The Time Bum

It's that time of the year again. The holidays are upon us and everyone is heading to the stores to buy gifts. But what to buy? What with all the crowds and the stuff crowding the shelves, it's all a bit overwhelming, isn't it? Well, that is where I come in. The Time Bum is here to make your life easier by giving you some excellent gift ideas that you can purchase right from the comfort of your keyboard.

Tracey Trainor Jewellery

When it comes to gifts, it's hard to go wrong with jewelry (or "Jewellery" if you hail from across the pond). Tracey Trainor creates some amazing pieces in her Dublin, Ireland studio. Her bracelets, pendants, rings, and earrings are unique, dynamic, and very reasonably priced. Buying for a man? Might I suggest some awesome 200€ ($221 US) cufflinks like the ones I reviewed here. If you are here in the States and buying for Christmas, I strongly recommend you opt for express shipping.

Vario Watches

You didn't think I'd do a gift guide without any watches, did you? Vario makes a couple of dress watches that are outstanding and quite giftable for both the men and the women on your list. The Empire we reviewed here was one of the best new watches of 2019. It pairs a stunning Art Deco dial with a dressy 38mm case and vintage styled Italian leather strap for $368 (Miyota 6T33 hand-wound) or $348 (Seiko NH38 automatic).

Need another option? Then how about the sleek 38mm sunray Eclipse reviewed here? You can get the limited edition SunStone Champagne 6T33 mechanical version for $328, or a greater variety of colors with a Seiko VH31 hi-beat quartz for $218.

Order by December 12 and take 10% off an Empire with code EMPIRE10, or 20% off an Eclipse with code ECLIPSE20 and use your savings to pick up some straps or cases while you're at it.

Paper Girls Vol. 1 - 6

Paper Girls is a comic book about 12-year old girls delivering newspapers in Cleveland in 1988 who get sucked into a thousand-year war between two factions of time travelers. This six-volume graphic novel was written by Brian K. Vaughn, author of the outstanding Saga series so you can expect complex characters and a well-developed, thought-provoking storyline. Cliff Chaing's artwork perfectly captures the juxtaposition between these down-to-earth characters and the trippy situation in which they find themselves. Unlike the decidedly adult-themed Saga, Paper Girls stays to the PG-13 side of things, making it a safe bet for the young teens on your list. I'd recommend you buy the six consolidated volumes rather than the individual comics (too cumbersome) or the hardcover Deluxe Editions (final book not yet released). You can find it on Amazon for about $9.00 per book, as well as just about any other decent book store or comic shop.

Undone Basecamp Cali

Undone Watches has been hard at work this year, turning out novel collaboration watches like the UNDONE x Monopoly, UNDONE x Peanuts ACES, and UNDONE x Batman chronographs, which would make great gifts for both watch lovers and fans of the game, cartoon, hero. For those friends and family who just like neatly styled, non-themed watches, they offer the Aqua diver, Urban chronograph, and my current favorite, the Basecamp field watch that I reviewed here. This last one has a 40mm case, tall domed Lexan crystal, 100m water resistance, a Seiko NH35 automatic, and a sharp retro vibe. The Cali starts at just $295 and you can option it up from there. Order by December 15 to get free express shipping in time for Christmas.

JB Gloves

If you see my cold weather Instagram posts, you will glimpse plenty of gloves in my wrist shots. While I'm not quite ready to launch "The Glove Bum," I do love me some well-made leather gloves. Quite a few in my collection have come from JB Gloves in Venice, Italy. They have several styles available for men and women, but I'm partial to their Classic goatskin with cashmere lining (59€ or $65 US). It's a trim, tailored glove with no bulk and it holds up quite well, in fact, I'm still wearing the first pair I purchased from them 13 years ago.

Tsao Baltimore Torsk Diver

If you have a fan of big dive watches on your "nice" list, might I suggest you treat them to a Torsk-Diver by Tsao Baltimore. Named for the sub parked in Baltimore's Inner Harbor, this 43mm beauty is available in stainless steel or bronze cases and a variety of colors, all brimming with bright SuperLuminova in every conceivable space. it is rated for 300m water resistance and runs the smooth and reliable Miyota 9015 automatic. You can read my full review here, but the short version is that it is awesome. Order the Torsk-Diver for $650 direct from Tsao Baltimore. ⬩

Kingsbury Watch Co. is happy to announce that they’re hosting a special giveaway for one “White Water 300” dive watch. This is a very limited edition and previously unreleased model as only two prototypes were ever made. It is powered by a Seiko NH36 automatic movement and has a 300M water resistance.

