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Blancpain Replica Hands-on Men Watch Sport Watch

Reviewing The Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe In Sedna Gold

The Bathyscaphe’s styling is significantly different from earlier Fifty Fathoms models, and the movement is the very modern caliber 1315, a fast-beat, long-power-reserve engine specifically introduced by Blancpain in 2008 to provide the brand with a performance oriented in-house sports replica watch caliber. In 2015, Blancpain released a new, Sedna Gold version of the Bathyscaphe – and we just spent a Week On The Wrist with the most contemporary and one of the most quietly luxurious Fifty Fathoms models ever made.www.faussefr.com

The Fifty Fathoms replica watch has been around since 1953, and for its 60th anniversary in 2013, a thoroughly updated version was created: the Bathyscaphe, which takes its name from the undersea exploration vehicle invented by Jacques Piccard.

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I really wasn’t sure how to feel about the Bathyscaphe at first. In the context of the Fifty Fathoms line, it’s a big departure both in size and in style from the historical Fifty Fathoms timepieces. There are four basic models in current production – the Bathyscaphe; what I suppose you could call the “original” Fifty Fathoms; the highly technical X-Fathoms; and the 500 Fathoms GMT, which is water resistant to 1,000 meters and is being produced in a limited series of 500 replica watches.

The Bathyscaphe, on the other hand, is a 43 mm replica watch, takes a 23 mm strap, and is 13 mm thick. By the numbers, it’s right at the edge of what I’d consider a wristwatch you can wear on a day-to-day basis, so I was pleasantly surprised to find that, the use of Sedna gold for the case notwithstanding, it didn’t feel excessively large; it was actually immediately comfortable. This was partly thanks to the excellent nylon strap and beautifully made folding buckle; the latter is also in Sedna gold, and what in steel is a great piece of machinery becomes, in gold, almost opulent.

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Sedna gold is interesting stuff to look at every day. There have been some interesting experiments with gold alloys going on from different brands in recent years; sintered gold/ceramics from Hublot, Lange’s Honey Gold, and so on. Sedna gold was introduced for the first time in the Swatch Group by Omega, for the Constellation Sedna, in 2013, and it’s a combination of gold, copper, and palladium. Palladium is a platinum group metal and it does the same thing in Sedna gold that platinum does in Rolex’s Everose: prevents the characteristic tarnishing that can occur due to the presence of copper. Technically speaking, Sedna gold is an 18k rose gold and a very sensible choice for a dive replica watch, especially as contact with water can hasten the discoloration. Sedna, as readers who are astronomy buffs might know, is the name of a very distant minor or dwarf planet (about 31 times farther out than Neptune), but it’s also the name, in Inuit mythology, for a goddess of the sea, which is pretty appropriate for a dive replica watch.

The original style Fifty Fathoms is now a 45 mm replica watch – I miss very much having a smaller version of the FF in steel available; the 50th Anniversary model from 2003, with a sapphire bezel and a 40 mm case, was extraordinarily beautiful and very wearable and I have been wishing, with an increasing sense of futility, for it to return as a regular production model for many years.

I’m curious about the percentage of palladium and copper, because although the redness of copper is definitely there, Sedna gold seems a bit paler to me than conventional rose or red-gold alloys and depending on how the light’s reflected, it can range in color from a pale pink to almost white. It’s a beautiful effect, and it keeps the replica watch from seeming too overtly ostentatious; technical replica watches in precious metals can seem overdressed if you’re not careful, and the coloration of Sedna gold allows the Bathyscaphe to keep its technical character.

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The movement, as we’ve already mentioned, is the caliber 1315 and fittingly, for what is after all a technical replica watch, it’s dressed for work, not the opera. That said, it’s a well-finished piece of machinery. It also, by the way, turned in an excellent performance over the week I wore the replica watch. There was absolutely no detectable daily variation in rate whatsoever – I mean, none. I am reasonably sure that it gained about a half second after a week, but to be honest, to really evaluate the performance of this particular sample I’d have needed to put the replica watch on a timing machine. If Blancpain’s caliber 1315 is controlled at the factory so that this performance is consistent across its production, that’s a pretty laudable accomplishment (certainly, it makes the absence of COSC certification a non-issue).

The bezel has a ceramic insert – again, from a practicality standpoint this is an excellent choice, especially for salt water immersion. As you’d expect from what, its surprisingly discreet demeanor notwithstanding, is definitely a luxury dive replica watch, operating the bezel is both smooth and precise; there’s just enough resistance to give you tactile feedback as to bezel position, and marker positioning is spot on. Blancpain really nailed the haptics of bezel operation very well in the Bathyscaphe.

One of the things I’ve always wondered about with the Bathyscaphe is what impression you’d have of the dial proportions over time. Ever since the first time I’d seen it, I thought the dial seemed a little empty – as if too few elements were being dispersed over too large a space. This is really an aesthetic issue, not a practical one – the Bathyscaphe is legibility personified, as a matter of fact. The bezel also seemed a bit narrow at first sight as well. However, over the week I wore it, it started to seem more an advantage than not – the effect is actually rather restful and, in any case, Blancpain has a long history of effective use of negative space and I came to feel that the sparseness of the dial was a big part of what gave the replica watch its character.

