Tag: chronograph

Categories
Longines Replica

LONGINES : (Another) Column-Wheel Single Push-PieceChronograph

LonginesHeritageChronograph42

You may recall that a little while ago we wrote about a cheap fake Longines Heritage Collection Column-Wheel single pusher chronograph with a black dial that was also available in a white-dialled version which alas we did not get to see.

Well today is a third new monopusher chronograph option from Longines for your consideration.

In the same 41mm stainless steel case and also containing the automatic Calibre L788.2 (ETA A08.L11) movement, this piece is called the Reference L2.800.4.26.2-4.

The bi-compax layout is the same as the previous model, with a centre 60 seconds, 30-minute chronograph counter at 3 o’clock and small seconds at 9 o’clock.

The differences between this and the other version are the markers and that the dial is white lacquered with silver areas (minutes circle and counters), painted Arabic numerals and batons and, of course, the blued hands. These cosmetic changes result in a very different look, as you can see in the first photo, and a more dressy one at that.

With a veritable feast of heritage-inspired chronographs from Longines in 2015, those who are looking for something along these lines will have a nice range of options from which to choose. Of those that I have handled there’s something to be said for this version nudging slightly ahead of the others. The dial, with its two tones that play a bit in the light, is slightly more intriguing.

Categories
Vacheron Constantin Replica

Replica VACHERON CONSTANTIN : Historiques Cornes de vache1955

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

One of my favourite releases of 2015 has been from luxury replica Vacheron Constantin – the Historiques Cornes de vache 1955 chronograph. Given that I saw it during the same few days (in Hong Kong) as I did the A.Lange & Söhne 1815 Boutique-only Chronograph, it was great opportunity to be able to see and compare two such stunning (front and back sides) old-school chronographs. Although the Harmony chronographs released by Vacheron Constantin this year have been rather splendid, this Cornes de Vache probably just pips it at the post for me, in part due to how it wears.

The Historiques Cornes de vache 1955 has been inspired by, as the name aptly states, a classic 1955 chronograph with ‘cow horn’ lugs, the Reference 6087. The original on which this new release is based was 18 carat yellow gold, 35mm in size, and contained the manual-wind Calibre 492.

The new one, however, is a very comfortable 38.50mm diametre (making it arguably more wearable for more people as a dress replica watch if we compare it with the Harmony Chronograph’s 42mm x 52mm) and 10.9mm thick in a 950 Pt case with the same ‘cow horn’ lugs. Visible through an open case back is the manual-wind Calibre 1142, with a forty-eight hour power reserve and 21,600VPH.

This is a faithful modernisation of a classic Vacheron Constantin piece. As well as keeping the same lugs and being restrained with regards to size, they have kept with the original bi-compax layout of the 30-minute counter at 3 o’clock and a small seconds at 9 o’clock. A slightly larger size compared to the original has meant some more space on the dial  and increased legibility. The dial itself is silvered opaline with a brushed minute track and tachymeter scale. The indices are white gold. A mix of Roman numerals and applied indices, a tachymeter scale, bi-compax layout…the whole replica watch screams vintage Vacheron chronograph design.

This new Vacheron Constantin has a presence; when you handle it you want to put it on your wrist. It really is an extremely elegant replica watch from a Manufacture with a very long and significant history of making chronographs. As I mentioned at the outset, the Harmony Chronograph range is rather beautiful and has a buttery smooth  chronograph pusher, but they have a stronger wrist presence because of their size; this new Cornes de vache 1955 gives a smaller (and round) option for someone looking for a modern chronograph dress replica watch from the brand.

Do you know what? So what if its name is ‘cow horns’. It is matter of fact, you don’t have to remember too many reference numbers, and it is, as they say, what it says on the packet. With their tapering curves it is the lugs that give the replica watch that extra bit of character.

Its parent the Reference 6087 was apparently only produced in 36 pieces (28 in yellow gold, six in rose gold), but this one will be more easily obtained. The Historiques Cornes de Vache 1955 will be limited in production but not number and price is 62,000 EUR. For a look at some vintage Vacheron Constantin chronograph, go to this post of our visit to their chronograph exhibition in January 2015.

