Grail Watch

The search for the grail is the search for illumination

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Beuchat Envers ACW, Juvenia Contresens, and Klokers: The History of the Anti-Clockwise Watch

April 13, 2020 By Stephen Leave a Comment

Almost all clocks turn “clockwise”, with the hands moving from the top of the dial to the right. But for the last few decades a few oddball watches have used hands moving in the other direction! This corner of horology is not well understood, so I decided to take a stab at documenting this revolution. It begins conceptually with the digital mechanical watches of the 1970s. Then Beuchat, a fashionable French brand of the 1980s, produces the first such watch. Swiss quartz behemoth Ronda pitches in, bringing forth an odd watch from the venerable house of Juvenia before today’s Klokers gets it right.

Filed Under: Commentary, History Tagged With: Alain Silberstein, anti-clockwise, AS 2072, Beuchat, Beuchat Envers, clockwise, digital, France Ebauches, Japanese clocks, jumping hours, Juvenia, Juvenia Contresens, Klokers, Ronda

Seiko Galante History Part 2: Open Your Heart to Tokyo

August 13, 2019 By Stephen Leave a Comment

Seiko launched a mechanical Galante line in 2010 as a cheaper alternative to the Spring Drive watches the brand was known for. This SBLL line featured an “open heart” highlighting the ticking balance and the design focused on the city of Tokyo.

Filed Under: History Tagged With: 8L38, Galante, SBLL, Seiko

Xeric Xeriscope: An Amusing Piece of Junk

April 25, 2018 By Stephen 8 Comments

The Xeric Xeriscope is not an enjoyable watch. Mine was $349 on Kickstarter, and I feel it’s not worth even that. The finishing and usability is so bad I can’t even enjoy the novelty of the open heart carousel movement. I thought I knew what I was getting, but I didn’t know it would be this bad.

Filed Under: Collection, Reviews, Watch A Day Tagged With: Carousel, China, Chinese, dual timezone, Kickstarter, Open Heart, power reserve indicator, PTS Resources, PTS ST-1201, Wachismo, Watches.com, Xeric, Xeric Xeriscope

Montblanc Homage to Nicolas Rieussec: Attainable Complications

April 13, 2018 By Stephen Leave a Comment

The last few “Watch A Day” choices were quite inexpensive, but today’s watch is affordable only compared to other options in its class. The Montblanc Homage to Nicolas Rieussec combines unique complications, a special manufacture movement, and an eye-catching look at an attainable if not exactly affordable price. It’s also a comfortable, useful watch for traveling.

Filed Under: Collection, Reviews, Watch A Day Tagged With: Chronograph, column wheel, Complicated Watches, Complication, double barrel, dual timezone, GMT, Homage to Nicolas Rieussec, Horology, Luxury Brands, MB R200, monopusher, Montblanc, Montblanc Star, Nicolas Rieussec, Richemont, vertical clutch, Watch Calibre, Watches

Seiko Premier SSA027: Upscale, Open-Heart

April 11, 2018 By Stephen Leave a Comment

Today’s “Watch A Day” is a Seiko Premier SSA027, the dressy brother of yesterday’s SSA005 tool watch. Part of the Seiko Premier automatic line, it features the updated 4R39A movement and an “open heart” design. It’s a decent if clunky dress watch, better made than most Seiko models and a bargain compared to Swiss offerings.

Filed Under: Collection, Watch A Day Tagged With: 4R39, Open Heart, Seiko, Seiko 4R, Seiko Premier, Seiko SSA027

Seiko SSA005: Bargain Navitimer

April 10, 2018 By Stephen Leave a Comment

Today I’m wearing a more recent watch for “Watch A Day”. This Seiko SSA005 has a great “tool watch” look with a Navitimer-esque slide rule bezel and funky 24-hour subdial at 12:00. It’s extremely well-built and was pretty affordable too!

Filed Under: Collection, Watch A Day Tagged With: 4R37, Navitimer, Seiko, Seiko SSA005

Seiko SCED017 Giugiaro Reissue

April 8, 2018 By Stephen Leave a Comment

One of the most famous Seiko watch lines is the 7A28 chronograph series used in the movie, Aliens. These watches feature off-axis bracelet alignment and big boxy pushers that even regular people notice. In 2013, Seiko reissued these watches in their Spirit line, and today I’m wearing the 2014 SCED017 “Bishop” model.

Filed Under: Collection, Watch A Day Tagged With: 7T12, Aliens, Giugiaro, SCED, SCED017, Seiko, Seiko Spirit

Nomos Tangomat GMT: Easy Traveler

April 4, 2018 By Stephen Leave a Comment

GMT or multi-timezone watches are one of my favorite complications, but many are so complex (with additional hands and dials) that they’re hard to use. Not so the Nomos Tangomat GMT with its integrated pushbutton time zone feature. In fact, you’d be forgiven for overlooking this handy and well-executed complication despite the clean Germanic look of the Nomos!

Filed Under: Collection, Watch A Day Tagged With: DUW 5201, GMT, manufacture, Nomos, Nomos Xi, Tangomat, Tangomat GMT

My Own “Etablissage” Watch

April 3, 2018 By Stephen Leave a Comment

Today I’m wearing a watch that’s special only to me: Back in 2014 I traveled to the Swiss Jura, visiting La Chaux-de-Fonds, Le Locle, and the Vallée de Joux and assembling my own watch at Les Apprentis du Temps. In the style of “marriage” and the tradition of “etablissage”, my oversized watch uses a classic pocket watch movement and components from various Swiss suppliers.

Filed Under: Collection, Watch A Day Tagged With: ETA 6498, etablisseur, Le Locle, Les Apprentis du Temps, marriage

Swatch Sistem51: Ironic Plastic

April 1, 2018 By Stephen Leave a Comment

I’m going to kick off my “watch a day” series with a most unlikely timepiece: Swatch’s 2014 Sistem51. Now that the newness has worn off, I see my little red plastic wonder for what it is: A traditional plastic Swatch with a nice little secret inside. It’s not a revolutionary timepiece or really all that special at all. But I enjoyed learning about it and hunting for one of the first in the USA. And, most importantly, I enjoy wearing it.

Filed Under: Collection, Watch A Day Tagged With: Sistem51, Swatch, Watch A Day

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