The Time Bum

I must admit that part of the reason I got into watches was for the straps. Really, there was a point where I figured with the right collection of straps, I could be perfectly happy with just three or four different watches. I know, I was adorably naive. That said, I still scour the Internet for cool straps to enhance my watch experience. The latest to cross my path is 47 Ronin, a boutique strap maker that specializes in Japanese fabrics. For this review, they gave me a lovely blue dragonfly and calf leather sample as well as a couple of origami frogs that my kids and cats both stole within minutes.

Tong Cheuk Fung, the artisan behind 47 Ronin, is a Singaporean businessman whose work frequently takes him to Japan. In his travels, he collects fabric from kimonos, uniform buttons, and other uniquely Japanese materials. He most often incorporates them into leather sandwiches with windows cut away to reveal the patterned fabric within. Between the found object nature of the materials and Tong’s handcrafting, you can rest assured that your 47 Ronin strap will be like no other.

My review strap is #077, 20mm wide and made from navy blue dragonfly print cloth and bronze calf leather with blue stitching. It measures a standard 125/75mm and 3mm thick. This was a completed piece that was already in stock, but 47 Ronin can make custom orders as well. A brushed stainless Pre-V style buckle and quick release springbars are standard.

The “window” designs vary on these straps, some are portholes that just offer a glimpse and others, like the dragonfly, are long rectangles that showcase larger swatches of the material beneath.

Aesthetically, 47 Ronin straps are casual pieces that occupy a peculiar space between the rustic quality of the hand-cut and stitched leather, and the more refined fabrics, which often feature bright colors and floral patterns. I find the juxtaposition extremely compelling, although it does make it interesting to find the right watch for it. Another challenge is the amount of material at the lugs. The strap is not thick, but it does have some extra leather in front of the spring bar hole. It will compress, but it rules out watches with a tight gap between the perches and the barrel.

By virtue of its origin and design, this strap is fairly crying out for a vintage Seiko or Citizen. Sadly, all of mine have 19mm lugs. Instead, I first put it on my very neutral white Rossling Automatic. This watch is my go-to strap model as it a fairly blank canvas blessed. The blue and white on both dial and strap were quite complementary and the strap’s handcrafted feel let this dress watch relax a bit.

This pairing was nice enough, but I was not satisfied. There was clearly a better match in my drawer; perhaps a watch that possessed some of the same contradictions as the strap. A watch like the Zelos Mako Bronze.

Like 47 Ronin, Zelos is a Singaporean export. It is a fully equipped 500m diver in a now nicely patinated bronze case. Yet despite its seafaring swagger, its modest size (40mm), guilloche dial, and detailed markers give it a tidy, tailored look. It is prettier than the usual tool watch, yet not quite fancy enough to be labeled a dress diver. The Mako had exactly the right qualities to make it the perfect watch for the 47 Ronin dragonfly — and that swath of blue on the bezel didn’t hurt either.

47 Ronin straps like this one start around $260 USD. Off the shelf pieces like this one ship right away and will typically arrive in about two weeks. Bespoke straps can take up to seven weeks. For production and delivery. This is more than a Bum like me would usually invest in a strap, but you will likely not see another one like it at your next watch gathering. They are truly one-of-a-kind.

To browse the collection and order your own, check out 47ronin.co. ⬩

Review and photos by Mike Razak
Note: This review was completed in July. As of this morning, the Bern Milford is finally available via Kickstarter.

At this point in my watch problem, my days are peppered with not short looks at Instagram, which has become a waterfall of watches (though some of my friends’ dogs seem to have been caught in the waterfall, which is concerning). One day a few months ago, amid my midday scroll, a post of an unknown watch caught my eye. I’ve always been on the fence about bronze watches, but the blue/bronze combo and the angular case checked some boxes I didn’t even know were there. After reaching out and a brief back and forth, I was on my way to reviewing the Bern Watch Co. Milford diver.

Bern Watch Co. is a new venture out of Auckland, New Zealand, started by Amin Tharani and his brothers. After years of collecting microbrands, Amin and his siblings got the itch to create a brand. They wanted to deliver designs that were accessible both aesthetically and financially; it’s not the most original concept, but that doesn’t mean it’s tired or that it shouldn’t be pursued. Fortunately, such world-weariness didn’t stop Amin. He decided that the challenges of creating a piece in the saturated dive watch market was one to be undertaken, not avoided. The result is the Milford Diver. While the company takes its name from the Swiss capital (and the founder’s favorite city), the watch’s is derived from Milford Sound, which is, in the words of Mr. Tharani, "one of the most beautiful places to visit, in the south island of New Zealand, surrounded by snow-clad mountains and waterfalls cascading into the Tasman Sea.” And you thought “Submariner” was cool.

The Milford Diver comes in a whole host of combinations—blue, black, white, or green dial; black, blue, or green bezel; steel, bronze, or black PVD case. My review piece was the bronze model with blue dial and bezel. The bronze (CuSn8, if you care to know) case is perhaps the highlight of the watch, with its angles and robust build. At 42mm and 12mm thick, this isn’t dainty, nor should it be, given the fact that it was designed as a recreational diver’s watch. Everything about this watch, from its sharp 22mm lugs to the matching crown guard says, “please dive with me.” The crown as you see it was just a prototype and the production crown will have thicker, more pronounced ridges for better gripping and ease of use (which was one of the issues I had with the model I received). I’ll add that I do wish the crown itself was wider, leaving less space between itself and the guards—an aesthetic issue, to be sure, but one that caught my eye almost immediately. A nice accent on the crown is the ring of color that matches whatever color the bezel is on each piece. While the bezel would seem to be easily gripped and turned, with raised sections all around, the prototype I had was not functional, so I can’t say for sure. A stainless steel screw-down caseback with the ‘B’ insignia and a wave motif is found on the reverse. I’m growing weary of brands printing details on the back of the watch, but they are there if you want to read them.

A sapphire crystal protects a matte blue dial, which overall, I rather like. The layout and spacing are something close to perfect, with the sizing of the numerals at 12, 6, and 9 nicely complementing the framed date window. The indices are wonderfully executed, with sharp angles that reflect the case design. At 12 o’clock is the Bern name in white capitals, though I feel this should have been slightly larger, as a matter of balance. At 6 o’clock are the model name and ‘Automatic’ in white capitals, sandwiching the water resistance rating in orange text. The orange text is a nice touch and matches the tip of the second hand, which is white. The hour and minute hands, too, remind me of the strong lines of the case (and of a hybrid of my Mido Ocean Star and Maen Hudson hands). Along with the indices, they are bronze-toned to match the case. Super-LumiNova X1 (apparently the Superest LumiNovaest out there) graces the hands and the indices. While I suppose adequate, it does not shine as brightly as other watches I have with this grade of lume, which suggests it may have not been applied quite liberally enough.

The Milford—as received—is powered by the tried and true Miyota 8215. This Japanese automatic movement is not winning any serious awards, but it is reliable. The main drawback is it’s lack of hacking, meaning you’ll have to be okay with having your time set to the minute, not the second. The good news is that following some direct feedback, the team at Bern Watch Co. acquired 500 Seiko NH35 movements that they will be utilizing for a limited release directly on their website—if you go and order right now, you’ll get it with the Seiko movement. If you aren’t already aware, the NH35 is kind of themicrobrand movement. It’s the Kevin Bacon of watch movements: it’s everywhere and always does a good job, but will never win an Oscar.

22mm straps are a weird thing for me. I have very few watches that need them (maybe my 7-inch wrist just doesn’t play well with the larger watches that usually have them), and as such, I don’t have a wide selection. The Milford Diver comes with two of them (and a two-watch zippered case, by the way): one is rubber with a standard, proportional tang clasp in bronze, the other is blue leather with an Andre the Giant-sized, Panerai-style tang in bronze. I have never liked the clasp style of the latter, and don’t think I ever will; it’s needlessly jumbo. The leather strap itself was a bit wanting in the structural integrity department, especially the keepers. The rubber strap is much more agreeable, not least because this a dive watch, and one does not dive in leather. I was also able to carry the watch on a spectrum of brown straps, from beige to chestnut. I feel a green option would not have been out of place, but as I said, I don’t have a breadth of 22mm straps to choose from. While I didn’t get to try it out, there is an option for a 5-link bracelet on the PVD and stainless steel models, which will be available as a $29 add-on during the Kickstarter campaign.

The Bern Watch Co. Milford Diver checks a lot of boxes, and features a design that is a strong first effort for a new brand. It performed well for me, in so far as I asked it to. I never went diving with it because that’s not something I do. And we haven’t joined the local pool yet, so I didn’t swim with it. But it wore well, and I think there is a well-executed consistency of design through the case, bezel, indices, and hands. I would have liked to see better lume, a larger crown, and a better strap, and I hope their next offering improves on these. I’ll be keeping an eye out, for sure. The Milford Diver is available now on Kickstarter, with Super Early Bird pricing at $299 for stainless steel and PVD, and $350 for solid bronze (all of which include a leather strap and rubber strap. There will be lots of other add-ons and such, so make sure to visit the site and the campaign page. ⬩

Most of the watches we get in for review here at The Time Bum are factory-fresh. Many have seen some use as the brand owner tests them out, swaps dials and straps, or otherwise tinkers with them. Others are press samples that are making the rounds through reviewers. The Heitis Okeanos Bronze, I received last week falls into that last category. It has been on a world tour and arrived in, shall we say, “well-loved” condition. You know what? It was awesome.

I like seeing the way things age, and the Heitis provided a prime display. The case had its share of bumps and scratches, the leather strap had been broken in, and the bronze had developed a rich patina. Once I had strapped it to my wrist, I didn’t want to take it off. Some things just click with you. You try them, and they feel like you’ve always had them around. This watch was like that.