[Horologium attended Replica Watches & Wonders 2015 by invitation of Richemont Australia]

Categories
Omega Replica

PHOTOS : Replica Omega’s White Side of theMoon

2015OmegaWhiteSide3

Two years ago the replica Omega Speedmaster went to the ‘Dark Side of the Moon’ and last year, it went grey with a lunar dust theme. At Baselworld 2015 they launched their latest/ last ‘Side of’ variant the ‘White Side of the Moon’, which I described at the time as ‘The Dark Side x Alaska Project’ but which Omega somewhat more poetically describes as reflecting lunar radiance.

At any rate it’s white.

Very white.

In fact it is even more white ‘in the ceramic’ than it is in photos, as I discovered during the Sydney launch of some of this year’s new models.

It is also very shiny.

Their third Speedmaster ceramic model, the White Side has a dial and brushed and polished case made from zirconium oxide ceramic. The polished white ceramic bezel has a matte chromium nitride tachymeter scale. The polished ceramic pushers on the case function independently so there is no risk to the chronograph mechanisms as a result of inadvertent manipulation.

The scratch-resistant sapphire crystal, treated with an anti-reflective coating on both sides, protects the dial with its 18K white gold hands and applied indexes. The centre chronograph seconds hand is rhodium-plated and with a red tip. The hour, minute and chronograph seconds hands, indices and two dots at 12 o’clock all have white Super-LumiNova. Engraved just above the centre of the dial is “ZrO2” as a nod to its material. There is a small white sub-dial at 3 o’clock that serves as a 60-minute and 12-hour recorder and a small second sub-dial can be found at 9 o’clock.

The Speedmaster White Side of the Moon comes on a rather shiny white leather strap with a white ceramic and Grade 5 titanium clasp.

The white ceramic case back is polished with bevelled scratch-resistant sapphire crystal, matte chromium nitride marks, and is engraved with the name of the replica watch: “White Side of the Moon”. Inside is the Co-Axial Calibre 9300 that was in the other ‘Sides’, COSC-certified and with a 60-hour power reserve. A handy thing about the movement is that there is an independently adjustable hour hand.

It’s 44.25mm in diametre and has a bi-compax layout like the Dark and Grey Sides. This format, as opposed to the original tri-compax dial, was first used on the Speedmaster Co-Axial Chronograph that was Omega’s first Speedy to use their in-house 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; it has two stacked hands, the longer one counting 60 minutes, the shorter 12 hours. The small seconds sub dial is at 9 o’clock.

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.

There have been a lot of Speedmaster models. In terms of the three coloured ‘Sides’ my vote is definitely still first with the Dark Side. The Grey Side was actually more attractive than I had expected it to be, but this white one feels less ‘tool replica watch’ and more ‘Statement Speedmaster’. Perhaps I am conservative, but the White Side of the Moon feels like a Speedmaster (and I am distinguishing it from other ‘all-white’ replica watches because to me, Speedys fall into a category of their own) that perhaps isn’t so much for traditionalists as for people who may not have previously taken to it but who are engaged by the ‘moon replica watch’ idea and like bold, shiny replica watches.

Categories
IWC Replica

PHOTOS : Replica IWC’s Portugieser Yacht Club – something old, somethingnew

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

IWCYachtClubChrono7

As most of you will know by now, 2015 is IWC’s year of the Portugieser.

As you all know 2015 is IWC’s year of the Portugieser, with a new collection having been launched at SIHH 2015 to celebrate its 75th anniversary that included an Annual Calendar (their first) containing a new movement, the Cal. 52850, and with which we spent a few ‘on the wrist’ days a little while ago. You can read about that experience, and our thoughts at this link.

Today it’s about the Portugieser Yacht Club Chronograph. A model first launched in 2010, this newer version uses the same IWC Calibre 89361 with its 68-hour power reserve.

As mentioned in this recent post about a 1970s Yacht Club, the first of the Yacht Clubs, the Yacht Club Automatic, was launched at the Baselworld 1967. Inside the original Yacht Club was the Calibre 8541 with date display and Pellaton bi-directional winding system. The stainless steel Yacht Club was water resistant to 100m and 60m for the gold version, via a crown mechanism that automatically tightened the seals as water pressure increased.

The new Yacht Club Chronograph is smaller, down from 45.4mm to 43.5mm. In wrist terms, that’s actually quite a difference. Heightwise, the new model is 14.5mm. With the (flyback) automatic IWC Calibre 89361 inside and a case water-resistant to 6 bar (part of its ‘sporty’ bit), the Portugieser Yacht Club Chronograph is the only Portugieser model with lumed hands and indices and comes on a rubber strap to complete the sports look.

