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Hands-on Laurent Ferrier Replica

Laurent Ferrier Galet Traveller Boreal in Stainless Steel On Sale

Laurent Ferrier is a brand about which we’ve not written much here; in fact the sum total of posts to date has been a rather spartan one in number. This has not been the result of any deliberate decision but more a case of it being a brand that somehow, I felt that I needed more ‘hands-on’ experience with, or at a very minimum see ‘in the metal’ more than fleetingly through an authorised dealer’s window.

For a quick introduction to Laurent Ferrier, go to this link. Now let’s jump straight into today’s replica watch, a new travel replica watch which is at a lower price point (because it’s stainless steel) of the Galet Traveller. With a vintage ‘sector dial’ chapter ring and two choices of SuperLumiNova, green (as per this post) and what is meant to be a more vintage nod, a sort of pale sandy colour, this is Laurent Ferrier’s first foray into luminous territory, its replica watches generally tending towards the classic dress style. This replica watch is definitely more on the informal/ sporty side. Even the traditional Ferrier Assegai hands are larger than normal, to accommodate the lume.

Not having been to Baselworld, and somehow not having managed to find the connection to make an appointment to see them in Geneva in January, the opportunity simply hadn’t come up. Until SIHH 2016, when it was one of the new independent brands exhibiting at Palexpo for the first time.

 

The Calibre 230.01 has Ferrier’s renowned levels of hand finishing and a 18k gold mico rotor, also something for which Ferrier is known. Côtes de Genève on the bridges, circular-graining of the main plate, sides hand chamfered.

With the luminous aspect a key part of this new model and distinguishing it from your classic Laurent Ferrier ‘look’, whether it appeals or not may come down to factors such as how you see the brand and if you can place a fairly sporty dress (especially the leather and composite material strap with contrast green stitching replica watch combination of the green lume version) replica watch within it.

It is the same 41mm size as the gold versions and also equipped with the same Calibre 230.01 with its two time zone functionality. The disc at 9 o’clock shows home time (i.e. where the traveller came from), the central hands indicate local time (at where the traveller now is). A pair of pushers on the case side set the hour hand back/ forth at one hour intervals, and the date disc moves forward and backwards in sync with the local time. At 3 o’clock is the date window.

The dial is black nickel-coloured with vertical satin-brushing, snailed small seconds and slate-grey transfer.

The Laurent Ferrier logo is in a colour so close to that of the dial that from certain angles it’s not visible, and the seconds sub dial are markings are also similar. Whether a seconds sub dial should be prominent/ visible or not is of course purely a personal preference.

The one with the more faux vintage lume version and light brown barbialla calf strap will probably appeal more to the Ferrier classicists (and is the one I prefer) but the green lume one is an interesting modern look from this ‘new old’ brand. At any rate in terms of a travel replica watch, you really can’t get something much easier to use than this.

The Galet Traveller Boreal is priced at 54,000 CHF.

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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.

Categories
Laurent Ferrier Replica

HANDS-ON : Replica Laurent Ferrier Galet Traveller Boreal in StainlessSteel

Laurent Ferrier is a brand about which we’ve not written much here; in fact the sum total of posts to date has been a rather spartan one in number. This has not been the result of any deliberate decision but more a case of it being a brand that somehow, I felt that I needed more ‘hands-on’ experience with, or at a very minimum see ‘in the metal’ more than fleetingly through an authorised dealer’s window. Not having been to Baselworld, and somehow not having managed to find the connection to make an appointment to see them in Geneva in January, the opportunity simply hadn’t come up. Until SIHH 2016, when it was one of the new independent brands exhibiting at Palexpo for the first time.

For a quick introduction to Laurent Ferrier, go to this link. Now let’s jump straight into today’s elegant replica watch, a new travel replica watch which is at a lower price point of the Galet Traveller. With a vintage ‘sector dial’ chapter ring and two choices of SuperLumiNova, green (as per this post) and what is meant to be a more vintage nod, a sort of pale sandy colour, this is Laurent Ferrier’s first foray into luminous territory, its replica watches generally tending towards the classic dress style. This replica watch is definitely more on the informal/ sporty side. Even the traditional Ferrier Assegai hands are larger than normal, to accommodate the lume.