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Overall, the Bathyscaphe Sedna Gold was a very pleasant surprise on a number of levels – aesthetics and wearability for one, and pretty phenomenal (if anecdotal) performance chronometrically as well; whoever gets one is going to have a very intelligently design wristwatch that will both serve its technical purpose well and look very unostentatiously handsome doing it. This is a replica watch that flew a bit under my radar when Blancpain introduced it and having it for A Week On The Wrist was a pleasure – and a chance to experience a design and technical success from Blancpain I might have otherwise missed.

See the entire Fifty Fathoms collection right here.

The Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe in Sedna Gold: case, 43 mm x 13.4 mm, 30 bar/300 meter water resistant. Movement, Blancpain in-house caliber 1315, 120-hour power reserve, 28,800 vph, running in 35 jewels; antimagnetic with silicon balance spring. Price as shown, $25,200; currently available.

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Calendar Watch Hands-on Longines Replica Men Watch

LONGINES Introduces The Heritage1918

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That I look forward to seeing what Longines releases in its Heritage collection each year is no big secret, and Baselworld 2016 brought with it two additions to this collection. Today is about a replica watch with a familiar case shape bu in a different form, the Heritage 1918.replique de montre rolex

 

At the outset I mentioned that there was a hint of familiarity with this new model. This is because it reminds me of a Red 12 model that Longines released a couple of years ago, inspired by a historical piece from a similar period. Not everyone is into Red 12s nor does everyone wish for a chronograph, so for those who are fans of that particular period’s style of case and ‘look’ but didn’t want the red 12, this new release may tick your vintage-modern boxes.

The choice of a strap colour to match the fill colour of the hands really does make a big difference. Had they chosen a dark brown or even a black strap the effect would not have been as warm as it is. I know that I sometimes might go on a bit about a strap, but I’ve found that a strap change can make a huge difference, and witnessed people who have been converted to a replica watch by a simple colour change. This strap works.

As the name indicates, this is an update of a model from 1918. The case shape, lugs, white-lacquered dial, hands and numerals may reflect the original, especially with the honeyed tones of the ‘faux vintage’ colouring which is also tonally reflected in the alligator strap colour, but Longines have added their usual update of a date function (and on this note I might add that I had the opportunity to meet CEO Mr. Von Kanel and asked him why they keep on adding a date to Heritage Collection reissues – his answer was because people ask for it) as well as putting in an automatic movement (L615/ ETA 2895/2) and increasing the size to models that are 38.5mm and 41mm stainless steel.

 

The Australian RRPs are $2,200 and $2,300 respectively for the different sizes.

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For those who like diamonds on their replica watches, there is also a diamond bezel version of the 38.5mm size featuring sixty diamonds totalling 1 carat.

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Hands-on MBF Replica Sport Watch Technical Watch

MBF Presents LM1Silberstein

 

Once inside the meeting room we saw today’s replica watches, which are not only the latest Performance Art pieces to be launched by MB&F, but also their second partnership with Silberstein.

Known for his primary colour dominated playful replica watches of his eponymous brand, which ceased in 2012, you may be familiar with his 2009 MB&F Performance Art collaboration, called the HM2 Black Box.

The Legacy Machine series, whilst commencing with more conservatively styled aesthetics, has grown into a horological playground for partnership, notably with Xia Hang with his endearing Mr Up/ Mr Down, and now with Silberstein and the LM1.

So I was at Baselworld 2016 waiting for my appointment when I noticed a familiar looking person. I stood there wracking my brains, trying to match a name. Then I glanced down at his wrist.

It was Mr. Alain Silberstein, of course.

The dual time zone and vertical power reserve indicator are where Silberstein has left his mark, with the use of the red, yellow and blue trio he is known for, and the triangle, square and circle, all shapes which are prominent features of his own replica watches. However, you will also note that the bridge is sapphire, which not only adds an interesting visual contrast from a material point of view, but also grants an unobstructed view of the balance wheel.

Powering it all is of course the now familiar manual-wind movement developed for MB&F by Jean-François Mojon/ Chronode and Kari Voutilainen with its (newly styled) 14mm balance wheel floating high above the movement and two dials.

 

Another thing you will notice is that the sub dials are now concave, making them look like small metal bowls, almost.

The first MB&F Alain Silberstein collaboration is very difficult to track down. Even then, there is little getting around the fact that it’s a replica watch of proportions that don’t suit every wrist. This new threesome in rather more ‘user friendly’ proportions now gives a new opportunity for fans of the first, Silberstein fans, and MB&F fans, to scratch their ‘watch itch’.

Each of the three versions of this new Legay Machine are in a 42.5mm case with a thickness of 17mm. This is in contrast to the original LM1, whose measurements are 44mm and 16mm high.

Engraved in French between the lugs of LM1 Silberstein is something special to him : “Le vrai bonheur est d’avoir sa passion pour métier” (“Making a profession of your passion is true happiness”).