Available in stainless steel with a slate-coloured (Ref. IW390503) or silver-plated (Ref. IW390502) dial and in 18 carat red gold with a silver-plated dial (Ref. IW390501), we had the second of these for a few days to test drive.

The dial features a railway track style chapter ring with lumed hour indices and polished Arabic numerals. The outer ring is a 60-second chronograph scale for the red chronograph seconds hand.

Note the chronograph function sub dial at 12 o’clock. It is totaliser-style, indicating both elapsed hours and minutes on the one sub dial. display that uses one dial to indicate both elapsed hours and minutes.

As mentioned above, we took a look at a 1970s Yacht Club not too long ago, and thought it might be fun to take a photo of these relatives together.

Of course they are quite different; each was created for different eras and thus different markets for starters, but they do share certain attributes at a glance – both have been created to be very practical sturdy replica watches with no extra frills, but also to be slightly dressy (and in that, versatile from a ‘wearing’ point of view) as well. You can wear these both dressed up and dressed down.

The red gold version (Ref. IWC 390501) is an entirely different proposition, since making it red (or rose) gold makes it more dress and less ‘yacht’/ ‘sports’ replica watch almost by default. However, we live in an age where sports replica watches are red or rose gold and are worn with suits and people like to have choices of metal, so two options satisfy this.

Australian prices for the three models are as follows :

Ref. IW390501 RRP: $31,500

Ref. IW390502 RRP: $16,400

Ref. IW390503 RRP: $16,400

Categories
Longines Replica

Replica Longines Column-Wheel Single Push-Piece HeritageChronograph

LonginesHeritageChronograph25

In recent years Longines have reissued a number of monopusher chronographs from their Museum as a part of its Heritage collection. A few months ago we looked at the new 2015 Pulsometer Chronometer monopusher with its Calibre L788.2 in a 40mm stainless steel case. Comparisons even within a brand are interesting, so today we are looking at an even newer model, released since Baselworld 2015 – what they have called their ‘Column-Wheel Single Push-Piece Chronograph’.

It is not just the fact of another monopusher that is interesting, but (and there is one more that I will cover, in fact) there are design differences, and when we’re talking about high quality replica watches whose reception is often to do with the details (date/ no date for example), these are worth noting.

Coming in either matte black or white lacquered versions, I had the opportunity to see a non-working black model for a couple of days with thanks to Longines Australia, so I can only speak to this one. What I will say at the outset is that despite the core similarities of monopusher/ movement and to some extent, ‘look’ of them, to me there was a different ‘feel’ to this one when compared to the Pulsometer that went beyond just a dial design, but more on that later.

This new-old model is 41mm and both the black and white dial versions are in stainless steel. The bicompax dial layout with 30-minute chronograph counter at 3 o’clock and small seconds at 9 o’clock is easy to read with the contrasting white numerals, markers and tachymeter scale. The hands on this one are rhodium-plated but for the white version, they are blued. To get an idea about Longines’ blued hands, just go to the Pulsometer post link here. This one comes on a black strap but the white lacquer dial model comes on a brown one. For those who are into ‘balance’ but do not like Longines’ preferences for adding date windows to modern re-issues, this one will hopefully bother you less, because it is discreet.

Inside is the automatic Longines column wheel Calibre L788.2, which is based on the ETA A08.L11. The movement has 27 jewels, 28,800VPH, and a power reserve of fifty-four hours. The column wheel, visible through the sapphire case back, has a blued finish.

Now, in terms of what I briefly alluded to at the beginning – this replica watch versus the Pulsometer. Press photos do not always reflect what something is like ‘in the metal’, as we all know, and much as I liked it in the photo, the physical fact of the Pulsometer didn’t seem to engage me as much as I had expected it to. This is kind of unusual, because the whole retro/ blued hands thing is right up my alley, but there was something in the realisation of the look that for me, and this is a very personal and thus subjective response, that was a little bright, and the ‘feel’ of the case in my hand was also less substantial than I’d expected.

In comparison, today’s monopusher, which I have now handled on two occasions, has the impression of heft that I was hoping for in the Pulsometer. Its old-school chronograph look is modern and not too ‘shiny’ in its overall feel, the rhodium-plated hands look elegant, it feels comfortable on the wrist, and I can see myself wearing it.