No doubt, a significant part of this comfort factor was the case. Made from CuSn8 Bronze, it measures 42mm wide and 50mm long. The watch is 15mm thick from the case back to the top of the AR-coated sapphire crystal. It cuts a stout figure on the wrist, yet it never felt in any was clunky or oversized. I put this down to the steep downward curve of the lugs, beveled edge, and smooth bezel, all of which tend to trim visual fat from the design and create a softer feel all around that is echoed in the domed crystal and the whimsically named “Reese’s Cup” crowns.

Those crowns seem as if they were designed upside-down as they are wider at the base than the top, and the fluting is on the bottom edge. In use, there is no issue. At 6mm each, they are large enough to grab, and they operate perfectly smoothly. The upper one moves the inner bezel while the lower, screw-down crown sets the time. Both are signed.

Overlaying the rounded edges and soft forms is a mellow brown patina that highlights the coppery red in the areas it hasn’t reached. Oxidation is the best part of a bronze case, and I was fortunate to see how it formed on the Okeanos. Of course, no two patinas will be the same as a host of environmental factors play a role in its development, but I do like the way this one is developing. Along with the soft edges and curved forms, it just made me want to touch it.

Another factor making the Heitis feel like an old friend was the strap, a stout piece of straight-cut leather, 22mm wide with painted edges. (Buyers will get a canvas strap as well.) It arrived with a bit of give but still in fine shape. A pull-up effect lighted its deep brown color at the stress points, creating a slightly distressed character. I don’t generally think about the way my watch buckles function (if they secure the strap without drama, I’m good); however, the roller buckle on this watch made me pay attention. Like the buckles on some casual belts, a floating tube on the frame reduces friction against the strap, making the cinching process that much smoother. It’s a small thing, but immediately noticeable. Quick-release spring bars were another nice touch, and if that wasn’t enough convenience, the Heitis also features drilled lugs.

I’ve spent so much time waxing over the case and strap that you might think I was underwhelmed by the face, but this is not so. The Okeanos Bronze has a lovely dial and handset that is easily their best yet. The basic layout mirrors that of the earlier stainless steel Okeanos (although not much else; name aside, they are very different watches), including the squared-off primary numbers and bar markers.

On the white and black dials, they are applied and finished in polished rose gold. On the blue or bronze ombré dials, they are cut away. The Bronze model retrains the red, spear-tipped second hand from the steel model, but the gold hands are now sword-shaped. All color variations look great in daylight. They also shine bright at night thanks to a potent dose of C3 SuperLuminova.

On the back side, Heitis has graced the Okeanos Bronze with a stamped case back displaying a detailed anchor and rope image in high relief. Behind it lies a Seiko NH35 automatic, the sturdy darling of the microbrand world with its 24 jewels, Diashock protection, 21.6k bph sweep, and 41-hour power reserve.

After a couple of weeks, the Heitis Okeanos Bronze is ready to head home, but while it was here, it became my go-to weekend watch, accompanying me to kids’ birthday parties, adult cocktail parties, two fall festivals, and my pilgrimage to New York City for the Wind-up and Watch Time shows. I now bid farewell to my faithful friend, but if you would like to order a friendly Heitis of your own, head over to HeitisWatch.com and sign up for updates. The Okeanos Bronze will sell for $459 and is in production now with anticipated delivery in January 2020. ⬩

Review and photos by Mike Razak

If you aren’t tuned into what Christopher Ward has been doing over the past, let’s say, 5 years, you haven’t been paying attention. If you haven’t noticed their prodigious rise from London-based watch industry chorus member to global soloist, you need to recalibrate your viewfinder. And if you haven’t acknowledged that the brand is putting out some truly phenomenal pieces, at truly phenomenal prices, then it’s time to start getting wise. While Christopher Ward has gone through some growing pains—they started with a lot of very mediocre designs and faced a bit of a backlash for later logo changes—they’ve matured into a company that is offering timepieces for those who love timepieces (in-house movements, chronometers and single-pusher chronographs among them), priced for those who want to start loving timepieces. The C65 Trident Diver SH21 Limited Edition (hereafter “Trident LE”) features the brand’s in-house 5-day power reserve movement and is just another example of great watchmaking being delivered by our friends on the other side of the pond.

Christopher Ward C65 Trident Diver SH21 Limited Edition

The case of the Trident LE is something like perfect. 41mm. 47.1mm lug-to-lug. And a deceiving 13.4mm thick. That thickness is unnoticeable. I’ve worn 13mm watches that sit on the wrist like rocks. This is no wrist rock. The curves and facets of the case allow this watch to wear more like 12mm or thinner (in that respect, it wore similarly to my Mido Ocean Star, which is 11.75mm). With hardly a flat surface in sight, the case features brushed and polished finishes, most notably, the two polished chamfers that extend the length of the case along its side. Between them is the case side proper, which features a brushed finish. The rest of the watch is similarly brushed. The 22mm lugs end in an angle oblique to the case, a feature that is both visually pleasing and makes for greater comfort (as the lugs will never dig into your wrist).

A slim coin-edged bezel with great action rests upon the case, featuring a matte (almost metallic) blue aluminum insert. The insert matches perfectly to the dial and features no graduation, instead having hashes at every minute and numerals every 5; at 12 o’clock is a lumed pip for orientation (but not orienteering). The coin edge is replicated in the right-sized crown at 3 o’clock, which features the CW twin flags logo. The crown is just push-pull, not screw-down, which may upset some people, but to them, I’d say “Be quiet.” The watch is water resistance to 150 meters—again, be quiet—which is more than adequate for all but your most adventurous tasks (that’s what the C60 Trident is for). I had this watch on through bath time (for my son), pouring rain, light rain, dishwashing, cold temperatures, hot temperatures—all the normal rigmarole of a life lived, if not very daringly. And it performed without issue. Push-pull crowns are great, and 150M water resistance is just fine. And this watch case is just splendid. CW calls it the “light catcher” case, and with good reason, all those different surfaces do light up. The design checks all the right boxes for me: great finishing, contrast, fluid lines, completely functional, wears slim. I wasn’t even put off by the 22mm lugs!

Through a box sapphire crystal, a brilliant blue dial is presented with reserved simplicity. The proportions, layout, and vibrancy are balanced and elegant, providing a fitting face to a refined case. The most prominent features are the subdials at 6 and 9 for the running seconds and power reserve, respectively. They are recessed and feature what CW refers to as “circular azzure” finishing, which means blue circles. (I assume the extra ‘z’ adds zing). The power reserve subdial features markings up to 5 days, with the bottom of the tank, as it were, shown in red. Watching it go around when you hand wind the watch is more fun than it has any right to be. The place where the dials overlap is done well. Something about the recess and maintain the division between the two while allowing them to flow into each other…I can’t place it but to say I love it. I joked with a friend recently that I didn’t see the point of a power reserve indicator on A) an automatic watch, and B) a watch that has a reserve of 5 days. And given the lack of other major, reserve-dependent complications (like a perpetual calendar), one needn’t know how much power is left, really. On balance, though, it’s pretty, and I like it so it can stay.

The hands and indices are all baton-style, with Old Radium Super-LumiNova, which shines brightly enough, though it could be a bit better. The oft-maligned-for-no-good-reason Christopher Ward logo returns to 12 o’clock for this dial, with text at 3 letting you know the watch will never die and can be safely submerged in your fish tank. Staying at 3 o’clock, we find a trapezoidal date window. The black date wheel with white numerals is a disruptive smudge to an otherwise photogenic dial. A color-matched wheel with old radium-colored numerals might have really sealed the deal here. Even maintaining the white numerals could have worked, given the white dial text. It’s a missed opportunity, but not one that ruins the dial or the watch.

Giving the watch the old fliparoo, we encounter a screw-down caseback with a shiny trident in heavy, polished relief, surrounded by the brand name and the actual word "trident" (a bit of a belt and braces approach, though perhaps the relief isn’t sufficient for some). Some standard SpecsText™ is engraved on the periphery, including the limited edition serial out of 150 made.

Under the caseback, though, is where the real magic happens. The SH21 in the model name is Christopher Ward’s entirely in-house movement. To make a not very long story quite short indeed: In response to the Swatch Group restricting sales of ETA movements to its own brands, CW merged with Synergies Horlogères, their main supplier, and developed and released an in-house movement to serve as a starting point for self-sufficiency. The movement as presented in the Trident LE is an automatic COSC-certified chronometer (-4/+6 seconds per day) that boasts 33 jewels, 28,800 bph, hacking, manual-winding, and twin mainspring barrels for a 120-hour power reserve. This is the Sir Ian Botham of watch movements (in deference to the brand being British, I googled “Best Cricket Player Ever”).

Let’s starting winding down (ha!) by talking about the bracelet. While the watch is available on black leather, brown leather, or Cordura with rubber backing, the review piece came with the well-built steel bracelet. Fully polished and solid as a rock, the bracelet features a branded folding clasp, with a side-pusher release. I had no issues and found it to be secure every time I wore it. It also features a ratcheting system for fine-tuning. Sizing the bracelet initially, however, is a substantial if short-lived pain (think stubbing your toe 15 times in a few minutes), on account of the use of Capsa friction tubes. As ever, I would prefer screws, though begrudgingly acknowledge that Capsa is the most secure option. The standout feature of the bracelet, for me, was the quick release end links that are integrated with the bracelet. No flying spring bars, no (or at least less) scratched lugs. Just pinch, attach, and go (it takes a bit of practice get the angle and such right, but once you’ve got it, it’s easy). Releasing the bracelet for strap changes is also a breeze, and as you can see, I did so with great effect multiple times.