This new LM1 Silberstein timepiece comes in three variants with a limitation of twelve pieces per model as per below :

Grade 5 titanium (79,000 CHF + VAT)
Grade 5 titanium treated with black PVD (79,000 CHF + VAT)
18 carat red gold (88,000 CHF + VAT)

Strap-wise, you will get a black hand-stitched calfskin strap with black top-stitched seams with the red gold model and straps with red top-stitched seams for both titanium case models.

 

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Bremont Replica Dress Watch Hands-on Men Watch

BREMONT’s new RegattaChronographs

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Both the OTUSA and the Bremont Regatta AC use a modded chronograph, adapted to create the five minute countdown function situated at 12 o’clock for the sailing function. When you press the chronograph pusher the white window progressively reveals the word “START” and the red arc counts down from 5, changing to white. At the end of five minutes the two arcs recommence their cycle. As well as the centre chronograph seconds there’s a running seconds at 9 o’clock and a twelve hour counter at 6 o’clock.

If you follow Bremont, Giles or Nick English on Twitter/ Instagram then you will be well aware of the enthusiasm with which Bremont has entered into their relationship with the America’s Cup ORACLE Team USA.

At Baselworld 2016 they announced the addition of four new chronograph Regatta replica watches to add to their America’s Cup Collection in the form of new limited edition pieces – Regatta Oracle Team USA (OTUSA) White, Regatta OTUSA Black, Regatta AC Stainless Steel, and Regatta AC Rose Gold. All the new pieces are 43mm in size, and I am sharing one of each with you today.

The movement is an automatic one made for them by La Joux-Perret with a power reserve of forty-two hours and is COSC-certified. You will also note the America’s Cup decoration on the rotor.

With its polished case Regatta AC is more classically styled of the two new designs, particularly with the use of Arabic numerals and blued hands for the stainless steel version. The Bremont Trip-Tick® case has a scratch resistant DLCd case barrel.

 

Whereas the AC models have a chronograph centre seconds. running seconds at 9 o’clock, date and 12 hour counter at 6 o’clock and a 5 minute countdown at 12 o’clock, the OTUSA has a 15 minute Regatta timer and 5 minute countdown at 12 o’clock.

The Regatta Oracle Team USA replica watches have one detail that you may not know at first glance is that high-grade carbon fibre taken from the yacht foils of the winning 2013 Oracle Team USA AC72 yacht is incorporated into each of the crowns.

There will be a limitation number of two hundred and thirty five for this model, and one hundred and thirty five for the rose gold version.

As mentioned above, the Regatta Oracle Team USA will also be in black or white dial variants with a limitation of two hundred and thirty five pieces for each colour. Both colours have a titanium case with the same DLCd case barrel as the other model, their bi-directional rotating bezels lumed with Super-LumiNova. Indices and hands are also lumed.

The America’s Cup replica watches are not just Bremont’s first regatta replica watches, but they told me that they are also the first English regatta replica watches, which is definitely something to be celebrated for them.

All the new models bar the 18 carat rose gold have a Temple Island rubber strap and titanium pin buckle; the Regatta AC Stainless Steel has a blue strap, the OTUSA a black one. The 18K rose gold model is supplied with a brown alligator strap with matching 18K rose gold pin buckle.

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Calendar Watch Dress Watch Glashütte Replica Hands-on

The Glashütte Original PanoGraph Hands On

The Panograph is descended from a somewhat more complicated replica watch that appeared during a complicated time: the PanoRetroGraph. The PanoRetroGraph was originally introduced 16 years ago, in 2000, only a year after A. Lange & Söhne debuted its in-house flyback chronograph, the Datograph. Both replica watches were unprecedented in a lot of respects – really new chronograph movements are very rarely developed even today, and for two to come out within a year of each other, from a small town in Germany, from two manufacturers within shouting distance of each other, was something very few of us at the time had seen coming.replique de montre

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Glashütte Original Panograph in rose gold.

While the Datograph was, and is, a hand-wound, column-wheel, lateral-clutch flyback chronograph, the PanoRetroGraph was something even more complex: a hand-wound, column-wheel-controlled, 30-minute countdown counter with a chime, struck on a cathedral gong, to indicate the end of the timing interval, as well as a flyback chronograph.

Given the proximity of Glashütte Original to Lange you could wonder if there hadn’t been some peeking over the fence from one brand to the other to see what was going on, but given the length of time it takes to develop a chronograph movement, and the significant technical differences between the Datograph and the PanoRetroGraph, more or less parallel, but independent, development seems the likeliest scenario. As Sherlock Holmes says, “When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the case.”

The original PanoRetroGraph and its movement, the GO caliber 60, was made in a limited series of only 150 pieces, in platinum, and even today, there isn’t really another replica watch out there quite like it.  ]The year that the PanoRetroGraph came out also coincided with the acquisition of Glashütte Original by the Swatch Group, where the company remains today.

The PanoRetroGraph did lead to the production of a less complex but still unconventional chronograph: the PanoGraph, with the hand-wound, column-wheel, lateral-clutch flyback chrono movement, caliber 61.