For those who are interested, the black dial is Reference L2.800.4.53.0-3 and the white dial, Reference L2.800.4.23.2-4. The Australian RRP for the black version is $3,950.

Categories
Baume & Mercier Replica

ON THE WRIST :Replica Baume & Mercier Capeland ShelbyCobra

BM2015ShelbyCobra19

A little while back I attended the Sydney launch of luxury fake Baume & Mercier’s tribute to the classic Shelby Cobra racing car, and got some ‘quick and dirty’ photographs of both the models, stainless steel and red gold.

When I was asked by Baume et Mercier Australia a number of weeks later whether I wanted to have the stainless steel version for a little while, I naturally answered in the affirmative. The blue stripes on the dial are subtle, had proven elusive in the lighting conditions on day of the launch, and I wanted to try and capture it. Also, I’d never really spent time with a Capeland, so it would be an opportunity to have, on a broader level, some experience with something from this collection.

Firstly, let us revisit the basics.

The dial is dark blue with a sunburst finish, and has two discreet racing stripes in a slightly lighter blue that are a reference to the Cobra’s stripes, as opposed to the car’s white stripes. The hour and minute hands reference steering wheel spokes and there is a laser-cut cobra, the Shelby logo, on the seconds hand. The chronograph sub-dials are a contrasting silver, and designed to look like dashboard gauges.

Inside this 44mm case (which is bigger than many of its Capeland siblings) is a La Joux-Perret Calibre 8120 with a 42-hour power reserve and perlage finishing on the main plate and bridges. The La Joux-Perret 8120 is a modified 7750. Its presentation is fairly utilitarian and you can see it all through the engraved case back.

At 14.9mm it is the same thickness as other Capelands such as the 10082 and 10084, to give two examples, so for those who are familiar with the Capeland collection, you will have a fair idea of the Capeland Shelby’s heft and how it fits on the wrist. It isn’t a small replica watch, but if you’re comfortable with replica watches from about 43mm upwards, you will be fine with this replica watch. The play of light on the blue stripes is perhaps its most attractive features; a nice discreet reference to the tie-in but ‘general’ enough as a decorative item to have broader appeal. The Cobra logo is something that is probably going to appeal more to the Cobra fans.

In terms of the chronograph functionality and the ‘feel’ of the pushers, for the sample replica watch that I was loaned they were what a friend calls within the normal deviation for this movement, so for those familiar with it, there are no surprises; the reset on this particular replica watch was slightly smoother than the start/ stop pusher.

The strap is black alligator with red calfskin rubber-like lining, contrasting grey stitching and on a folding clasp. This lining is quite comfortable, and even though I tried it during winter, it struck me that makes it would be particularly good for warmer months for wearers for whom the combination of heat, perspiration and leather is an issue.

Perhaps the Capeland Shelby Cobras are aimed foremost at owners and admirers of the cars after which they are named, but with the exception of the cobra on the seconds hand, the other references are discreet enough that the replica watch will probably have broader appeal on purely design grounds. For those who have been interested in getting a Capeland but been wanting something slightly different, you may want to take a look.

An important thing to note is that the stripes are only as clearly defined as they are in this photo under certain lighting conditions, at certain angles. At night, for example, or in a dark restaurant, they can barely be seen.

Watches of Switzerland is the exclusive Australian retailer for the Capeland Shelby Cobras, and the RRP is $5690.

Categories
Vacheron Constantin Replica

Replica Vacheron Constantin HarmonyChronograph

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

As mentioned earlier this year, Vacheron Constantin introduced a completely new collection called ‘Harmony’ to celebrate their 260th anniversary in 2015. We have already covered the Harmony Tourbillon Chronograph, and today’s replica watch is the simple  Chronograph, perhaps the one that is the purest representation of the 1928 cushion-cased model which inspired this new collection.

Firstly, the externals. The case is 18 carat 5N pink gold, and a very modern size, 42mm x 52mm, with a thickness of 12.81mm. The dial has a small seconds at 9 o’clock, a 45-minute counter for the chronograph at 3 o’clock, and a power reserve indicator at 6 o’clock.

With its pulsometric scale in red and blued hands, even without the reference to a 1928 vintage replica watch this is clearly a very classically designed piece, and there is little doubt that it was inspired by vintage chronographs intended for medical use.