To enter you only need to do two things:

1. Make sure you're following the @kingsburywatch Instagram page
2. Fill out and submit the contest form.

The prize watch will be brand new and shipped directly to the winner. For a full list of specs, contest rules and to submit your entry, please visit the official contest page.

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! ⬩

When TC-9 offered me their new skeleton Titanium Pilot for this review, I hesitated. On the one hand, I have liked the brand’s previous models and happily own two (the Bronze 1972 Diver and the stunning LunarScope). On the other hand, I generally have little love for skeleton watches. Was this one really worth a look? In the end, the titanium case and uncommon PTS movement piqued my curiosity and I gave it a whirl. I’m glad I did. It turns out, the TC-9 is a pretty cool addition to the skeleton watch genre. It launched on Kickstarter today.

Since it is right up front and center, let’s start with the movement. The 9615F is a 21.6k bph hand-winder with a 9 o’clock small seconds and 36-hour power reserve. It is based on the old Unitas 6497 and produced by Chinese manufacturer PTS. Unlike many similar skeleton movements, this one looks all business. Most notably, the bridges are brushed, finished in PVD black, and entirely devoid of the flowery engraving one often sees on these movements. When I look inside a watch, I want to see a machine. Sure, a tiny machine, maybe even a pretty machine. I’ve got nothing against gold plating, blued screws, or Geneva stripes – I dig that stuff. But I don’t want it to look like a piece of jewelry or something I might find on your grandmother’s mantelpiece. I feel even more strongly about that when the movement is also the face.

Blued and lume-filled hands stand out against this dark mechanical backdrop, overcoming one of the great challenges of skeleton watches – readability. You will have no such issue on the Pilot. If anything, the bright white lume is almost too much contrast by day, but you will be grateful for its strong glow at night.

TC-9 Titanium Pilot – Skeleton Edition lume

Even more so than most aviation-themed watches, this one is a style statement more than a practical tool. In deference to convention, the dial features a minute track, but the gray-on-black phantom effect renders it more of a design curiosity than a functional index. There is no such aid for the small seconds. Clearly, this is not the sort of pilot's watch you would choose to aid your navigation or time your bombing run. It is more for the person who looks at their watch and says, "Eh, it's about twenty to one." In truth, that is most of us.

Flat, anti-reflective coated, sapphire crystals grace the front and back, offering an unrestricted view of that sinister 9615F. The downside is that the movement is so open, they also offer unrestricted views of your wrist, which, in my view, is not great. Now, I must confess that this is my particular hang-up, but to me, the sight of werewolf arm hair squashed against the exhibition window revolts me and ruins the effect. My smooth comrade Mike Razak, who is apparently part dolphin, could probably pull it off better.

TC-9 Titanium Pilot – Skeleton Edition wrist

As you might have gathered from the name, the Titanium Pilot uses a Flieger-style case, complete with a proper fluted and signed onion crown. And, yes, it is made from titanium, in a lovely black matte finish to boot (a gray case is also offered). While it looks great, the real appeal is its weight, or shall I say, lack of same. At 43mm wide and 50mm long, it is a large watch, but it is also just 12mm thick and weighs 2.2oz, which is to say, nothing. You won’t mistake it for a dainty dress watch, but it is easy to wear and light as a feather on your wrist. Water resistance is 50m, which is right on par with most traditional pilot's watches and suitable for daily wear.

The 22mm distressed black leather strap is a most un-pilot-like, drilled rally style. Conventional wisdom would say that it is the wrong strap for either a skeleton watch or a pilot’s watch. The conventional wisdom is wrong. The holes in the strap complement both the movement’s circular elements in the exposed movement and its open design. It’s an absolutely perfect pairing. A signed and color-matched buckle is just icing on the cake. Gray cases will get a vintage black Horween leather strap.