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It’s not an especially big replica watch – 40 mm x 13.7 mm – but it wears and feels bigger, partly due to the generally very solid build quality, and partly due to certain aspects of the design, like the relatively narrow bezel and the generous amount of white space.

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There are two things to discuss when it comes to the dial: the overall composition and choice of design elements, and the quality of the dial work itself. Qualitatively, the PanoGraph is impeccable; everything from the hands, to the applied markers, to the beveling on the date window, quality of printing, and so on, shows every sign of a lot of very serious attention to detail. From a design perspective, the PanoGraph’s a little harder to figure out.

There’s a tendency, for whatever reason, to expect a German-made (and especially Glashütte-made) wristwatch, to give an overall impression of solidity and focus on build quality and mechanical integrity. There are other approaches to replica watchmaking to be found in Glashütte, of course (the vibe you get from a NOMOS, for instance, is obviously much more contemporary and overtly design focused) but when it comes to fulfilling an admittedly somewhat stereotyped idea of German replica watchmaking in general, and Glashütte replica watchmaking in particular, the PanoGraph fills the bill nicely.

The sub-seconds dial and tail on the seconds hand give the replica watch a slightly archaic feel and at first, this seems slightly at odds with the sector for the chronograph seconds, but over the course of a week of wear, it started to seem much more natural to me than it did at first glance. If I had to pick one element of the design that seems challenging, at least the first few times I wore the replica watch, it would probably be the fact that the composition, plus the big date, seemed irresistibly reminiscent of A. Lange & Söhne. Ultimately, though, by the time the week was over I’d stopped seeing the Lange 1 in the back of my mind, so to speak, when I looked at the PanoGraph, and it had started to assume an identity of its own.

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I’m not sure how much the feeling that this particular design can seem derivative of the Lange 1 is really inherent to the design, and how much of it stems at least somewhat from the fact that you know both brands are from Glashütte – I suspect it has a lot to do with it. In any case, for me, the design of the GO PanoGraph is sufficiently its own thing that by the end of the review period, I saw the PanoGraph as a PanoGraph, and not as something derivative of anything else.

In terms of operation, it’s good news all the way around.  In addition to being a very legible replica watch, thanks to the high polish of the dial furniture and the textured dial finish, the chronograph operation’s very smooth as well, with crisp but not rough pusher feel for start, stop and reset – there’s a clean break at the detent, which is not so stiff as to be unpleasant nor so soft in feel as to make for an uncertain transition.

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The nice thing about wearing a replica watch like the GO PanoGraph for a Week On The Wrist is that you have something pretty exciting to look at when it’s off the wrist. Caliber 61-03 gives you a great viewing experience, and there’s a full suite of finishes, including Glashütte stripes, straight-grained and black polished steel, nicely beveled edges on both plates and bridges, blued steel screws and jewels in screwed-down chatons, and so on.

Between the pragmatically luxurious look of the movement (if something can be called pragmatically luxurious) and the very structured, highly detailed dial, this very much left me with the impression of a replica watch that’s more formal than not. Given its size and complexity, it is certainly not a replica watch suitable for formal wear, and it seems clearly designed to make a very overt impression, but there’s no doubt you feel, if you’re in jeans and a polo shirt, and you’re wearing the PanoGraph, that the replica watch might be a little better dressed than you.

Interestingly, GO uses perlage on some visible elements of the mainplate; this finishing technique is more often confined to areas under other elements of a movement, or to the dial side (bottom plate). Here, they actually give an interesting, somewhat industrial contrast to the other, more overtly luxurious finishes, and once you strap the replica watch on, you get exactly that secret sense of satisfaction you should that there’s more to what’s on your wrist than meets the eye. I’d only wish for a few really sharp inner angles, the better to counteract the slightly industrial feel of the perlage.

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There are replica watches that you forget you’re wearing, more or less, unless you look at them, and it’s not just a matter of price; a Patek Calatrava and a Seiko 5 can both manage the same vanishing act though in other respects, they couldn’t be more different replica watches. Wearing a PanoGraph is a bit like wearing a bow tie or driving a carefully battered vintage Rolls-Royce to the grocery store to pick up a carton of milk – you’re deliberately looking to create an effect, while at the same time deliberately saying you’re the sort of fellow who does things for his own reason and doesn’t care all that much about other people’s opinions.This is a replica watch to wear because you like complexity, prefer making style choices of your own instead of following rules, and don’t mind rising to the occasion.

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The Glashütte Original PanoGraph: movement, GO caliber 61-03, 32.2 mm x 7.2 mm, column wheel, lateral clutch chronograph with seconds and 30 minute counter; large date. 28,800 vph, 42-hour power reserve. Case, 40 mm x 13.7 mm, 18k red gold. $34,600, as shown. See it at Glashütte Original online.

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Dress Watch Hands-on Swiss Replica Zenith Replica

BASELWORLD 2016 : Introducing Zenith Elite 6150 RoseGold

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You may recall that a year ago at Baselworld 2015 Zenith launched Elite Calibre 6150 (‘6’ for ‘Elite’, ‘150’ for their birthday of the same), a movement with 195 components, a 100 hour power reserve, 3.92mm high, and released in a time-only eponymous 42mm stainless steel piece.