Inside is the new manual-wind Chronograph Calibre 3300, a column-wheel monopusher movement with a 65-hour power reserve that is visible through an open case back, with its hand-engraved scroll decoration on the cock-bridge, and the Vacheron Maltese Cross. Happily, all the 260th anniversary models have some form of engraving on their movements.

This is an elegant handsome replica watch with a strong presence and a beautiful movement, but its size may not be for all. If you want an idea about the size of the Harmony Chronograph, another modern Vacheron cushion case, the American 1921, is 40mm x 40mm.

The Harmony Chronograph is limited to 260 numbered pieces.

In commemoration of their year of the chronograph, Vacheron Constantin held a special exhibition in their Geneva museum, which we visited earlier this year. You can read more about it, and see some photographs of exhibits, at this link.

Categories
Baume & Mercier Replica

Replica BAUME MERCIER : Capeland Shelby® Cobralaunch

BM2015ShelbyCobraOrig3

Earlier this year Baume & Mercier announced two limited edition chronographs to commemorate a new partnership with legendary racecar manufacturer, Shelby American, Inc. When you think about Baume & Mercier car partnerships aren’t what comes to mind, but such partnerships are common in the replica watch world, so perhaps in that sense it is unsurprising.

Founded by racing driver Carroll Shelby, Shelby-American Inc created one of the most famous and recognisable sports cars, the Shelby AC Cobra.

Let’s start with a bit of history.

In September 1961 Carroll Shelby wrote to AC Cars in Surrey, England, asking if they would build him a car modified to accept a V8 engine. AC agreed, provided a suitable engine could be found. After some failed attempts he ended up with Ford, who offered a newly developed engine. In January 1962 AC Cars fitted the prototype chassis with a 260 ci Ford V8 for testing. The chassis was moved to L.A. in February, and Shelby and his team started road-testing it before putting it into production.

AC exported completed cars (sans engine and gearbox) to Shelby in L.A., where they had engines and gearboxes added. The first 75 Cobra Mk1 models had the same engine as the prototype. The remaining 51 Mk1 were fitted with the For 289cu in (4.7L) V8 and from there, the company grew, with different chassis and engine combinations used. However, with only 1,003 Cobras produced in the three years until its end in 1965, kit versions have become immensely popular in their own right, and Sydney owners formed part of its local launch.

Carroll Shelby’s success reached its pinnacle in 1965 when his cars won Division 3 (Over 2000cc) at the FIA Championship’s International Championship for GT Manufacturers, with Ferrari beaten into second place. To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Championship win, Shelby are building fifty Shelby Cobra 427s, and Baume & Mercier are partnering with them by creating some matching replica watches.

In late June 2015 Baume & Mercier Australia officially launched these two new models in Sydney, and I was invited to see them ‘in the metal’.

The Baume & Mercier Cobra collection consists of 44mm sized steel and red gold chronographs based on their Capeland model. The differences between the two Shelby models lie in the case metal, movement, and the dial design.

The stainless steel version is in a limited production of 1,965 (self-explanatory) and the red gold, in a numbered limitation of 98 pieces in tribute to Carroll Shelby’s Cobra racing number.

Firstly, the stainless steel version.

The dial is dark blue with a sunburst finish, and has two attractively discreet racing stripes in a slightly lighter blue (they were impossible to capture in the lighting conditions on the day I took thes photos) that are a reference to the Cobra’s stripes, as opposed to the car’s white stripes. The hour and minute hands reference steering wheel spokes and there is a laser-cut cobra, the Shelby logo, on the seconds hand. The chronograph sub-dials are a contrasting silver, and designed to look like dashboard gauges.

Inside is a La Joux-Perret caliber 8120 with a 42-hour power reserve and perlage finishing on the main plate and bridges. The La Joux-Perret 8120 is a modified 7750.

For the red gold version, the dial is markedly different, with the chronograph sub-dials left blue. Apart from the metal, the hands are the same as for the stainless steel version.

Movement-wise, the ‘flyback’ on the dial is the giveaway for the red gold version. It uses the La Joux-Perret 8147-2, an automatic movement that is also based on the ever-reliable 7750, but highly modified to incorporate a flyback function, which is visible through the laser-engraved case back with the collection name and the late Carroll Shelby’s signature. Unlike the other model, this one only features two sub-dials – a small seconds at 9 o’clock and a 30-minute counter at 3 o’clock.

My favourite of the two? The stainless steel purely on design/ colour grounds.