You’ll be forgiven if you’ve visited the Chris Ward website and been overwhelmed—they’re approaching an Omega level of SKUs. But go ahead and click through. How many watches do you see that are poorly designed, cheap looking, or just detestable? I’d wager it’s in the low single digits. As I hope I've made clear, they’re doing great things. The C65 Trident Diver SH21 Limited Edition is a superb watch, executed beautifully with few if any major flaws. But in addition to being a mouthful to say, it’ll take a walletful to acquire at $2,160 on the bracelet (you can save $110 if you opt for a strap). If you want the SH21, the value is there: I think Frederique Constant is a very similar brand, and their cheapest in-house watch is $2,495—and that’s a time-only, non-COSC, 42-hour power reserve watch that comes on a strap. And other brands are only more expensive. But the beauty of the Trident LE doesn’t rest solely in the 5-day in-house movement; it sits equally with the design that carries that movement. And that design—the C65 case—starts at just $795. And it comes in all sorts of variants, with different dials, bezel or not, 4+ strap and bracelet options, and 3 different movements. After over a week with the Trident LE, I've developed an itch for one of the C65 models, and I can highly recommend you check them out as well. Also, it comes in a neat wooden box.⬩

Christopher Ward C65 Trident Diver SH21 Limited Edition lume

Man, it has been a long time since our last giveaway, but now that it is November, what could be a better prize than the amazing Squarestreet SQ39 Novem I reviewed earlier this year? The Novem is a Swiss Ronda quartz-powered beauty with a detailed dial and custom-designed moon phase disk. ARV is $395.

All you need to do is click on the entry box below and follow the simple steps. You get entries for Instagram visits, but it would be awfully nice if you would follow us too. A winner will be drawn after midnight November 30, 2019.

The giveaway is open to entrants at least 18 years old. Entrants are responsible for any and all duties, fees, or taxes. The giveaway is void where prohibited or restricted by law. You must provide a valid email address for notification and must respond within 48 hours of contact or another winner will be chosen, so be sure to watch your spam filter!

Please read the full Terms and Conditions on the Giveaway page for details.

Good Luck!

Review and photos by Mike Razak

I have on my wrist the Norqain Adventure Sport Auto DLC. It s a nice looking watch, with good specs, and a pretty strap. Norqain is a Swiss watch brand, run by a Swiss family with an unbearable about of experience in the Swiss watch industry. Started by Ben Küffer in 2018, the brand skipped all the “let’s ease into this” nonsense and just said, ”We are a luxury Swiss watch brand.” Full stop. The Adventure DLC is priced at $2,170. That’s a tick (or many ticks) above the usual fare we review at TimeBum Central HQ. And we review some amazing watches, almost all of which come in well under the price of the Norqain. So: Does it stack up? Does it justify its price? Let’s find out together.

The Adventure DLC features a 42mm 316L case that is, as the name tells you, treated with Diamond-Like Coating to achieve its uniform black finish. It’s a look that works quite well with the rest of the watches aesthetics. It sits well enough on the wrist, though wears more like a 43mm. This is largely due to the polished plate that is fastened to the 9 o’clock side of the watch, which also lends a bit of symmetry to the case. While it comes engraved with “Norqain,” the brand will allow you to engrave it with whatever you want. Like “FancyBoii” or “This is the end of everything.” or “Mike’s Swiss Watch” or “Norqain Engraving.” It’s an interesting if slightly gimmicky effect that will run you $160. Not worth it in my opinion, but maybe if you’re giving it as a gift, it could be nice: “Love U Dad” or something classy like that.

The case is uniformly brushed, save for a long polished chamfer that extends along the top of the case side from lug to lug, slightly broadening as it reaches either end. It’s quite subtle, not disrupting anything, but adds a touch of elegance to the case, pulling it away from super-sporty. A knurled bezel with a black ceramic insert, however, reinforce the “Sport”. The 60-click bezel, which features a lumed pip and graduated timing hashes, is functionally exceptional: the tension is perfect and the knurling makes it easy to grip. I just used it to time some food in the oven and remarked—aloud—“Oh, that’s nice!” to my wife, who was not paying attention and did not care. The hashes are only engraved, with no other applications to improve readability. The screw-down crown is unremarkable, engraved with a Norqain logo (mirrored N's symbolizing the Swiss Alps) and providing for 100M water resistance. It lacks crown guards, which is probably not a real issue, though on a watch this sporty might preferred by some. Additionally, it does not decouple (so you aren’t winding while you screw it back down), which I expect of a watch at this price point. 22mm lugs curve a full 90 degrees, giving the profile of the watch a bracket shape. Drilled lugs would have been nice, and given the lugs’ size and shape, and the location of the lug holes, it’s hard to imagine why Norqain didn’t opt for them.

A double-coated, domed sapphire crystal protects a unique dial. Norqain refers to it as a “special Norqain pattern,” which is at once very vague and very proprietary of them. It catches the light beautifully, at an angle appearing very similar to carbon fiber dials, and straight on appearing more like a simple basketweave. A flat black chapter ring surrounds the dial, featuring minute markers and 1/4 second markers, that will finally allow you to answer the questions: “To the nearest 1/4 second, how long did it take you to dive under your desk and turn your surge protector back on?”

Bridging the chapter ring and the edge of the dial are elongated trapezoidal markers, with baton shaped lume plots, with double at 12 o’clock. They’re filled with Old Radium Super-LumiNova, as is the handset, which is very slightly faceted (nigh on imperceptibly so). The seconds hand features a triangle and red-tipped end. The lume on the hands is both more even and brighter than that on the dial markers, making for an uneven appearance. While I expect an even application across all lume on any watch, much less a watch at this price, it's perfectly legible in the dark. A 3 o’clock date window features a thin frame that lends some intentionality to the aperture's inclusion, as does the matching black date wheel. Completing the dial is the Norqain name and logo up top, with the depth rating at 6 o’clock in beige, along with the “Automatic” designation in red to match the seconds hand.

Flipping the watch over, the DLC caseback is brushed with a bunch of peripheral text that doesn’t matter. Bless the people at Norqain, because they know we can only remember so much for so long: if you’re flipping the watch over and have already forgotten the depth rating as indicated on the dial, you’ll find it on the caseback as well. The model designation (NB1000) and the serial also feature, along with the Norqain name, and the watches composition details and origin story. A sapphire crystal case back displays allows for a more meaningful emotional connection between the watch and your wrist. And it shows off the NN09 (ETA 2824 elaboré grade) movement with “Norqain”-engraved rotor. If you don’t know about the ETA 2824 movement, it’s good (the elaboré grade will get you +/- 7 seconds per day), will run for 38 hours, and means you can have the watch serviced anywhere, by any competent watchmaker.

Let’s talk straps. The stock strap is olive green and of a material Norqain refers to as a “Nordura” strap—it's basically Cordura, but that's trademarked. The strap itself is handsome and feels good to the touch, but is quite stiff. Makes-the-watch-pop-up-and-sit-weird-on-your-wrist-because-it-won’t-bend-to-the-contours stiff. Strapping it in the first time was a bear, and a not a cute cub. Mama bear. And I got the watch from a fellow reviewer who said he’d tried to break it in. You can tell that the strap will eventually break in, and while there was some initial discomfort, it did get a bit more pliable as I wore it. It features a leather backing and a branded DLC clasp. Honestly, I think it will turn into a great strap overtime, but I wish it was a great strap right away. I’ve dealt with other Cordura options that are soft and flexible right out of the box, so there’s no cause for that not to be the case here.

Norqain saved themselves from a failing grade on the strap by providing the rubber strap for the review, though the stock strap simply needs to be better. As if they anticipated these issues, the brand sent me—separately—one of their rubber straps, which is available as an option in lieu of the Cordura strap. It was quite comfortable and featured a knurled pattern that intentionally echoes the bezel. Because I just can’t help myself, I tried the watch on a few extra straps, including two NATOs and my reliable silicone from Barton. It paired and wore well with them all, which is great news for us strap fiends.

Aside from the strap issue, and some potential improvements to the case, the Adventure Sport Auto DLC is a very fine watch. Norqain clearly knows how to make a timepiece that looks good and wears well. I think there are comparable pieces at lower price points, but perhaps none that are identical to the Norqain. It’s an attractive watch, but its simply out of my budget. But it may be right in your wheelhouse, financially and aesthetically. And if that's the case, I think the value is there, and I don't think you'll be disappointed (though be ready for a decent break-in period if you opt for the "Nordura" strap). The watch is available in 6 different iterations, ranging from $1,590 to $4,380 (it's got red gold!), and you can check them all out out on the Norqain website.⬩

Ok, today’s post is not a watch review, but if you enjoy the kind of watches I usually write about, you should keep reading about Tracy Trainor Jewellery and her Ebb Patinated Silver cufflinks.

Before I get to the goods, a little background is in order. I have known Tracy since high school and long enjoyed her irreverent outlook and sharp wit. We have remained good friends over the years, so yes, I’m a bit biased. Now you know.

Originally from Virginia, she globe-hopped through London, Budapest, and Abu Dhabi and now lives in Ireland. In 2015, she turned her creative energy towards jewelry making. She sent me this pair of cufflinks as a gift, and I knew immediately that The Time Bum’s audience would dig them too.

Many people tend to overlook what it takes to make jewelry. They focus on the sleek and glittery end product and forget that someone literally shaped metal to match their vision. My mother was a jeweler for years, so I know its creation means hours spent with hammers, torches, absurd heat, and toxic fumes. Jewelers are pretty badass. Jewelry is if you will pardon my language, metal as fuck.

When I told my fellow Time Bum Mike Razak that I was working on this review, he joked, “Seems like a short write up: great product, secured cuffs.” Of course, that is like reviewing a watch and saying that it told the time. Sure it does. So do thousands of other watches. The question is, what makes this watch - or rather, these cufflinks - special?