It is the same 41mm size as the gold versions and also equipped with the same Calibre 230.01 with its two time zone functionality. The disc at 9 o’clock shows home time (i.e. where the traveller came from), the central hands indicate local time (at where the traveller now is). A pair of pushers on the case side set the hour hand back/ forth at one hour intervals, and the date disc moves forward and backwards in sync with the local time. At 3 o’clock is the date window.

The dial is black nickel-coloured with vertical satin-brushing, snailed small seconds and slate-grey transfer.

The Laurent Ferrier logo is in a colour so close to that of the dial that from certain angles it’s not visible, and the seconds sub dial are markings are also similar. Whether a seconds sub dial should be prominent/ visible or not is of course purely a personal preference.

The Calibre 230.01 has Ferrier’s renowned levels of hand finishing and a 18k gold mico rotor, also something for which Ferrier is known. Côtes de Genève on the bridges, circular-graining of the main plate, sides hand chamfered.

With the luminous aspect a key part of this new model and distinguishing it from your classic Laurent Ferrier ‘look’, whether it appeals or not may come down to factors such as how you see the brand and if you can place a fairly sporty dress (especially the leather and composite material strap with contrast green stitching replica watch combination of the green lume version) replica watch within it. The one with the more faux vintage lume version and light brown barbialla calf strap will probably appeal more to the Ferrier classicists (and is the one I prefer) but the green lume one is an interesting modern look from this ‘new old’ brand. At any rate in terms of a travel replica watch, you really can’t get something much easier to use than this.

The Galet Traveller Boreal is priced at 54,000 CHF.

Categories
Cartier Replica

Replica CARTIER : the 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 replica collection, which was launched at SIHH 2016 with three inaugural models (plus one colour variant of one).

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.

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 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.

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. 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.

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.

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”.

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.

Categories
Vacheron Constantin Replica

REPLICA VACHERON CONSTANTIN : Overseas Blue LimitedEditions

For all the focus on the brand new Harmony Collection and then the Cornes de Vache 1955 from Vacheron Constantin this anniversary year, there have been some models that seem to have garnered less public attention, so it’s time to shine some light on two of them.

Vacheron Constantin’s Overseas models have long been popular, even though they seem to be somewhat overshadowed by the sports replica watches from some other brands. In their own way they’ve established themselves as a quiet and steady presence away from the razzle dazzle of the annual novelties.

Two limited edition models were released earlier this year and we had the opportunity to photograph them at Replica Watches & Wonders 2015. Both in (brushed and polished) stainless steel and sized at 42mm, Vacheron Constantin’s Overseas Blue Date and Overseas Blue Dual Time are the latest Overseas to bear this dial colour.

The more simple of the two models contains the automatic Calibre 1226 SC movement with a power reserve of forty-hours. It has a solid case back stamped with the ‘Overseas’ medallion.

The Dual Time model uses the automatic Calibre 1222 SC, which has a power reserve of forty-hours and an accompanying large power reserve indication between 8 and 11 o’clock. The addition of this module makes the case thicker than the date-only version, at 12.45mm (9.7mm for the date model).

Both new models have a screw-down crown and the Dual Time model has a screw-down pusher as well.

The blue of the dials is bold and shines a little, which makes for a very different look to the pre-existing colours; a bit more sporty if you will. The date window has a white background, and knowing how particular people can be about date windows, this may be one detail that some would wish changed to a blue background to blend in with the dial (whilst acknowledging that this is also the case for the other colour variants, so this thought is a general one). The hours and minute hands and indices are all lumed.

Released in a limited edition of 350 and 300 pieces respectively, both models come with two dark blue straps – one in vulcanised rubber and the other, alligator.

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

Categories
Chopard Replica

Hands On Replica Chopard L.U.CRegulator Watch

Basel2015ChopardLUCRegulator2

In 2006 Chopard produced their first Regulator model, and at Baselworld 2015 they rebooted its look. With thanks to Chopard Australia, I had the opportunity to look at one recently.

As I’ve mentioned before, the L.U.C. Collection is my favourite from Chopard, and this new L.U.C. has much to like about it.

The thing I like most is also perhaps what is most immediately obvious – how clear the dial is. For those who are unfamiliar with them, a regulator is a timepiece in which the hours, minutes and seconds have separate display indications. With its minutes on the central axis, hours at 3 o’clock and seconds at 6 o’clock, the displays on this new replica watch are not only big and clear with attractive font use but also basically foolproof – things are labelled and you can see it all in a nanosecond if you glance at the replica watch, you don’t have to even take up the extra second or two to adjust your mind to the regulator format.