For those interested, at the 2015 North American International Auto Show a 3D-printed 1965 Shelby Cobra was on display. Here is a short video of its construction.

Both models come in a box with an miniature of the 427 Cobra. For those who get the red gold model, you will also receive an attractive large hardback book detailing the full history of the Cobra. There were two red gold pieces allocated for Australia. On the night of the Sydney launch at Replica Watches of Switzerland, one was sold to someone with a Cobra. A fitting new home.

Categories
Breitling Replica

Replica BREITLING : Transocean Chronograph1915

Basel2015BreitlingTransoceanChronograph1915a

As the name indicates, the new Transocean Chronograph 1915, launched at Baselworld 2015, commemorates a significant achievement for Breitling – a hundred years since the creation of the first independent chronograph pusher at 2 o’clock.

A century ago, Breitling was one of the first brands to offer a chronograph for the wrist. In 1923 Gaston Breitling, who had taken over the reins from his father (and founder) Leon on his father’s death, also pioneered and patented a chronograph with the activation pusher at 2 o’clock, independent of the crown, thereby introducing the idea of clear delineation of this start/ stop function from the resetting function at the crown.

Not content with this achievement, in 1934 fake swiss Breitling introduced a patented second pusher for resetting, inventing the two-button chronograph.

In this celebratory monopusher re-edition, Breitling has changed the 2 o’clock pusher in a more sleek and modern form than its originator introduced, but with an immediately discernible ‘vintage’ style and colouring to it. The Arabic numerals and baton hands are lumed in a shade that gives it that popular modern ‘faux patina’ look and the use of a vintage Breitling logo provides another signifier of the heritage of this new model.

Inside is the new manual-wind chronometer-certified Breitling Calibre B14, with a patented two-tiered double column-wheel system activated by chronograph controls also arranged on two levels. Power reserve is 70 hours. You can see the new movement through the sapphire caseback, which has a commeorative “100e anniversaire 1915-2015” (100th anniversary 1915-2015) engraving.

In a 43mm stainless steel case, this new model is in a limited series of 1,915 and comes on an Ocean Classic mesh bracelet. This is a good looking vintage/ homage piece, and my favourite from the Baselworld 2015 releases that I saw at the Breitling boutique in Sydney. Australian RRP is $11,960.

Categories
Longines Replica

Replica Longines PulsometerChronograph

LonginesPulsometerChronograph2

During Baselworld 2015 we mentioned the new Pulsometer monopusher released by Longines. As noted at the time, this follows on from a 2013 Asthmometer-Pulsometer chronograph and is one of the latest in their heritage-inspired pieces.

To briefly recap the basics, this new model is 40mm, stainless steel, and through its open case back you can see the automatic Calibre L788.2 column wheel chronograph, which has a 54-hour power reserve. Whether or not you think the case back should have been solid is a matter of personal preference.

With thanks to high quality replica Longines Australia, who lent me two of this year’s new releases to have a play with (you will have to wait to see what the other one is), here are some live photos as a point of comparison to the official photos released during Baselworld.

For those unfamiliar with chronographs, the centre hand is the 60-second one, there is a 30-minute counter at 3 o’clock, and seconds sub-dial at 9 o’clock.

The dial is lacquered white with the pulsometric scale in red. Arabic numerals are painted and the Breguet-style hands are blued; you will note that I found it a bit difficult to pick up this blue. One thing that immediately popped up with regards to differences between the actual replica watch and the photographs was that the dial is more white than in press photos. By this I mean that it is a ‘cleaner’ or sharper white.

Unfortunately this was not a functioning replica watch, so I was unable to test the monopusher, but on this prototype depressing the button required fairly forceful pushing.

Even though it wasn’t ‘working’ as such, I wore it for a day or two to get a feel for how it sits in terms of weight and size. It has a a decent heft and height to it, but it isn’t overly big, and the lugs sit comfortably on the wrist.

The size is worth mentioning. Although it is 40mm, it looks and feels closer to 37-38mm. Why? Well the case is, in the manner of vintage pieces from which this is inspired, rounded, so there are no chunky bezels or edges to add bulk. It sits in that middle ground where those who like this sort of vintage replica watch homage ‘look’ but dislike modern sizing might find it worth considering.

Australian RRP is $5,275.

For fans of monopushers, click here for a heritage collection 24-hour monopusher that was released by Longines last year.