Well, for one thing, Tracy’s work shares a similar aesthetic to many of the watches I feature, which is to say, her pieces are attractive, even sculptural, but never gaudy or saccharine. Take the cufflinks, for instance. Made from sterling silver, they have a rectangular face, curved arm and a fixed back. The “Ebb” and “Flow” models feature sculpted surfaces inspired by the frozen rivers of Iceland. These organic patterns have great depth and movement. I love the fact that they are so cleanly finished, but a look into the depressions reveals the scoring and striations you might find in the banks of a waterway. They are undoubtedly beautiful, but in an organic, purposeful manner with a dash of industrial edginess. Best of all, the pattern appears on both ends of the link, so your sleeve does not have good and bad sides. Both will look sharp.

Tracy offers these pieces in satin or patinated finishes. With the bright Polish looks sharp, and maybe even a touch more formal, I chose the patinated. First, because I think the dark oxidation enhances the texture and depth in the design while offering a sharp contrast against the polished edges and peaks. Second, because, as you know, from my reviews of bronze and brass watches, I love a good patina. Remember the Patina Science experiments on the bronze watches? The concept is the same for silver. Jewelers use an array of compounds, including the ever-popular liver of sulfur, to accelerate the oxidation process and create the desired aged effect. Tracy recommends occasionally rubbing them with a soft cloth to keep them clean, and keeping them away from other silver as the reaction on one piece of metal will actually breed more tarnish on another.

If you do opt for satin silver, you won’t have to worry about any arduous cleaning tasks as Tracy has a trick. Line a ceramic dish with aluminum foil, place your silver in it, and add about a tablespoon of baking soda, then pour boiling water over it all. The tarnish will fizz away onto the foil. When cool, rinse, and wipe down. Done.

The Ebb cufflinks are fabulous and made even better by their price, just €200 (about $220 USD). That is a bargain for handcrafted wearable art. If you are not into cufflinks, or are a woman, or are perhaps shopping for one, then you should check out her bracelets, earrings, pendants, and rings. My personal favorites are the bird and butterfly rings – large, animated forms that appear to be taking flight. These are not timid designs. They are show-stoppers.

I strongly recommend browsing the Tracy Trainor Jewellery collection. Orders must be shipped by December 1 to ensure Christmas delivery, so if you plan on getting your gift shopping done, you should hop to it and be sure to use code TIMEBUM10 for 10% off through November 30.

Tracy Trainor Jewellery In Flight Cocktail Ring

The folks over at Undone Watches have embarked on yet another collaboration, this time with Warner Bros. to create the UNDONE x Batman 80th Anniversary Collection - watches they claim will not only be the watches Batman fans need, but the ones they deserve. This premium collection features two distinct interpretations of the Batman character, both housed in Undone's first titanium case. Looking to the extremes of the Batman canon for inspiration, Undone chose "The Caped Crusader" and "The Dark Knight."

UNDONE x Batman 80th Anniversary Collection Caped Crusader

“The Caped Crusader” draws upon the original comic book hero with a micro-blasted Grade II Titanium cushion-case, crown, and pushers measuring 40mm wide, 48mm long, and just 13.3mm thick. The stealthy finish and squared lines recall those of the Batmobile. The distinctive yellow can be found on the center console, circling the tachymetre and its "80" mark, a nod to Batman's 80th anniversary. Further, on the chronograph seconds, hands and subdials, the classic oval insignia (1989-1993) in the form of a Batarang can be found. In the dark of night, the dial reveals a green luminous detect-a-scope and Bat-Signal minute subdial with the hands and applied indices in an icy blue.

"The Dark Knight” takes the grittier approach that emerged in the later Batman stories and movies. It marries the same matte grey titanium micro-blasted cushion with a two-tone dial design for a film noir aetshetic. The 2011 version of the Bat emblem is debossed into the subdial while the lume on the appliques and chronograph counters pop to life at night.

UNDONE x Batman 80th Anniversary Collection Dark Knight

“The Caped Crusader” and “The Dark Knight” will come in an open glass case back, laser serialized with a special commemorative Batman 80th Anniversary badge based on the March 30, 1939, cover of Detective Comics #27. Both models will arrive in a tactical, yet stylish metal carrying case featuring the Bat emblem.

In addition, Undone will be donating a portion of the proceeds on this project to support the heroic work of the Hope For Henry Foundation; who help seriously ill children and their families through difficult times. Expect more information about this partnership soon.

Also, be sure to enter to win a watch in the UNDONE x Batman 80th Anniversary, Long Live the Bat Giveaway!

The UNDONE x Batman 80th Anniversary Collection is set to be released on the 5th December 2019 and will sell for $495 each. ⬩

Review and photos by Mike Razak

I’m not going to bury the lede (lead? I’ve seen it both ways). The Orion Hellcat is an exceptional watch. It’s well proportioned, gorgeously finished, has a great dial, and is super comfortable. It’s also priced appropriately. There. Now you don’t have to read the review. But there are lots of pretty pictures, and I spent not a small amount of time writing it up, so do give it a look.

Orion Watches is the brainchild, main squeeze, and top hustle of watchmaker Nick Harris. Not your average microbrand owner, Nick is fully trained as a real watchmaker. Legend has it he can fully service vintage pocket watches while blindfolded, with only one hand (I made this legend up, but please spread it as far and wide as you can). His mustache alone can replace most watch batteries and size a bracelet in under 2 minutes (please also spread this around). Nick started Orion while he was in watch school, to pay for life while in watch school (it’s an expensive, full-time commitment). Since it’s launch, the brand has produced two watches: The Orion 1 was featured a long-lugged case (#lughug) that came in many iterations, including the Field Standard and Sylph. That was followed up by the so-comfortable-you’re-uncomfortable Calamity (reviewed here), a no-punches-pulled, go-anywhere-do-anything diver. The Hellcat will be the third watch in the lineup, and Nick is beyond stoked for people to see it. Why? Let me tell you all about it…

The Hellcat I had on hand for review was the burgundy dial version, which will feature a brushed and polished case, as opposed to the black dial, which will feature a blasted and polished case. Case finishing isn’t often an avenue that microbrands take to create different versions of a given model; Nick’s attention to detail and desire to make Orion stand out is evident from the get go. The case measures a perfect (for my 7-inch wrist) 39mm across, 47mm lug-to-lug, and 10.5mm thick. The comfort level Nick has achieved isn’t all up to the proportions, though. As he did on his Calamity diver, he’s incorporated a curved caseback that, instead of fighting with the contour of your wrist, conforms to it. The effect is undeniably blissful.

To say that’s all would be to omit so many other details. As mentioned, the case features a brushed finish along the midcase, which has sides that slope inward, as they rise to meet the polished bezel. But the bezel, which is concave, also features a thin sunburst-brushed rim abutting the sapphire crystal, which continues the sunburst of the dial. Tracing the top edge of the midcase is a polished chamfer, ending at each of the 20mm lugs. I would have liked drilled lugs, here, and I think there is room for them. But that’s a minor drawback, and could compromise the strength of the lugs, as well as the aesthetic flow of the case. The 3 o’clock crown functions without issue and is fully knurled (an Orion hallmark) and adorned with the Orion logo. It screws down to allow for 100M water resistance—plenty for me and certainly plenty for a pilot (if a pilot’s in the water, he or she has done something quite wrong indeed).

The sunburst burgundy dial creates quite a different effect from the black dial, which features a matte finish. It adds a pop that the staid matte doesn’t allow for. I can’t decide whether I like the restraint of the black or the excitement of the burgundy, so I’ll leave that to you. Working from the outside in, the dial features a golden minute track of alternating inverse quadrants (Nick's words, not mine), which make it easy to check the time at a glance, at least within a 5-minute range. White trapezoidal indices in the cardinal positions (split at 12) make those glances even easier. The numerals are printed in a proprietary font that was developed just for the Hellcat. This is something you just don’t get at this price point, and Nick’s decision to do so reflects his passion for the Orion brand: he wants it to stand out, and for Orion owners to have something that’s unique in every way possible. I imagine its very easy to get too creative with a font, but that’s not the case here, as we’re given a highly-legible, stylish typeface.

A 6 o’clock date window is very slightly disruptive to the rest of the dial. The black date text is fine but doesn’t connect with anything else in the watch (as it does on the black dial Hellcat). However, the beveled window is positioned in the least conspicuous spot on the dial and is perfectly harmless. Dial text matches the minute track, with the Orion name and logo at 12, and Hellcat model name just above a bar at 6. Crosshairs intersect that the center of the dial, with the east-west line extending to the 3-9, and the north-south allowing for the dial text. I also assume you can use it to aim at your watch? I’m not a pilot though, so I’m not sure. Rounding out the dial area is a gold segmented syringe-style handset, with the minute and hour hands being lume-filled (I’ve omitted my usual full-lume shot from this review as the lume of the hands and numerals were not at the production level on my prototype).

I’ve already mentioned the spa-like comfort of the curved caseback. I’ll add that it’s a screwdown, and that its engraved with the entirety of the constellation of Orion, which really drives home the branding in a way that’s much more subtle than a giant trident or a set of jets. Further, you may have picked up through my other reviews that while a nice caseback design is just that—nice—it's not much more, and time spent here is often time wasted. So I'm happy to have an elegant constellation instead of tons of SpecsText™ and a cat riding a motorcycle through a wall of flames. Under the caseback sits the popular Miyota 9015, beating at 28,800 vph for a nice smooth sweep of the hands, and providing 42 hours of power reserve.