Basel2015ChopardLUCRegulator5

This readability issue was also a factor in the positioning of the hour at 3 o’clock, as Chopard wanted it to be visible peeking out from under a cuff.

The rest of the dial is taken up by the (216 hour) power reserve at 12 o’clock and a second time zone indicator at 9 o’clock which is adjusted via a pusher at 7 o’clock on the side of the case.

The impressive nine day power reserve is courtesy of the four barrelled chronometer-certified manual-winding Calibre 98.02-L (aka ‘Quattro® technology’) which can be seen through the case back. It measures 30.4mm x 4.90mm.

Basel2015ChopardLUCRegulator7

A 43mm, this rose gold replica watch is big for a dress replica watch, but at 9.78mm thick and short lugs, it sits easily on the wrist. With its sunburst satin-brushed silver-toned dial and gilt dauphine-styled hours and minutes hands, this replica watch is very easy on the eyes. It is not a small task to make a dial with so much on it look uncluttered, but this replica watch manages it. Perhaps some people might vote for losing the date window, I know that there are some strong view about this.

Basel2015ChopardLUCRegulator12

In any event, this is is a rather appealing replica watch ‘in the metal’. Its combination of clean lines and a very clear and legible dial that manages to look full of space with its multiple functions is perhaps its biggest draw card. In a (watch) world where there are dials that really do seem to cram a lot onto them at the expense of clarity, this is something not to be underestimated.

If you are looking for a regulator replica watch that is slightly unusual, and the dual time component of this in particular is precisely that, this is worth taking a look at.

For those who are interested, the Australian RRP for this model is $39,910.

Categories
Swiss Replica

REPLICA KARI VOUTILAINEN : Vingt-8 GMT 6 with blue guillochédial

KariGMTGuilloche2

To meet him, Kari Voutilainen is a very modest man. Low key, much like his much-heralded replica watches, which hold a special place amongst collectors, especially those who are patrons and supporters of independent replica watchmakers.

His workshop does not make many stylish replica watches, with production numbers reputed to be 40-50 pieces a year. There is no mistaking a Voutilainen replica watch, with their distinctive attributes of the case/ tear-drop lugs and of course his interpretation of Breguet hands.

There are a number of owners of Voutilainen replica watches in Australia, but today’s post isn’t about one of the pieces owned by my friends, it is about the 39mm sized Vingt-8 GMT 6 with with blue guilloché dial that I had the opportunity to see when I crossed paths with Kari Voutilainen earlier this year.

The GMT-6 has a movement that derives from the Vingt-8 model, but also featuring a GMT indicator at 6 o’clock. This function is realised via a rotating disc (revolving once every twenty-four hours) that shows a second time-zone and a day/ night indicator, and activated by depressing the crown; one press advances it by one hour. The new calibre has more than seventy new components when compared to the Vingt-8 movement and is not a module but an entirely new calibre.

The movement uses a direct impulse escapement with two escapement wheels, which give direct impulse to the free sprung balance beating at 18,000VPH. Power reserve is 65 hours.

The finish of the in-house movement is worth noting; the bridges with their frosting, hand-chamfered edges and hand polished screws balance wheel…it is very clean, with that renowned Voutilainen finishing.

The Vingt-8 GMT has had various dials and decorations, including engine-turned and engraved, to cite two examples. This one is blue engine-turned guilloché. For those who don’t know, guilloché is a decorative technique in which a very precise, intricate and repetitive pattern is mechanically engraved via engine turning through the use of something called a rose engine lathe. If you ever have the good fortune to attend one of the major replica watch fairs, you may see someone demonstrating a rose engine lathe in one of the booths.

One of the advantages of buying an independent replica watch such as this is the capacity for customisation, so if the dials you see on his website for this GMT aren’t exactly what you are looking for, you can always ask if some tweaks might be possible.

Oh, and you might also be able to pick your new replica watch up from KariVoutilainen himself.

Categories
Longines Replica

Replica A. LANGE SÖHNE : an updated Saxonia DualTime

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At SIHH 2011 Lange & Söhne released a Saxonia Dual Time replica watch for travellers. This year, as part of a revamping of three Saxonia models, they have also made some alterations to the Dual Time. It is now 38.5mm as opposed to the previous 40mm, which puts it on par with the base Saxonia, and there are some cosmetic changes to the dial.