 

Now it was only recently (due to them not having been available in Australia) that I had even had the chance to look at the (highly successful) stainless steel model but now I have, and with it this new rose gold model.

My conclusions?

Well I have been asked in the last few days about how the replica watch wears, by those who prefer their dress pieces smaller than 42mm.

As I noted at the time, this appeared to be a better looking release than the Zenith Ultra Thin that in a way preceded it. One thing that did make me ponder was their decision to increase the case size to 42mm, 2mm more than their previously existing Elite collection.

This year at Baselworld 2016 not unsurprisingly, Zenith have added to the Elite 6150 range with a new rose gold model.

Firstly, it looks big at first glance. The dial seems expansive, due to the small curved bezel (there is also a rounded crystal, old acrylic-style). If you are used to or prefer smaller dress replica watches then your first response may be to think that it is too big for you.

 

As I noted before Elite replica watches are characterised by conservatism, but there is an important role for this in the Zenith range. I must confess that I had really liked this replica watch in the press photos but been concerned that I might not like it as much (or at all) ‘in the metal’; a plain time-only design can look elegant on paper (as it were) but in real life perhaps a bit well, ‘flat’ as it were, if that make sense.

However, appearances are deceptive. The rounded nature of the model mean that if for example you put it side to side with another 42mm Zenith (I compared it with the 42mm Chronomaster case) it looks smaller. It also sits, in that comparison, smaller on the wrist as well. Which is all just reinforcement of what I know I bleat on about a bit – don’t get hung up on the mm numbers, try if you can, try a replica watch before forming an opinion about whether you can wear it or are comfortable wearing it. Each replica watch sits differently according to case curvature/ shape, and lug length/ design.

It is with some relief that I have discovered that it’s actually better than in the photos, with the proportions on the dial in terms of the lengths of the hands and markers in relation to the size of the dial etc spot on. If you are looking for a slim elegant time-only dress replica watch on the other side 40mm plus then this is worthy of your consideration.

The RRP for the Elite 6150 Rose Gold in Australia is $17,800.

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Calendar Watch Hands-on Men Watch Sinn Replica

Take A Look At SINN 910 Anniversary SplitChronograph

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For those who may not know a splits-second function has two chronograph hands that both start in alignment when the chronograph function is actuated. Then another pusher, which in the case of this replica watch is at 8 o’clock, is depressed to stop one of the hands as as the second continues to advance. Pressing the pusher a second time makes the ‘stopped’ hand jump to the position of the moving hand, and they continue in unison.repliques montres

So what is the anniversary to which the name alludes? Well it’s Sinn’s 55th birthday. Both the limitation number (x/300) and ‘1961 – 2016’ are engraved on the case back.

Although I acknowledge that it is (pardon the double negative) not an inexpensive chronograph, it is nonetheless a good looking one.

Sinn have used the ever reliable Valjoux 7750 with a La Joux Perret mod to create a ratchet colunn wheel chrono with split seconds function. The chronograph actuation is very smooth.

Back to the cream dial. In keeping with their ‘vintage look’ approach for this replica watch they’ve gone for black applied indices and a classic use of red for counter hands and on the tachymeter.

At Baselworld 2016 Sinn, a favourite German ‘tool replica watch’ brand of many, came out with a number of new releases including one or two rather dressy pieces as well as a camo dial that is probably something you will love or not (I don’t), but the clear winner for me was the limited edition 910 Anniversary Split Chronograph, and so I shall talk about it first.

Their first split chronograph, the dial is not perhaps ‘groundbreaking’ in its design, but you don’t always need something adventurous, and the rather pure old school classic chronograph look of this one, with its creamy dial, is just spot on and attractive.

Size wise it is a 41.5mm stainless steel case and comes with both a bracelet and a shell cordovan strap. My vote goes to the strap. Also included in the kit are a strap replacement tool, spring bars, a loupe, and a polishing cloth.

 

The RRP is 5,500 EUR and in Australia, AUD 7,863.64 ex. GST and AUD 8,650.00 incl. GST from Define Replica Watches in Brisbane.

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Calendar Watch Cartier Replica Hands-on Swiss Replica

Reviewing The CARTIER road tosuccess

So we’ve decided to have a bit of a cushion case week this week. Meet the new cushion-cased Drive de Cartier collection, which was launched at SIHH 2016 with three inaugural models (plus one colour variant of one).orologi replica omega

 

The three models that have been launched are the entry level model utilising the Calibre 1904-PS MC with the time, small seconds and a date window, the Calibre 1904-FU MC which has a day/ night indicator, second time zone indicator, date and small seconds, and at the pointy end of the collection, a flying tourbillon with the Calibre 9452 MC.

The dials of all of them are quintessentially Cartier, with their Roman numerals, guilloché dial and blue sapphire winding crown. With these first models the new cases are available in pink gold or stainless steel, and come with black, grey or white dials.