My favorite part of trying out new watches is trying out straps on those new watches. For me, a watch is useless if I can’t wear it with at least three different straps (including a bracelet, if included). The Hellcat doesn’t disappoint. In fact, its strap adaptability is one of the things Nick loves most about it. A burgundy dial doesn’t immediately shout, “I go with things!,” but the Hellcat just works, I think in part due to its dimensions. And it turns out burgundy is a much more versatile color than you’d expect. The stock strap—available in three lengths—is of great quality, quite comfortable, and has fully custom buckle. But I found it too thick at the lugs, though this was more of a visual obstacle for me than a practical one. It’s thickness doesn’t hinder its comfort, but I always feel like straps look weird when they are thicker than the lug ends.

To be frank, there’s almost nothing about this watch that makes it a pilot watch. It’s not big, it doesn’t have a gigantic crown, it doesn’t have the triangle with the dots, and it completely lacks a slide rule that no one knows how to use. Nick says he opted to make a pilot watch because it offered the chance to do something new. And while he did make something new (literally everything except the movement is an original design), he didn’t make a pilot watch—he just made an awesome watch (two, if you count as a separate watch the black dial, which our friend, Will, The Watch Clicker, reviewed here). You can put the Hellcat into whatever category you want, but that won’t change the facts: This is a $600 that looks and wears like it should cost twice that. And it’s available for pre-order right now, on The Orion website, with delivery expected April 2020.⬩

Every regular Time Bum reader probably knows that Bill McDowell and I partner up every year to host the District Time Watch Show. As such, you may think I have a bit of a bias when reviewing his watches. I don’t believe I do, but now you have full disclosure, make of it what you will. With that, I will turn my attention to his latest release, the Tidewater, which I happen to believe is a damn fine watch.

Named for the Atlantic coastal plain on Maryland and Virginia, the American-assembled Tidewater is McDowell Time’s first diving watch. As such, it is rated for 200m water resistance, has a screw-down crown, AR-coated sapphire crystal, and a unidirectional 120-click timing bezel. Bezel action is smooth but has a bit of play. Its brushed stainless steel cushion case bears a passing resemblance to that of the 39mm McDowell Time Maxton Chronograph, but it is an all-new design. For starters, at 42mm wide and 50mm long, it is significantly larger, although it’s 13mm thickness does not seem quite so apparent when spread out over the Tidewater’s larger surface area. A beveled outer edge slims the lugs.

A 42mm square is not what you would call small on the wrist. This watch has a seriously aggressive presence, feeling closer to 43-44mm. Even though it fit between my wrist bones, it was still an imposing chunk on my 6.75” wrist, making it a strictly weekend warrior for me. On the other hand (or wrist), folks like Bill, who have bigger forearms, can pull it off far better, and could probably even carry off the black version with a suit.

Low profile crown guards flank a pleasantly restrained crown. Seriously, folks, I’ve got nothing against big crowns, but does every diver need a beer can at 3 o’clock? I much prefer a broad, but comparatively short, head like this one that provides more than ample grip without disrupting the lines of the case. It is signed, of course, with a deeply embossed MT logo.

On the Tidewater’s flip side is an exhibition window to show off the Swiss Sellita SW200 Automatic. You know the one, it’s the well regarded ETA 2824 clone with 26 jewels, a 28.8k per hour beat rate, and 38-hour power reserve. I’ve got no issue with the Swiss workhorse. I just question the decision to show it off. I mean, it’s neatly finished, but not particularly decorated. If it had a custom rotor, I would think differently, but as it is, I’d have been happier with a solid case back and some interesting art.

McDowell went with a glossy ceramic bezel insert in a bright royal blue on this model (blue and black dial/black bezel versions are also available), in which every engraved mark is filled with C3 SuperLuminova. The applied and polished bar markers and sword hands follow suit, lighting the face like a Christmas tree when the lights go down.

It is a clean dial, uncluttered and highly legible, accented with delightful pops of orange on the logo, hour pips, water resistance rating, and lollipop second hand. While all three versions are attractive, I like the summery sporty look created by the contrast of the bright white against the vivid blue and orange.

The Tidewater also has McDowell Time’s first bracelet, an aggressive 22mm with solid ends, chiseled links, and single-ended screws. It looks great, has a wide range of adjustment, and a signed, push-button, flip-lock clasp. I’m relieved that Bill resisted the trend towards the expanding, box-type clasps that so many microbrand dive watches have chosen lately as I have yet to find one that does not have unduly sharp, furniture scratching corners. The Tidewater’s more conventional unit has no such drawback. There is absolutely nothing to fault on this bracelet.

That said, the Tidewater looks pretty amazing on the British Tan Horween leather pictured on the site. It is not an option right now, but it would definitely be worth it to pick one up from your favorite strap supplier. It’s a knockout combination.

I really like the Tidewater. The bright colors, clean dial, and square case geometry to provide a large look without going overboard or cluttering things up. It is a big, well-appointed watch with a crisp design that also happens to come at a great price. Full retail will be $549, but you can grab one now for $475, in stock, no waiting - a sweet deal for a proper dive watch packing a Swiss automatic.

Intro pricing won’t last forever, so I’d suggest you head on over to McDowellTime.com and check it out. ⬩

Hemel Watches has just added the popular HM series to its Night Ops collection. With a modern take on the classic military field watch, the HM1 Hemel 24 and the HM2 Hemel Track are a natural fit for the stealthy Night Ops blackout treatment. They are on sale now for $399.

As designer Marvin Menke explains, “The Hemel 24 and the Hemel Track were the first two watches that I designed and every- thing I’ve done since then really stands on their shoulders. This is why I’m so excited to finally see them in stealth mode beside the HFT20 and Hydrodurance. I can finally say that the Night Ops collection covers land, air and sea, just as the broader Hemel collection does.”

I loved the original HM series so I am pleased to see that Marvin kept its lines intact, even as he upgraded the movement to a Miyota 9039. This is a true no-date premium automatic that hacks, hand winds, and moves at a smooth 28.8k beat rate.

The HM1 Hemel 24, is based on the military field watches of the late 60s and early 70s with their 24-hour delineated dials. The HM2, or the Hemel Track, recalls World War Two and post-war field watches with its simply appointed “railroad track” chapter ring. Stylish accents like the beautifully curved case, domed sapphire crystal, slim coin-edge bezel, the pop of orange in the second hand, and the signed buckle frame offer lend the series a sense of refinement while its 100m water resistance, tank-tread inspired screw-down crown, anti-reflective coating, and bright C3 lume ensure that the HM watches are as rugged as they are attractive. The matte black finish just caps it all off.

The entire Night Ops line up is available for immediate delivery. Hemel will continue to donate a percentage of its proceeds to the Bob Woodruff Foundation, a nonprofit organization that benefits military veterans and their families. To buy your own, head over to Island Watch for the Night Ops HM1 and HM2. ⬩

Get your credit cards ready because it is time for the Black Friday - Cyber Monday watch sales! As is tradition, The Time Bum will be updating this list all week long with sales on watches, straps, and accessories. Know of a good sale that I don't have listed here? Shoot me an email and let me know.

Enjoy!

BOLDR Voyager Macau thetimebum.com BF2019

2019 Black Friday Watch Sales

A Time To Watch - Up to 38% off selected watches.

Aoede - Pre-order the new Sea Venture at an additional $50 discount with code HOLIDAY50 (delivery in the spring).

Aquatico - $30 off and free delivery with code BLACK2019 through 11/30

Aragon - Black Friday BOGO! Discount prices and buy one, get one free (up to $146.46 value).

Ardor & Forge - The Rothrock preorder is underway for $200 off retail. Also, be sure to check out the Cyber Monday prototype giveaway!

Armand Nicolet - Take 30% off sitewide through 12/7 with code BLACK19.

Armida Watches - 15% off with code CHRISTMAS19 through 12/15.

Armogan - Black Friday sale prices on all watches

ArmourLite - 35% off ArmourLite and IsoBrite watches and free worldwide shipping (sale excludes Limited Editions) through 12/1 with code FRIDAY

Ashford - Black Friday deals added daily

Atelier Wen - Act fast on this one! On 11/29, 9:00 AM EDT, Atelier Wen will sell just 30 watches for $599 each. Once the last watch is sold, the price goes back up to the usual $720. No code necessary. The discount will be applied automatically.

AVI-8 - Up to 50% off selected pilot's watches on the AVI-8 Black Friday page.
** From 11/29 through 12/2, take 25% off sitewide with code CHEERS.

Bausele - Get 60% off the Pilot Automatic Collection.

Benarus - Take 20% off through 12/15, no code required.

Bernhardt - Save 15% with code HOLIDAY15.

Beranger Richemann - Use code BRXMAS for about $20 USD off through the end of the year

BluShark Straps - Sign up Monday PM for early access to the Black Friday discounts, which can be stacked on top of these existing package deals: buy two straps, get one free; buy three get two free; spend $75 and get a free spring bar tool, spend $100 and get a spring bar tool and a watch case.

BOLDR - Check the BOLDR Black Friday page for limited quantities of sale watches that will change every few days through 11/29.

Boniver - They have gotten a real jump on things with up to 70% off all watches and free shipping. Sale lasts as long as the inventory holds out.

Brathwait - Pre-Black Friday 20% off sale, on now.

Breda - Use code EARLYPF for 25% off, and see the Cyber Week special "Men's 50 under $50"

California Watch Co. - 50% all watches, no code necessary

Cheapest NATO Straps - Almost all straps 20-50% off and an additional 20% off with code 20 when you buy five or more.

Cincy Strap Co. - 30% sitewide with code BFCM19 now through 12/2.

Crown & Caliber - $250 off all watches with code 250OFF, and $500 off watches over $10k with code 500OFF

Delugs Straps - Deals all week long! Applied at checkout, no codes.