Firstly though, an explanation of how it works. When used in its ‘base’ or ‘home’ mode, only the core time hands will be visible; the blued hand will be hidden under the hour hand until it is required.

So how do you read the time when travelling? The ‘home’ time will be indicated by the blued hand, so you simply set it to the appropriate time, which will not required to be changed as you travel between time zones. As an addition, the by setting it to the time where you live, it acts as a reference. When travelling across timezones, the 24-hour subdial at 12 o’clock, which also has a blued hand, displays the same home time in 24-hour format which allows you to determine if it is day or night at home.

To change timezones and set your ‘local’ time, use the pushers on the left hand side of the case. The pusher at 8 o’clock advances the gold hour hand in one hour increments, and the pusher at 10 o’clock moves the hour hand counter-clockwise in one hour increments. This allows the wearer to easily set the hour of a second time zone without needing to adjust the crown. Even when you aren’t traveling you can still set the replica watch to a second time zone. Minutes for both timezones are displayed via the gold minute hand. Seconds are displayed via the small second subidal at 6 o’clock.

Inside is the automatic Calibre L086.2 that is in its bigger predecessor, with a power reserve of 72-hours.

The new Saxonia Dual Time comes in either an 18k white gold or rose gold case that is, as mentioned, 38.5mm, with a height of 9.1m. Both the white and rose gold versions have a silver dial but the white gold model has rhodiumed gold and blue steel hands, whilst the pink gold model has pink gold and blued steel hands.

So what are the differences between this update and the original apart from the size? Well here’s a photo of the earlier version, the cosmetic changes are self-evident.

Whether you prefer the new dial or the old is, in the end, a purely personal matter (I prefer the new version), but it is interesting to see Lange take a replica watch that was already not considered to be big by current sizes and downsize it even further. There is nothing dramatic about this new model or in fact any of the changes to the Saxonia, but nonetheless I feel that they are worth noting not just because for many replica watch folk a lot of the decision-making process lies in these small details, but also because I actually do think the new dial design looks better, especially the text placement.

Categories
Rolex Replica

PEPSI MAX : the 2014 Replica Rolex GMT-MasterII

Rolex2014GMTMasterII4

The good news from Rolex at Baselworld 2014 was that there was a Pepsi bezel for the 2014 GMT-Master II. The bad news was that Rolex decided to use it on a 18 carat white gold version first, rendering it slighlty difficultly priced for those who wanted it most.

Since the fist Rolex GMT-Master appeared in 1955, it has become one of their most recognisable and enduringly popular models, with varying sizes, calibres and detail changes in that inimitably Rolex way. One of the most distinctive sports replica watches in the world, the original red and blue bezel is affectionately referred to as the ‘Pepsi bezel’, in a non product placement reference to the soft drink. Ever the brand of incremental changes, they are also the band of unexpected choices, as recently evidenced by the use of Syloxi initially in a woman’s replica watch and of putting this new replica watch in a white gold case.

Developed in cooperation with Pan Am pilots, the GMT-Master became the airline’s official timepiece, allowing pilots to read the time in two time zones, and with the contrasting red and blue key for legibility.

The first GMT-Master bezel inserts were made of transparent Plexiglas painted half red and half blue on the underside. In 1959 the Plexiglas insert was replaced by one in anodised aluminium. Various other combinations have made appearances but for the majority of purists, the Pepsi bezel has always been the only one worth thinking about.

The Ref. 116719, as this new model is called, is 40mm and contains the Rolex in-house Calibre 3186 movement that was also in last year’s blue/ black Cerachrom-bezelled GMT-Master II. The GMT/ second time zone function of the name is operated via the usual independent hand.

The patented red and blue Cerachrom’s manufacturing process involves a red ceramic bezel inlay being made and then modifying half of the insert to a blue colour by a process of changing the chemical composition of the red grains. At 1600°C the ceramic reaches both its hardness and blue/ red colouring. The 24 hour scale is engraved in the ceramic and then coated with platinum via a PVD process. The platinum is then diamond-polished until only the platinum inside the numerals and graduations remains.

For those unfamiliar with Cerachrom, let’s go back a bit.