Overall, the TC-9 Titanium Pilot is an attractive piece with an even more attractive price. Full retail will be £350 (about $450 US) but starting today, you can pre-order one on Kickstarter for as low as £169 (about $224 US). If you think you might be tempted by an offbeat skeleton for people who hate skeletons, you should definitely check this one out. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised. ⬩

The Time Bum doesn’t review many women’s watches, but I have set a new record in 2019 by reviewing not just one (the Phobos Sea Nymph), but now two! The Eliana Timekeeper Twilight Glint is a small, automatic dress watch coming to Kickstarter on January 8. I took a turn evaluating a rose gold prototype.

Eliana Timekeeper Twilight Glint black and rose gold

Sherrie Han is the founder of Eliana Timekeeper. A lawyer and mother in Singapore, she started her quest for a mechanical women’s watch after taking a day-long watchmaking class. She soon discovered that most women’s watches were either too expensive, too overdone, too masculine, or quartz. We have heard this story before, “I could not find a watch that satisfied me, so I designed my own” is a microbrand cliché right up there with “We wanted to disrupt the industry,”; however, in this case, it is true. Affordable, mechanical women’s watches are not common and are mostly downsized unisex designs. Moreover, the vast majority of microbrand watch companies are owned by men who have little desire to wade into what is perceived as a risky niche market.

Right out of the box, it is clear that the Twilight Glint was designed for women. Its stainless steel case measures just 28mm wide, tapering to a 24mm case back, with 14mm lugs attached to the barrel by a slender bridge. It is far smaller than any contemporary men’s watch and distinctly feminine. Showing it on my furry paw would be awful, so I have instead taken a frame from the Eliana Timekeeper launch video. You're welcome.

The more I examined the case, the more I liked it. While it is only 11mm thick, the tiny diameter makes it a appear far stouter, giving the otherwise diminutive watch surprising presence. It seems this is both a blessing and a curse. Where I found the thickness appealing, Mrs. Time Bum did not and would have much preferred a lower profile.

Fine coin edges on both the bezel and the case back provide a welcome dash of decoration without going over the top. The crown is similarly appointed along with a synthetic onyx stone set at the head. While small, the crown is not comically undersized as they often are on women’s watches. My wife owns a Movado with a crown so shallow and featureless that I would swear was designed as a joke to prevent you from operating it. The Twilight’s crown suffers no such handicap, operating smoothly and comfortably with more than adequate grip.

Water resistance is 30m, which is on par for an everyday dress watch. You get an anti-reflective coated sapphire crystal up front, and an exhibition window out back to show off the 21 jewel Miyota 6T28 Automatic skeleton movement.

Eliana Timekeeper Twilight Glint rose gold case back

The watch will be offered in polished steel or rose gold PVD cases with gray linen pattern or Singularity Black dials. The press loaner was black or in the parlance of Spinal Tap, “none more black.” You see, Sherrie chose a nanoparticle coating for the dial that absorbs 99% of light. I must confess that my eyes could not discern any additional blackness, but it does have an appealingly rough texture to the surface and a deep matte finish. Four Swarovski Crystals mark the primary hours. It is an appealing layout, but not without its issues.

As you no doubt recognized in the photos, the Twilight Glint is an open heart design. Regular readers may recall that I am generally critical of most – but not all - open heart and skeleton watches (I liked the Whytes 150M series so much that I bought one for myself and wear it often), yet I took no issue with the porthole because, given the watch’s reason for existence, it makes sense to show off its mechanism as much as possible. Mrs. Time Bum disagreed, citing the window’s position. As it stands, the open heart window is roughly in the 5 o’clock position and edges into the lower left quadrant right over the 6. If it were centered at 4 or 6 o’clock, she would have been fine, but the fact that is not quite entered anywhere was a deal-breaker for her. Of course, neither of those options is possible with this movement if you want to keep the crown at 3 o’clock.

We both agreed that the yellow gold movement was not a great match for the rose gold case. This would be easily remedied by ordering the other case, although after poking around the Eliana Timepiece gallery, I think my favorite would be the striking linen dial in the steel case with the plain, non-gilt movement.

Buyers will have the option of a calf leather strap or the bracelet shown here. Given the case proportions, I’d lean towards the bracelet, which features an attractive combination of polished ends and satin-brushed centers, and a signed, low-profile butterfly clasp. Drilled lugs and quick-release spring bar facilitate swapping.