Mon11/25: Buy two shell cordovan straps, get one free
Tues 11/26: 30% off alligator straps
Wed 11/27: 35% two-tone Epsom straps
Thu 11/28: 35% off waxed camouflage
Fri 11/29 - Mon 12/2: 25% off site-wide

DoughBoy Watch Co. - Use code TIMEBUM for:

20% off all original Trench Watches
20% off purchases up to $999 on DoughBoy Fine Quality Trench Watches
25% over $999 on DoughBoy Fine Quality Trench Watches.

Dryden Watch Co. - For Black Friday, the Chrono Diver is reduced to $249 with the buyers' choice of an additional strap. No code, strap discount applied at checkout.

DSWISS - Sign up now to get the codes for the Black Friday flash sales event on 12 watches.

DuFrane Watches - Through 12/23, take $150 off all watches, including the new City Limits GMT, with code XMAS150.

Farr & Switt - Black Friday Bundle Deals and a $100 discount with code NOV100

Filippo Loretti - Up to 50% off

Fossil - Up to 40% off selected watches

Geckota - Offering different sales on selected watches and accessories every week or so until Black Friday. Discounts up to 80% off! Check their Black Friday page for updates.

Heitis - Black Friday Sale prices on selected watches

Helgray - Watches 30-50% off and up to 70% off straps now through 12/18.

Hemel - Free pocket knife with every order

Humism - Get a free Milanese mesh strap with your order with code TIMEFORART. Note that you must add the strap before entering code.

Island Watch - Sale prices on multiple bands starting Thanksgiving Day, 1:00 PM and running through Cyber Monday. See the preview page now.

Jack Mason - Black Friday sale pricing on the black Aviator Chronograph and Diver Automatic.

Jomashop - Black Friday sales all week like 40% off selected Hamilton, and 37% off selected Junghans and Breitling watches

Lilienthal-Berlin - 25% off in the pre-Black Friday sale with code GET25

Little Treasury Jewelry - DC and Maryland enthusiasts should check out their storewide sale. Now through 12/1, get up to 50% off watches including Nomos, Ball, Bremont, Oris, and more. Also up to 70% off jewelry (buy two and take an extra 10% off). Best of all, 10% of all profits will be donated to Make-A-Wish Mid-Atlantic.

LIV - Flash sales on now, like 38% off the LIV GX1A

Longines - Discount prices in the Special Holiday Event

LUX Watch Straps - Use code LUXBLACK and also sign up for the newsletter and get 15% off your first order through 11/30

Luxmark - Up to 50% off and get an extra 10% when you sign up for the newsletter

Maals - Up to 35% off through 12/4

Makara - 37% off the Sea Turtle and free express shipping on all orders now through 12/18.

Maranez - Get 20% off from 11/25 - 12/15 with code XMAS.

Martu Leather - Get 30% off with code 30BF2019

McDowell Time - Use code BFCM20 for 20% off the Maxton line. Also, the new Tidewater diver has a special launch price of just $475 now through December 3, at which time it will go up to the regular price of $549.

Meccaniche Veneziane - Up to 40% off on Black Friday. Sign up now to get one of 200 early bird VIP slots for early access.

Meller - 40% off watches with BLACK40

Meranom - Vostok watches on sale until 12/1.

Mercer - 20% off 11/28 - 12/2

MVMT - 30% off select watches and use code HOLIDAY19 for 20% off sitewide

Origin Watch Co. - 30% off any watch order through 12/1 with code THANKS2019

Peren - 20% off any perennial watch through the end of the year.

Prestige Time - 3% off all sale watches

Raymond & Pearl - 33% off all watches through 12/2 - no code required.

Reverie Watches - Get 25% off the GT collection from 11/25 - 12/31.

Sangamon Watches - 25% off watches through 12/2.

SISU - 50% all watches, no code necessary

Spinnaker - Get up to 50% off selected diver's watches on the Spinnaker Black Friday page.

Straton - Take 15% off all items with code BLACKFRIDAY

Stührling - Black Friday doorbusters up to 50% off

Sternglas - Head to their site now and sign up for the Black Sale Mailing List (scroll to the very bottom of the page). This will get you early access to the sale which features discounts up to €50.

The Microbrand Store - Black Friday sales are going now! See below, with links.

BFCM-A - 5% off of microbrand watches, excluding pre-orders.
BFCM-M - 10% off of meteorite dial timepieces.
BFCM-T - 10% off of tourbillon timepieces, and free solid link bracelet with all mother-of-pearl tourbillons while supplies last.
BFCM-B - 15% off of Ballast Trafalgar watches.
BFCM-N - 15% off of Neminus Spaceman Swiss divers.
BFCM-P - 20% off of Polish American watches.
BFCM-L - 20% off of ladies watches.

Thesis Watches - 50% off sitewide through 12/6, no code required.

Throne Watches - 20% off in the Super Holiday Sale now through 12/3.

Time Concepts - Get 50% off Szanto, Hawaiian Life Guard, and Bia watches over $100 with code BFCM19.

Tissot - Up to 60% off selected watches

Torneau - Up to 40% off certified pre-owned watches with code THANK4103

Torgoen - 30% off sitewide with code BF30

Tracy Trainor Jewellery - Use code TIMEBUM20 for 20% off. Offer ends 11/30.

Triwa - Sale prices all week on selected watches

TruWood - Up to 75% off

Tsao Baltimore - Use code BLACKFRIDAY2019 for 10% off 11/25 through 12/1.

Tusenö - Free gift with order of a First 42 (79€ value)

Undone - Their biggest sale of the year! Get up to 40% off, free delivery, and an extra strap on selected watches - each model will only be on sale for 5 days!

Vaer - 20% off sitewide with code VAERBF20, and 25% for current owners

Vario - Now through 11/26, get discounts on orders of straps, cases, or rolls:10% off any one, 15% any two, 20% off any three, and 25% off any four. Through 12/12, use codes ECLIPSE_BLACK for 25% off an Eclipse watch and EMPIRE_BLACK for 15% off an Empire.

Vincero - Up to 25% off and free shipping on orders over $50

Void - Up to 40% off and free tote with purchase of over $200

Yema - Selected watches up to 50% off through 11/30 while supplies last.

Zinvo - 30% off Black Friday sale is on now.

Photos by Mike Razak

Since we reviewed the Lesablier Sport Classic way back in May, three exciting things have happened. First, the Kickstarter campaign was successful, meaning the watches are actually getting made. Second, the bracelet has been completed. And third, an option for an aventurine dial has been added by way of the Supernova option. I've gotten my hands on both the white enamel edition (just to refresh your memory) and the Supernova on bracelet and took some pictures for you all to gawk at. Check 'em out.

The aventurine dial features that special starry sky look that even brands like Moser are doing now. The Sport Classic kills the look, pairing the starry stone with space-like case design for an unparalleled effect (the "stars" you see on my laptop are just dust). NB: The numbering on the dial and caseback will be "XX/50" instead of "XXX/50."

As quick refresher, the Sport Classic is a 40mm wide, 13mm thick sports watch with a case unlike we've ever seen. It has 20mm hooded lugs, features a Miyota 8N40 automatic movement, and comes in 6 different dial options (The Supernova and black-dialed, gold-cased Eclipse are both limited to 50). Each watch will come standard with a classic stitch leather strap, a rubber strap, and the integrated bracelet. Which is a phenomenal deal.

If you're like me, you may have found the hooded lugs on the avant-garde case a bit jarring. They provide quite the abrupt stop to a striking look. But the bracelet changes all that. The rupee-style links (Zelda, not India) complement the case design and allow for continuity, completely eliminating that sudden cliff. Wears like a dream, too.

Also, there's better lume. Which is great for everyone, and plays very nicely against the aventurine. And really pops in my son's toy recycling truck.

I also took a 3/4 shot of the case profile. And look how pretty it is. All the angles and the different finishes. Dang.

You may be like, "Mike, where's your wrist? Is it ok? Do you even wear the watches? What kind of racket is this?" Well no need to start conspiracy theories...

Though the Lesablier Sport Classic has funded via it's Kickstarter campaign, you can still preorder it on the website. The watches start at $390, with the Supernova running $415. It's a fun watch that works so much better than you expect. At that price, you won't be disappointed.⬩

Today, Undone launches yet another collaboration, and it may be the wildest yet. UNDONE x Monopoly: MONEYMAN by Stephen Bliss is the Parker Brothers game re-imagined by the Rockstar games artist known for his work on Grand Theft Auto.

There are two limited-edition chronographs in the collection, both featuring the iconic Mr. Pennybags who is now apparently heading down to Park Place with a bulletproof vest, a pair of “cash cannons,” and a scantily-clad, tatted-up companion, Penny Gladrags (his niece, right?). The watchs’ stainless steel cases are 41.8mm wide and 12mm thick to the top of their domed K1 mineral crystal. Inside is a Seiko VK64 MechaQuartz. Both come with 20mm and quick-release pins.

The Benjamin takes its inspiration from the $100 bill. Bliss’s signature replaces that of the Secretary of the Treasury and the boardgame’s patent number stands in for the serial number. The sub-dials bear the Monopoly seal and Uncle Pennybags lume and both light up under UV light, much like the anti-counterfeiting measures of modern banknotes. Syringe hands and pips behind the applied markers share the same glow. A crown calf leather strap tops it off.

The second piece is The Godfather, inspired by (no surprise) mobsters. It takes a blingier approach, pairing a black and gold dial with a brushed and polished gold case, applied indices, and a Monopoly-red minute track. A black Cordura quick-release strap is a bit of a surprise here, giving the glitzy watch a tougher edge. Look closely, and you’ll see gold-pressed banknotes spraying out from the Monopoly dude’s cash cannons.

Each watch’s case back comes laser engraved with one of five Bliss-designed parodies of the classic “Chance/Community Chest.”

Both the Benjamin and the Godfather come in a premium “Luxury Tax” tin case, complete with a commemorative golden 1M Monopoly bill featuring Rich Uncle Pennybags and Penny Gladrags.