Patented and developed in-house to be used for bezels, it was unveiled in 2005 via the black insert of the Oyster Perpetual GMT-Master II. The portmanteau name is a combination of ‘ceramic’ and ‘chrom’ from the Greek for ‘colour’, but the range of colours is restricted by the manufacturing process. The colours are created by adding mineral pigments that can withstand high temperatures before it is fired.

Making a Cerachrom bezel begins by mixing basic ceramic powders made of very fine zirconium dioxide or aluminium oxide powder which are mixed with pigments and a binding agent. The resultantpaste is shaped into a bezel blank by high-pressure moulding. A first stage heat treatment eliminates the binding agent. Next, the substrate is impregnated with a metalised chemical solution. The insert is then heated, as mentioned above, to 1600°C to create a solid single insert piece. As the ceramic is so hard, both inner and outer circumferences of the insert must be precision-machined using diamond tools, after which the numerals and graduations are engraved into the ceramic.

In 2013 Rolex unveiled the first two-colour Cerachrom insert bezel, in blue and black, but the red and blue of 2014 is more important to collectors and enthusiasts. So what is it like ‘in the metal’? Well first things first – this is, remember, a white gold case, so there was a feeling of caution when handling it, something that would not be an issue if it were stainless steel.

The red and blue colours are strong and vibrant and it looks and feels like what it is – an expensive sports replica watch. For those who are familiar with last year’s model, as referred to earlier, it will all look pretty similar. As with all Rolex Cerachrom bezel inserts, it is exceptionally resistant to scratches and corrosion, and Rolex states that the colours are unaffected by ultraviolet rays and therefore, won’t fade. Whether this is a pro or a con will depend on to what degree you enjoy, perhaps, the variations in Pepsi bezel colour that time has brought to the old models.

My thanks to The Hour Glass Sydney for access to the Rolex GMT-MASTER II and Rolex Baselworld 2014 releases.

Categories
Omega Replica

HANDS-ON :Replica Omega Seamaster Planet OceanPlatinum

2014OmegaSeamasterPODiamondSetCeramic6

As previously blogged, earlier this year I had the opportunity to view the Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean Orange Ceramic. At the same time I also got to see its sibling, the Seamaster Planet Ocean Platinum with diamond-set ceramic and sapphire.

Made in a limited edition of eight pieces, the achievement highlighted by Omega with this replica watch is that of the development of technology that allows for the setting of diamonds into hard bodies such as ceramic and sapphire.

The patent is for the method of setting of the stones into the ceramic thanks to the use of Liquidmetal®. The process begins with the engraving, using a 5-axis laser. A 850-platinum Liquidmetal® alloy is then injected into the bezel/ caseback and the excess is removed, after which the case is polished. Diamonds are then set into the Platinum Liquidmetal® alloy using traditional diamond-setting technique. The result is an unlikely pairing of a hard body and diamonds.

This Seamaster Planet Ocean has a polished and brushed 43.50 mm case. Its brushed and polished rotating black ceramic bezel is bi-directional, and with twelve baguette diamonds to mark the 24-hour GMT. The case edges of the case are set with 69 trapezoidal baguette-cut diamonds.

If that’s not enough diamonds for you, there are a further 31 full-cut-diamonds set in the Omega logo on the sapphire caseback, for a total of 2.69 carats. Through this open caseback can be seen the Omega Co-Axial Calibre 8615 with an Si14 silicon balance spring and wit a power reserve of sixty hours.

The dial is polished black ceramic dial with 18K white gold indices, numerals and hands. There is a date window, and the GMT/ second time zone indicator is via a centre hand.

The Seamaster Planet Ocean Platinum is water resistant to 60 bar (600m) and comes on a black leather strap with platinum stitching and a 950-grade platinum clasp. It’s not as though any of the eight owners are likely to go diving with it, but there is also a that comes with a replica watch, as well as a strap changing tool.

As a ‘partner’ to the orange ceramic replica watch it more than pulls its weight, physically and otherwise. This is a beast of a replica watch to hold/ wear, but the diamonds and platinum pretty much reiterate that it is a replica watch created to show off innovation, not to wear as per any other Planet Ocean. Whether you like it or not is a matter of personal taste, but what they have done is fascinating.

My thanks to Mr. Gregory Kissling, Omega’s Head of Product Management, for showing me this replica watch and being a wrist model.