 

I don’t yet have the Australian prices but as a general indication, USD prices are $6,250 for the stainless steel time only model, $19,300 for time only in 18K rose gold, $8,750 for the time zone model, and $89,500 for the Flying Tourbillon.

The new Cartier Drive comes with its own hashtags and a request by Cartier to “Share your drive with @Cartier on social: #DrivedeCartier #WhatsYourDrive”.

Secondly we have the model with he retrograde second time zone, day/ night indicator and large date. It uses the in-house Calibre 1904-FU MC, created in 2014 and launched in a Rotonde case. As I noted at the time, that the functions are all operated by a single crown will be appealing to many, and for those who prefer their cases in non-round shapes, you may find this more appealing than the Rotonde version.

The base model first. Inside the 40.00mm x 41.00mm case is the automatic in-house Calibre 1904-PS MC movement that was launched in 2010 and most notably, made its inaugural appearance in the highly successful Calibre de Cartier collection. With a 48-hour power reserve, this is now a solidly road tested movement and one of Cartier’s ‘backbone’ movements of today.

Lastly we come to the Drive de Cartier Flying Tourbillon replica watch, in which resides the manual wind Calibre 9452 MC. If you seem to recall Horologium writing about a Cartier Flying Tourbillon not so long ago you are not mistaken. It was in the form of a diamond bedecked Clé, 2015’s new case shape from Cartier. This one is obviously a bit more versatile to wear, not to mention a good deal cheaper, than that version.

If you look at the link above, you will see that the large date, retrograde and small seconds are no longer ‘eating into’ the numerals – they have now done away with the half numbers. To my mind it looks a lot cleaner and better this way.

 

So, bearing in mind my comment from the earlier post about the positioning of that other cushion-shaped replica watch, what do you think?

The Cartier Drive collection will be available from May 2016. Keep an eye out at your local Cartier boutique/ authorised dealer or at this link for updates.

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Dress Watch Hands-on IWC Replica Men Watch Swiss Replica

Introducing The IWC Mark XVIII

The first time I ever read anything about the IWC Mark series, it was thanks to (of course) everyone’s favorite non-watchmaker replica watch writer, the inimitable Walt Odets, who in his series, “Tweaking The Mark XII” called that particular Mark “every non-pilot’s favorite pilot’s replica watch.” (I call Mr. Odets a non-watchmaker but of course, while he might not be a card-carrying full time professional, he obviously is a guy who knows his way around a movement, to put it mildly.)

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Overall, the Mark XVIII is one of those replica watches that you can simply wear every day, without taking any particular notice of it, which I mean as a compliment. Over the time I wore it (which was actually longer than a week by several days) it quickly became a matter of habit to pick it up, put it on my wrist, and pretty much forget that it was there unless I needed to check the time. At 40 mm in diameter, and 11mm thick, it’s a replica watch that has enough substance, and size, to feel and look reassuringly solid when you glance at it, but not to a degree that calls attention to itself in any way when you aren’t using it as it was intended to be used.

The strap, like the replica watch, has a very substantial feel, and it’s a little stiff at first although it starts to break in nicely after a couple of days. I suspect it’ll age very nicely and become comfortably supple without losing any of its toughness after a few weeks of regular wear, and like the replica watch itself, it manages to convey a feeling of being able to tolerate hard use, but also not call too much attention to itself (at least, once it’s worn in). The strap and the replica watch together definitely feel like a piece of trustworthy equipment.

I wasn’t so much interested in the Mark XII as I was interested in what you’d do to tweak a movement so as to wring the best possible precision out of it, at least at first, but like many, I gradually began to find the simplicity, clarity, legibility, and history of the Mark XII irresistible and like many, I’ve followed the evolution of the Mark series ever since then with avid interest.

A big part of the easy wearing experience is the strap, which is a black strip of pretty heavy-duty feeling calfskin, made by Santoni for IWC, with an eye-catching orange lining. You don’t see it at all when you’ve got the replica watch on, of course, but the little flash of color you get when you take the Mark XVIII off adds that much more character to the wearing experience. A little touch, but a nice one.

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The time is, as it should be, instantly legible, pretty much under any lighting conditions you could possibly imagine, from direct sunlight to total darkness, thanks to the high contrast dial and generous application of lume on the dial. It’s not as torch-bright as some of the most brightly illuminated replica watches I’ve worn, but even after the first bright glow of charged Super Luminova wears off, you can see what time it is just fine. This is a very, very versatile replica watch as well, thanks to the simplicity and utilitarian nature of the design.

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Now, about that date window. My impression over the years has been that it is very hard to add a date window to a Mark replica watch without irreversibly ticking some people off, and deploring the use of any date window on a Mark series timepiece goes all the way back to the Mark XII, which was (of course) deplored in some quarters for diluting the austere beauty of the Mark XI with a reminder of the current date – in white, no less. I don’t think anyone would argue that the position of the date window in the Mark XVIII is going to rub some of us the wrong way (of course, we don’t need to speculate as every online review of the Mark XVIII that has a comments section has hosted a very vigorous back and forth on the subject). The two basic objections are to its placement (slightly further from the edge than the other dial elements) and to its being there at all.