The Undone x Monopoly watches are a fun and somewhat deranged take on the beloved game. I think it is brilliant. A Monopoly-themed watch would have been cute, but Bliss’s gritty spin adds a whole new dimension that justifies the $480 price tag.

For more information or to order one of your own, keep an eye on Undone.com.⬩

When I first reviewed the prototype Traska Freediver last April, I loved it. So much so, that I pre-ordered a mint dial, steel bezel model for myself, and have made it a staple in my rotation. Given its relative newness and near perfection, I was surprised to learn that a revised version was on the way. I got the chance to play with the whole set of new prototypes after the District Time Show, and came away impressed. It takes a sharp eye to appreciate the changes, but they add up to a much-improved watch. Traska announced it today, presumably to give you one more thing to be thankful for.

I started my evaluation with a game of “spot the difference,” with my old Freediver in one hand and the revised model in the other. The 40mm cases share the same style, water resistance is improved from 100m to 200m (I could read that much off of the dial), and the hands and markers are sharper. Gone are the original leaf hands in favor of tight, tapered shapes with squared ends that better match the secondary markers while the primary markers have had their tips flattened. Otherwise, the watches are remarkably similar, right?

Wrong. I had utterly failed the test.

Traska Freediver, Version 1 back, Version 2 front

While I got the handset and marker shape changes right, I did not notice that the secondary markers are larger (12.5% to be precise). I have to say, as much as I liked the original dial, I prefer the new one. The difference in the markers is subtle, but it fills out the design just enough, and the revised, sportier handset is more in keeping with the Freediver’s tool watch mission. I love the way the hour hand matches up nose-to-nose with the markers.

Now the really exciting stuff is in the case. As I said, it looks nearly identical to the casual viewer, but it has been completely re-engineered to gain increased water resistance without increasing the thickness beyond the original 12.5mm. With some sharp pencils, black coffee, and long nights (and maybe some slide rules, I am totally making this up) Traska’s team managed to shave enough out of the core to retain the tried and true Seiko NH35 automatic and fit the necessary gaskets to double the Freediver’s utility. The case looks the same head-on, but a keen observer will notice a thicker mid case. Also, the lugs drop down just a touch more, and the cutaway is less pronounced in order to make the watch sit closer to your wrist, so it feels thinner than it is.

There were four watches in the box, a sampling of the color combinations available. Buyers have a choice of green, black, blue, or gray dials (now with or without a 6 o’clock date window) and steel or black bezel inserts. The proportion between the dial and bezel has changed, shrinking the insert a touch while allowing the dial to grow, a change more noticeable on the black bezel versions. Traska switched from a sapphire insert to ceramic for increased durability without losing the glossy finish. The pip surround is now polished to match the crown, bezel edge, and the chamfers down the case sides, dressing up the watch that much more.

Of course, the BGW9 SuperLuminova remains as does the sapphire crystal. Why mess with perfection?

The bracelet didn’t get away without an upgrade. Its clasp now has polished chamfered to match those on the case. A small detail, yes, but one that goes far to make all the components part of an even more cohesive whole. One part did carry over without change: the end links. Slackers.

Nothing in life is free, except, it seems, the Freediver redesign. The price is the same as before: $375 for a stainless insert and $400 for ceramic. This includes the bracelet and Traska’s anti-scratch coating on the case and bracelet. This is kind of crazy, but I’m not complaining. It is one heck of a deal. If you haven’t tried a Traska, I highly recommend that you do. If you already have one, then maybe circle back for a different color combination as you will get an all-new watch in the bargain.

For more information or to order your own, visit traskawatch.com. ⬩

I finally hit 10k followers on Instagram! Ok, it's not exactly a Nobel Prize, but I'll take what I can get. To celebrate this momentous occasion, I am giving away a gold Helgray LeMans (ARV $299), one of two lovely chronographs that were intended for a District Time giveaway until they were unreasonably delayed by Canada Post. Let's call it The Time Bum's 10k, Black Friday, Helgray Giveaway.

Please read the full Terms and Conditions on the Giveaway page for details.

Good Luck!

Seals Watch Company has released the Model A.5, two intense new variants of the popular Model A. For these versions, Michael Seals teamed up with Matt Smith-Johnson, the Art Director for A Blog To Watch and better known as @teenage.grandpa (and who, by the way, is neither a teenager nor a grandparent). With a splash of color and some serious 1970's swagger, the Burgundy Roulette and Acid Green A.5s make a bold statement.

The shape and style of the case will be immediately familiar to those who know the Model A. Like the original, it is a soft hexagon of brushed and polished stainless steel measuring 41mm wide and 51mm long, but it is not the same case. Thanks to a slim Miyota 9039 automatic movement, they managed to shave down the thickness to just 11.65mm. Blunt, sloping lugs flow seamlessly into an excellent bracelet - which is a good thing considering that there is no way to fit a standard-size strap. It has an anti-reflective sapphire crystal, screw-down crown, and is waterproof to 100m.

The Burgundy Roulette takes its name from the bezel's dark red color and the black-and-yellow checkered 12/24 index that brings to mind vintage racing watches. Sans-serif Roman numerals (with a watchmaker's "IIII") and a red reticle distinguish the black dial. The Seals logo replaces the 12. My favorite touch is the handset. Long hour and minute hands may look like fat batons as first glace, but they are actually six-sided, echoing the case design. The hexagon on the paddle second hand's tip is more apparent, and the whole package is delightful. Buyers may choose a white or yellow second hand. Of course, it wouldn't be complete without a dose of SuperLuminova.

As odd as it may sound, the Burgundy Roulette is the more sedate of the two. For a real attention grabber, you will want to check out the Acid Green with its gloriously eye-searing 60-increment bezel. The designers went for a gray dial on this one, accented in blue with numerals only at 3, 6, and 9. The handset and lume are the same except that second hand options are yellow or blue.

Seals was my key example of how to do watch packaging right: no box, no plastic, just a useful watch roll in a cloth pouch. So imagine my horror when they announced the A.5 would ship in a 6 lb. polycarbonate box. Just kidding. The A.5 will arrive in a proper leather watch roll unencumbered by crap.

I dig what Michael and Matt have done here. They kept the best qualities of the soberly handsome Model A, shook it up a bit, its freak flag fly. The watches are listed for $800, and pre-orders are open now. These are limited editions of just 125 units each, so I'd suggest you not wait too long. See seals-watches.com for more. ⬩

Review and photos by Mike Razak

Mark Miller does not mess about. He’s done everything serving 10 years as a naval intelligence officer to modifying Sellita movements to remove the date to heat-bluing hands and screws for fun. Not content with tinkering, he’s started his own watch brand, Winfield Watch Company. A natural evolution from his original watchmaking dalliance in Seiko modding, the brand is about no-nonsense, take-anything watches. And the Winfield Mission Timer One is a true embodiment of that ethos.

One glance at the MT1 and you know it means business. And by business, I mean trudging through the wilderness with a nothing but the watch, a hatchet, a canteen, and your instincts. The 41mm stainless steel case is bead-blasted and heat-treated for exceptional durability—I know because I banged it against far too many things and there wasn’t a single mark on it. At 13mm, there’s no issue with thickness, and the watch wore surprisingly well when strapped to a NATO or any number of other straps I put on it (see below my discussion of the included leather strap). The 20mm lugs are on the short side of things without being stubby and feature a beveled top edge and drilled lug holes. There’s nothing smooth or polished here; this reflects the watch's purpose: adventure. The stark blockiness of the lugs, crown guards, and even the center case all say “Take me outside! Go West!”

A screw-down crown allows for 200M water resistance and features the Winfield logo (embossed, not just etched, which I appreciate both in terms of quality and aesthetics). Perhaps the most mission timer thing about the MT1 is the 120-click unidirectional countdown bezel. In contrast to a dive bezel, the red marker is set to the desired end time and the bezel is used to track time remaining, instead of time elapsed. It’ll be perfect for when you need to get to the LZ for extraction. Or for making sure you finish your tea by a certain time (before you leave for the LZ). The bezel rotates with a satisfying click and no wiggle at all, aided by the intermittent serration around the edge. It features a 12 o’clock red triangle with a lumed pip and 5-minute markers all the way around, with no graduation. The case and countdown bezel remind me a lot of the Sinn 104, a watch that I’ve never handled but have always admired. They both share common design cues in their chunkiness, the countdown bezel, and as we’ll see next, in the legibility of the dial.

Speaking of trudging, to get through to the dial, you’ve got to get through the double-domed, AR-coated sapphire crystal. It’s a doozy, as it can distort the dial at certain (more extreme) angles, and the AR coating does little to vanquish heavy flecto. But once you’re through, you’ll be treated to high-legibility goodness. The legibility is helped by the matte dial, which is in fact bead-blasted brass with dark charcoal PVD coating, a nice contrast with the matte black bezel. At 12 o’clock, the Winfield logo and name are featured, while at 6 o’clock you can learn about water resistance. Crisp Arabic numerals denote the hours, and a peripheral minute track features squared lume pips at the cardinal hours and round ones in between.

Sword hands indicate time with a long red seconds hand featuring a black counterweight. The seconds reaches the minute track perfectly, as does the minute hand; the hour hand is ideally sized to ensure it just touches the inside edge of the date window. And yeah, it’s a 4:30 date window. And it’s just cut out of the dial. And it’s kind of awful if you care about those sorts of things. Which I do, but you may not. I’ll finish with the real firepower: the lume. The Super-LumiNova C3 is applied extra heavy and it shows: it’s bright and even, and charges up with even the faintest flash of light.

