 43mm stainless steel piece very similar to the original and having already generated positive feedback online from collectors for its fidelity to its roots.

The two-register chronograph dial and two crowns (one at 12 o’clock which sets the time and one at 6 o’clock for the internal bezel) in this new model are as per the original pieces but instead of the round pushers of the original pieces, the 2013 ones are flat. The original case was a bit smaller, at 41.5mm x 42mm, and of course a sapphire crystal is a new replacement.

These 2013 models have a fine-brushed finish, an outer ring with 12/ 24 hour numbering, and a fixed steel case back, inside which is another point of difference to the original model. The new Bullhead is automatic (the Co-Axial Caliber 3113 movement) whilst the original one was a manually wound Caliber 930. The presence of a co-axial movement (and its chronometer status) is noted on the dial at 3 o’clock adjacent to the date window.

One of the most noticeable aspects of the Bullhead is its bulk. 43mm replica watches are not large by contemporary standards, but this replica watch has a height of 14.85mm, which adds a fair bit of heft to it. It also makes it an interesting proposition for those who find thicker replica watches ‘ding magnets’ and would have to become accustomed to this height.

It is not a heavy replica watch, and as you can see from these photos it sits well even on a woman’s wrist (my thanks to the model), but if you fall into that category of replica watch wearer for whom ‘ding magnets’ are an issue, this is a piece best seen and tried first.

There are three iterations of the new Bullhead: black dial with a square guilloché pattern and black leather strap with red contrast stitching, white dial with a brown leather strap, and a silver dialled model with perlage on a black perforated leather strap with red contrast stitching.

There were only two models available on the day of my visit to the Omega boutique, so apologies to those for whom the white dialled version was the one that they were more interested in seeing. Based on the photographs that I had seen online during Baselworld 2013, I had been swaying towards the white and black dialled ones, the silver dialled one looking a bit too ‘raw machined’ for my personal preferences. In seeing it ‘in the metal’, it was not as ‘machined’ looking as I thought it would be, but given the choice between the two I saw, I find the black one more engaging both because I like dark dials and because the guilloché work makes it texturally interesting, with the play of light on the ‘studs’ of black giving it a shimmer. Hopefully, I shall get to see the white dialled version later this year when the Bullhead starts appearing at Omega boutqiues and retailers.

One aspect of note about the replica watch about which there was no information on the day of my visit was the straps. They are leather, but there appears to be some sort of treatment applied to it which gives them an almost rubber-like feel that is quite soft and moulds comfortably to the wrist.

As mentioned at the beginning of this post the vintage Seamaster Bullheads are much loved both amongst Omega enthusiasts and vintage replica watch collectors, so it’s great to see that this popular replica watch has been re-issued in a faithful way.

For those who don’t know why this replica watch (and in fact this style of case/ crown design) is called a ‘Bullhead’, it is named thus because of the configuration of the crown at 12 o’clock with the two chronograph pushers on either side, resembling a bull’s head with horns.

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Swiss Replica

HANDS-ON : Greubel Forsey’s GMT in rosegold replica watch

GFGMT11

To have handled one Greubel Forsey GMT is special enough, but following on from having seen the white gold model earlier this year in London, I recently had the opportunity to see the new-for-2013 red gold model to ‘complete the set’, as it were.

The red gold one featured in this post is, in fact, here in Sydney. There are Greubel Forsey owners and connoisseurs in Australia, so for those who do not know, there is in fact an authorised dealer here – J.Farren-Price, at which I’d previously met Stephen Forsey, and who have this replica watch exclusively in Australia.

Having the chance to see the same luxury replica watch in both metals, albeit with a number of months in-between, has meant the opportunity for comparison.

With this one, as in the case of the white gold, the replica watch is very much more striking ‘in the metal’ than it is in photos. The official photos that came out on its release are representative of the reality of the GMT, but they do not convey the depth of the rotating globe and how much the eye is drawn to it. The globe’s protrusion, the replica watch’s most distinctive feature, is one of those things that may divide people depending on whether their preferences are for ‘flatter’ dials or whether they like a piece such as this with a variety of levels.

Both GMTs have an asymmetrical convex synthetic sapphire crystal and case back of the same through which you can see the hand-wound Greubel Forsey Calibre GF05 with 72 hour power reserve and patented tourbillon. The movement is 9.80mm thick and has 443 parts. The tourbillon has 87 parts inclined at a 25 degree angle, and 24-second rotation. The tourbillon cage for both red gold and white gold models have titanium cage bridges and a gold counterweight.

Functionally, the GMT has a second time zone indicator at 10 o’clock and a 24 time zone world time display. The rotating globe is titanium with a Universal Time display. There is also a summer time indicator and day/ night indicator. The dominant hour and minute dial is in frosted gold with anthracite treatment. The hour-ring is also white gold, the hour and minute hands in polished gold with Super-Luminova. Similarly, the smaller sub dials are in gold, as is the GMT indicator, but the small seconds and power-reserve hands are in blued-steel. The second time zone indicator is a red triangle, to the top left of the dial.

The movement remains unchanged from the white gold model, as does the rotating globe in royal blue oxidised titanium at 7 o’clock, tourbillon 24 Seconds at 5 o’clock, second time zone indicator at 11 o’clock, small seconds at 2 o’clock, power reserve at 3 o’clock and world time disc on the case back.

In terms of differences, the white gold model has main plates of nickel silver, frosted and spotted with polished bevelling and countersinks, straight-grained flanks, nickel-palladium treatment. The red gold version has anthracite treatment instead of nickel-palladium. This difference also extends to the bridges.

Although of a decent thickness (16.14mm) for obvious reasons (movement, globe), the case is what nowadays constitutes almost middle-of-the-range, at 43.50mm. Nonetheless, because of its thickness, it does sit fairly prominently on the wrist.

Turning over the GMT reveals the a ‘worldtime’ disc bearing the names of 24 cities. Aligning the relevant city with the local hour on the outer chapter ring – or inner ring for cities with summer time – sets the dial-side globe in the correct position.

Whether you prefer the white or red gold models is, in the end, a purely personal preference. The finishing on both is as high as one expects from a Greubel Forsey, and to see and appreciate this properly you really need a loupe.

A replica watch that is every bit as striking ‘in the metal’ as it is in photos, Greubel Forsey’s GMT is a piece with a big presence that also comes in a suitably impressive box with beautifully skilled and detailed inlay work.

The top layer onto which the replica watch is placed is in face a removable tray, below which are a travel case, a loupe, and more than ample room for anything else you wish to put there.

If you are in Australia (and especially for those in Sydney) and have never seen a Greubel Forsey ‘in the metal’, or are interested in this scarce replica watch then you now know where to go. The finishing on this brand really has to be seen up close to be appreciated, and of all the models in Greubel Forsey’s current collection, this is my standout favourite.