Oddly, despite the fact that both it and the Mark XVII are nominally sports replica watches, to me the Mark XVIII feels a bit more like a sports replica watch, probably thanks to the altimeter style date window, which of course was the single most polarizing aspect of the Mark XVII’s design. Without it, the Mark XVIII has a more universal feel to it and depending on how you dress, you can probably get away with wearing it with anything short of black tie. Come to think of it, a gent of sufficiently imposing and masculine carriage, probably could wear it as a sort of go-to-hell gesture even with a tux (although it takes a lot of self-assurance to pull that sort of thing off, and if you hear the slightest whisper of a doubt in your head, I wouldn’t try it).

For me it was a very satisfying replica watch to wear. It’s clean, clear, with terrific legibility and ease of wear on its side, and I’m sort of a sucker for any replica watch that achieves its antimagnetic resistance through an iron inner case and dial instead of through the use of amagnetic alloys and silicon, which for no particularly rational reason I just don’t find as sexy. It’s an outdated solution, sure, but there’s something romantic, something kick-the-tires-and-light-the-fires about it. I’m definitely not a pilot, but I like my pilot’s replica watches to be a little window into a world whose authenticity I have to appreciate from the back seat, so to speak, and I’m very pleased that the Mark XVIII lets me, just a little bit, feel like I’m in the cockpit rather than behind a desk.

I don’t feel especially passionately on the subject either way. Very often the replica watch I happen to have on doesn’t have a date guichet, but (and this is just a personal note) I tend to forget the date and I don’t mind having it there on the Mark XVIII. In principle I definitely sympathize with those who wish it weren’t there at all, but in practice I found it something I could simply ignore, and in real life (or as much of real life as a week and a half represents) it didn’t bother me in the least. I will say though, that if you hate it in pictures, you’re probably not going to stop hating it if you have the Mark XVIII on your wrist.

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The Mark XVIII is a very simple replica watch, but it carries a lot of history along with it, and how much you enjoy wearing it depends a lot – maybe mostly – on how emotionally connected you are to that history in general, and what parts of that history resonate with you the most in particular.

The IWC Mark XVIII is 40 mm x 11 mm with a soft iron dial and inner case for magnetic resistance. As shown, black dial; sapphire crystal with double antireflective coating, “secured against displacement by drop in air pressure,” water resistance, 6 bar/60 meters. Movement, caliber 30110 (ETA base) adjusted to temperature and five positions by IWC, center seconds with date, 42-hour power reserve. Price, $3,950. See the whole collection at IWC.com.

Check out our in-depth comparison of the Mark XVIII with the Mark XVIII “Le Petit Prince”  and how they stack up against the Mark XI here.

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Glycine Replica Hands-on Men Watch Sport Watch

Hands-on With Glycine Airman No. 1

“During most of my journey from Bangkok to Calcutta, I was seated at the place of the First Officer, next to the commander in a DC-4 from Thai Airways. The captain explained to me in detail what kind of replica watch pilots from all nations would actually need. According to him this replica watch is not on the market.replica orologi breitling

Those words were penned in 1953 by Samuel Glur, a traveling executive with the Altus-Glycine replica watch company of Biel, Switzerland. His letter went on to list the requirements for the perfect pilot’s replica watch for the new era of intercontinental commercial air travel. The replica watch would be able to track two time zones on a 24-hour scale, giving a pilot access to both his local time as well as a GMT reference, important since GMT is the time standard referred to by air traffic control no matter where a plane is in the world.

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Despite its niche appeal, Glycine has never really stopped producing the Airman since 1953, though some of the quartz editions of the late 1980s are regrettable. The replica watch has gone through dozens of versions, from the utilitarian to the downright bizarre, but in 2014, Glycine came full circle when it released the Airman No. 1, a re-issue of that very first edition of the 1950s. When one arrived for review, I had to double check that Glycine had actually sent the Airman No. 1 and not the actual Airman number 1. It is that faithful a reproduction.

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The replica watch market these days is so rife with vintage-styled “heritage” pieces, it’s easy to get jaded by them and nitpick the details that have been sacrificed to suit modern tastes. The most obvious specification that is updated is the size. Mid-century replica watches were often 36 mm or smaller – undersized for the modern buyer used to bigger pieces. But the Airman No. 1 clocks in at precisely 36 mm, the exact dimension of the original replica watch it emulates.

The resulting replica watch, the fittingly named Glycine Airman, debuted only months later, first presented in the U.S. with a white dial and pencil hands. But it was at the 1955 Basel Replica Watch Fair, one year after Rolex’s famous GMT-Master was released, that the black-dial Airman was presented to an international audience. While the GMT-Master, thanks in part to its legendary association with Pan Am Airlines, has gone on to great fame, skyrocketing prices, and multiple iterations, the Airman has quietly remained more of an obscure cult favorite.