If you are a follower of Mechanical Exceptionalism, I’ll invite you to climb down of your high horse for a minute. Hidden under the screw-down case back (emblazoned with the logo and SpecsText™) is a 5-jewel Swiss Ronda 715Li quartz movement. Yes, the purist in me would love a mechanical movement, too, but I can’t argue with a quartz that's antimagnetic, shock-resistant, and has a 10 year battery life. You may groan and ache and have a weird itch on the back of your knee about it, but given the ruggedness of the watch, quartz just makes since. Plus: it’s got a power-saving mode if you pull out the crown while the watch isn’t in use. And I hope I don’t need to remind you that quartz movements are more accurate (do you want to be late to the LZ?) and more durable than their fragile, soulful mechanical counterparts. You may remount your horse.

I hope you’re enjoying your nice horsey ride, and I hope you don’t mind me mounting up on my strap snob horse and riding alongside you. The included black leather strap is garbage. Just get rid of it. You can tell me about break-in period ad nauseam, but there’s just no excuse for a strap like this on a watch at this price point—or any watch for that matter. Smartly, the watch also comes with a high quality, two-tone NATO. If you’re not careful with your NATO straps, though, you may have a case of Tall Watch Syndrome going on. That’s as much to do with the lug hole placement as anything: the holes are just a tad close to the case, but the included curved spring bars mostly mitigate the issue. Once I dug myself out of the week-long depression brought on by the stock leather strap, I was able to pair the MT1 with a good variety of straps (more than are pictured here, in fact), which brought a much-needed smile to my face.

The Winfield Mission Timer One presents itself as an exceptionally durable timepiece that should be up to just about any challenge you can throw at it. Even throwing it. If a date window must be included, I would prefer it to be more considered than this one, and the crystal could be improved. At $450, it’s priced a little higher than what I’d pay, though I don’t generally go for such tooly tool watches. But this isn’t your standard cheapo quartz, and when you consider similar watches (Sinn 104, $1330; Vicotrinox INOX, $625; Citizen Promaster Tough, $425, etc), the MT1 doesn’t seem far off on price. And it offers advantages over each of those alternatives. If you value longevity and durability, and live that #outdoorlife, then the MT1 may be just the thing for you. You can get it now, for immediate delivery, on the website.⬩

This sponsored post is a paid advertisement. All content was provided by the brand.

Ingenuity. Sophistication. Flair. It’s what you want with a watch. It's exactly what you get with Lords Timepieces Bolt Rose Gold. The Bolt Rose Gold boasts a timeless look with a contemporary chic. Surprised? Well, you shouldn’t be. From its very emergence into the traditionally acclaimed market, Lord Timepieces have made it a point to flaunt a forging of modern timepieces. Teasing traditional style with a modern maverick brilliance. And they certainly maintain that with their Bolt Rose Gold.

An outlandishly strong bolted case tamed through its shaven file-like appearance allows the Rose Gold to command a strong look whilst exhibiting a true tempered subtlety. This harmonizing exterior design allows perfect wear for both formal or casual occasions. So, whether it’s that special wedding setting or just chilling with mates, you know you’ll fit right in. And that’s what we’ve come to admire from Lord Timepieces - a thorough understanding of their target audience. And with such understanding has come a catered service of stylish modern fashion infused with that much-needed cry for practicality.

Delivered in an almost Ollivanders Wand style casing shows the lengths at which Lord Timepieces are pushing the boundaries of providing something different to their competitors. Upon first revealing the watch from the velvet-like encasement my eyes descended straight towards the clockwork. And it’s hard not be lured right in. The silicone black bracelet further accentuates the already powerful contrast between the silver inner mechanics and outer rose gold case. Such subtle use of black throughout the design – noticeably as a peripheral embedding surface on the dial for the time bar markers – emphasizes and champions the skeleton design. The intentionally crafted simplicity of the strap, dial and numbers ensures that the silver bolts and mechanisms shine through. For those sympathetic to skeleton watches, then you need look no further for an intelligently designed yet affordable timepiece.

I’m going to continue my focus on that skeleton design. Because the Rose Gold simply does so well in subduing you there. But hey, I’m not complaining. The additional layer of depth provides a doorway to the mechanics of the clockwork powering the wristwatch. Such insight gives an appreciation of the intricacies of design and skillset of craftsmanship that goes behind fashioning the Lord Timepieces Rose Gold. The whirring of the individual pieces provides an almost satisfying visual illustration of how the combination of singular pieces come together in the artistry of completing the whole.

I’ve been wearing the watch for around 5 days now and it hass acclimatized to my wrist very well; providing a very comfortable fit that’s lightweight enough to not even notice the weight down my arm. My only qualm if any is that the apparent second-hand sweep isn’t as smooth as I’d personally like and so a little off-putting. But I’m really picking at straws here. I have to say, the overall look and feel suggests a greater price tag then what’s on offer. And I’ve certainly welcomed the many compliments it has drawn in. At a size of 40mm with cut off rose gold appearance, it catches the eye without trying too hard at all. An effortless statement. And a fitting one at that for as Lord Timepieces propound in their unboxing welcome message, "The Lord Lifestyle is something that we do not define, it is created by you."

All in all, for the Rose Gold it's a big thumbs up from me. A simple design and yet (somehow) holding a very extravagant expression. First impressions seemed to have ticked all the right boxes and maybe even exceeded my expectations. But the Lord Timepiece Bolt Gold is just that. An affordable automatic timepiece punching way above its price tag. ⬩

Lip, the famed French watch brand, has some fascinating watches in its history, like the first radium dials invested by Pierre and Marie Curie, and the cutting-edge 1975 collection featuring designs by Roger Tallon and others. Among these icons is 1967 Nautic-Ski, the company’s internal bezel 200m diver. This model was reissued in 2014, and they let me take a turn with a blue sunray variant for this review.

A fully capable diver, the Nautic-Ski was intended as an all-around sports watch. Its launch was timed to coincide with the 1968 Winter Olympics, so the “ski” part refers as much to snow as to water. Lip offers six variants with two different dial layouts, all of which are quite handsome and harken back to the originals. This one is a deep blue with a blue and red internal bezel, and polished markers, hands, and case. The blunt baton hands are a proper length, and the paddle second hand is exactly as it should be. Lume is excellent, and I loved the 12, 9, and 6 are printed on top of their markers, and the wedge-shaped date window with its polished frame. Could it be better? Maybe if they reissued the Nautic 3 with the orange-tipped cigarette hands and piano key index, but now I’m just being greedy. As it is, viewing those retro details through the crystal’s crazy edge distortion makes me want to turn on, tune in, and drop out.

The first thing that grabbed me was the size. Lip wisely resisted the urge to grossly upsize its old 36mm case to meet modern expectations. By keeping it to a larger yet still more period-correct 38mm wide and 45mm long, they preserved its vintage proportions and insured it against the swing back to mid-sized watches that we seem to be seeing now. It doesn’t hurt that the size right in the sweet spot for my 6.75” wrist. While it may not be wide, it is certainly thick – 15mm from the case back to the top of its bulbous sapphire crystal. Despite this, the watch does not feel fat. Much like my Sinn 103, the Nautic-Ski masks its bulk with polished curves and deep undercuts.

Twin crowns are a hallmark of the classic compressor-style cases, and the Nautic-Ski delivers on this front with a pair that are chunky, coin-edged, and crosshatched. The 2 o’clock turns the bezel; the 4 o’clock sets the time and screws down securely. I have no qualms with their operation, but their placement is … odd. They do not sit on the same axis. One is high in the case nearer to the dial, the other lower towards the case back. Even though this is just as it was on the original, the placement makes you do a double-take. Every time I showed it to a fellow watch nerd, the reaction was something like, “Oh? Oh! Oh… That ‘ain’t right.” Personally, I’d just chalk it up to character.

While the ’67 Nautic-Ski was battery-driven, the new one is automatic, running a 21.6k bph Miyota 821A. It is a reliable unit and easily serviced, but lacks the smoothness of the 9000 series. Looking through the exhibition window, you will find a skeletonized rotor, Lip engraving, and Geneva stripe finishing, all of which go far to justify an open view of the otherwise workmanlike movement.

Lip Nautic-Ski Reissue case back movement

Straight and narrow lugs hold the Nautic-Ski’s 18mm strap. Lip provides two straps with the watch, one leather, the other a tropic-style rubber. Both have signed buckles. I only sampled the rubber, and while it had the right retro look and is entirely practical given the watch’s mission, I found it stiff and uncomfortable. I’d either stick with leather or swap a natural rubber or silicone replacement.

You can buy the Nautic-Ski direct from Lip. The list price is €499 or $559 US, including VAT. As you move through checkout, those of us outside the EU will see about $94 of that drop off, and an international shipping charge applied. In the end, the final tally for a US sale was $498.48, which is right on par for a smaller independent brand watch with the Nautic-Ski’s specifications. Sure, there are a number of 200m divers in this price range, but few with the Gallic charm and legitimate retro credentials of the Lip. I’m finding the gray and brown version with the long marker dial particularly hard to resist. Check them out for yourself at Lip.fr.

47 Ronin Straps

Bern Milford

Heitis Okeanos Bronze

Christopher Ward C65 Trident Diver SH21 Limited Edition

Giveaway: Squarestreet Novem

Norqain Adventure Sport Auto DLC

Tracy Trainor Jewellery Ebb Cufflinks

UNDONE x Batman 80th Anniversary Collection

Orion Hellcat

McDowell Time Tidewater

Hemel HM Night Ops

Black Friday Watch Deals 2019!

2019 Black Friday Watch Sales

Update: Lesablier Sport Classic

UNDONE x Monopoly: MONEYMAN

New Traska Freediver

10k Black Friday Helgray Giveaway!

Seals Model A.5

Winfield Mission Timer One

Lord Timepieces Bolt Rose Gold

Lip Nautic-Ski