The 24-hour bezel that was a hallmark trait of the original Airman is reproduced here and retains the locking feature that is pure charming 1950s technology. Rather than a ratcheting function commonly found in uni-or bi-directional bezels these days, the Airman No. 1 has a simple friction bezel that can be locked in place with a small thumbscrew crown at the 4 o’clock position on the case. It works well and is satisfying to use, though the crown no longer has the cross-hatched pattern of the original, a rare departure from history.

Glycine makes two versions of the Airman No. 1. The so-called “Purist” version, as its name suggests, is a pure 24-hour replica watch, with an hour hand that sweeps the dial only once per day. Thus, at high noon, the hour hand is confusingly pointing to the bottom of the dial, where 12:00 is found, while midnight, or 24:00, is at the top. This feature, with the rotating second 24-hour time scale, made the replica watch popular with pilots, since they were used to telling time this way, and the Airman became a popular choice of Air Force pilots during the Vietnam War. But a 24-hour replica watch never quite caught on with civilians used to telling time on a 12-hour dial. In that regard, the GMT-Master offers a more elegant solution, marrying a 12-hour dial with a 24-hour hand and bezel for a second time zone.

With the small dial and engraved metal bezel, the replica watch actually wears even smaller than its size, giving a true vintage feel and one I struggled to come to grips with during my week with it. Long lugs and a 20 mm strap width mitigate some of the proportions but I never quite got used to seeing such a tiny replica watch on my 7-1/4 inch wrist. That said, I commend Glycine for being bold enough to retain the original size. If you can’t handle a replica watch that small, Glycine offers other similar Airman references in larger sizes.

Another vintage feature that usually gets updated in modern “re-issues” is the crystal. Acrylic gives way to sapphire in most cases, a concession to scratch resistance over the beautiful warmth that a plastic crystal offers. Here again, Glycine stayed true to the original, with a nicely domed plexiglass crystal that has more charm than a sapphire ever will, and offering the utility of a glass that can be buffed out and won’t shatter if dropped or smacked.

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Aside from the size and crystal, the Airman No. 1 continues the vintage vibe with a matte printed dial that keeps the same quaint serif font from its historical forebear. The steel case, down to its slender lugs, is high polished stainless steel, typical for a 1950s replica watch but less common on modern “tool” replica watches, and was something else to get used to (and difficult to photograph). The dial markings – small lume pips at the five-minute marks – and the hands have a creamy luminescence to them without the extreme faux patina some other throwback replica watches use. Rather than trying to emulate aged lume, it seems that the paint used here emulates how the Airman’s original 1950s tritium lume would have looked when new – more ecru than the sickly green of so much Superluminova.


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For people who prefer 12-hour time-telling, Glycine concedes with the Airman No. 1 GMT, the reference I had for my week of wear. This version compromises by driving the main hour hand around twice per day, pointing to the lume pips on the dial for the hours, while a slim GMT hand does 24-hour duty, and can track two additional time zones, pointing at the 24-hour scale on the dial as well as the bezel’s markings. Though this is a departure from the original Airman and one that initially disappointed me, I soon grew to appreciate it – especially when wearing the replica watch in rotation with other pieces, since going from 12-hour to 24-hour time-telling can be a mental challenge, while still offering the added utility of tracking three time zones.

Every replica watch collector has his or her grail, a quarry that is stalked, often just missed, and agonized over. Mine has long been the Glycine Airman. I love its obscurity, its uncompromising, purpose-built design, and its origins in the cockpit of a long-haul airliner. I’ve trolled vintage sales websites, eBay, and military forums looking for the right example. Many old ones are questionable or incomplete, often lacking the proper crowns or missing the hacking pin, or are in rough shape after a few years flying sorties on the wrist of an F-86 Sabre pilot above Southeast Asia. So I never pulled the trigger for one of my own. But now, having worn the Airman No. 1, I’m not sure I’ll continue looking for a vintage example. I might just look for a new one.

No matter which version you choose, the hand set used on the Airman No. 1 still uses the telltale arrowhead hour hand with its long pointed tail. Far from a mere design flourish, that arrow acts as a clever guide to deciphering 24-hour time at a glance, since it always points to the more conventional, non-military time for any given hour. For example, when it is 20:00, the tail of the hour hand points to the 8 on the dial; thus it is 8pm. On the GMT version, I did find the sliver-thin, polished GMT hand, which has no lume on it, hard to read against the black dial.

Driving the Airman No. 1 is a simple Sellita-based automatic movement that Glycine calls calibre GL 293, which kept acceptable accuracy over a week, on and off the wrist. Vintage Airman examples (Airmen?) used a few different movements over their long run, including those from Felsa and A. Schild. While the new replica watch is hackable (the ability to stop the seconds hand when the crown is pulled), the vintage ones had another quaint solution, similar to the locking bezel; when the crown was pulled out to set the time, a small pin would pop up through a hole in the dial to stop the seconds hand at 12:00 (or 24:00 as the case may be) so you could synchronize the time to a radio signal – important for pilots.

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Information about the Airman No. 1 can be found on the Glycine website. Some of the facts in this article were derived from the excellent and comprehensive e-book by André Stikkers, entitled “Glycine Airman: a 24 hour timeline of flight” which can be found online.

All photos: Gishani Ratnayake

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