Eliana Timekeeper Twilight Glint rose gold clasp

In the end, I liked the Twilight Glint. The overall aesthetic is feminine but not garish, modern, but not sterile. I love the silver/linen combination. Then again, I am not the target market – Mrs. Time Bum is, and the watch left her cold. To her, the appeal of a mechanical movement did not outweigh the additional thickness required. Ironically, I think a broader case might have swayed her as just a couple more millimeters would have spread it out just enough to make the watch seem slimmer and less top-heavy.

Mrs. Time Bum’s misgivings aside, I think Sherrie is on to something here. I have spoken to several female watch aficionados who have lamented the relative absence of mechanical microbrand watches for women and the Eliana Timepieces Twilight Glint is an excellent first entry into that underserved market. If the launch is successful, I hope to see more variants (a solid dial, perhaps?) and new models to draw more women into the hobby.

The Eliana Timepieces Twilight Glint will launch on Kickstarter on January 8 with a starting pre-order price of just $350 US, about 45% of expected retail. For more information and to get on the announcements list, visit elianatimekeeper.com.

The folks at Phoibos have turned out yet another appealing, affordable diver. This time, it is the Eagle Ray GMT, which is rated for 300M, packs a Swiss Ronda quartz, and sells for just $200. They gave me a red dial model PX023E in exchange for this review, and I am mighty pleased with it.

You may be thinking, “Hey Time Bum, didn’t you just review the Eagle Ray on September 24?” Well, yes, thank you for noticing, but the name is just about the only thing this watch shares with the rest of the Eagle Ray line. If I were on the Phoibos team, I would have Googled a different fish name for this new watch, but they did not, so Eagle Ray it is.

The GMT is 41mm wide, 47mm long, and just 10.5mm thick to the top of its double domed and triple AR-coated sapphire crystal. This trim figure is no doubt thanks to the quartz movement inside, a 515.24H that is a mere 3mm tall. As such, it is a comfortable fit on my 6.75” wrist and tucks under most buttoned shirt cuffs without a fight.

The case shape is relatively standard, but a combination of finishes and textures lends it a healthy dose of character. Both crowns are knurled, signed, and polished, and both screw down. A polished coin edge rings the bezel’s perimeter and overlaps the top corner, making it appear beaded when viewed head-on. This brightwork pops against the otherwise matte surfaces.

Around back, the polished case back includes a handy guide to global time zones as measured by Greenwich Mean Time — probably the most useful thing I’ve seen on a case back in quite a while.

Phoibos offers the watch in black, gilt/black, and ombré green, blue, and red. I chose the red, a lovely ruby tone at the center that darkens as it reaches the glossy black internal bezel, engraved with 24-hour markers and a red-framed center triangle. Separating the bezel and dial is a railroad index with Roman numerals discretely sandwiched between its borders. The date window frame, hour markers, syringe hands, lollipop second hand, and GMT hand are all polished save for the GMT’s red arrowhead.

Everything is lit with 12 layers of BGW9 SuperLuminova; all hands, markers, and the bezel. It looks fabulous and glows like a torch. I must give extra points for luming the entire 24-hour index as doing so radically enhances its utility.

So the Eagle Ray GMT looks great, wears well, and is highly practical. Is there anything not to like? Some might balk at the quartz movement, but I won't. I mean, really, good luck finding a mechanical GMT at this price. My only gripe is the strap. The 20mm black “Tropique” rubber looks cool, is appropriately waterproof, and has the benefit of a signed buckle, but it is too stiff for my taste. Truth be told, I’m not a fan of most rubber straps, so this is not a surprise, but it is also an easy fix. I’ll be popping the GMT onto leather in no time.

For $200, the Phoibos Eagle Ray GMT is a clear winner. It is yet another low cost, high-value offering from the good people behind the angry king octopus. Given its durable specs, sharp looks, and multiple time zone capability, I wouldn’t hesitate to bring it on a long-distance trip, or recommend it to anyone else who might do the same. You can order yours at PhoibosWatch.com. ⬩

Review and photos by Mike Razak

I’ll tell you right out that I ended up liking the black dial of the Aloha Watches GMT 40 better than the blue dial. I know blue is The Thing right now. And I expected to like it more, I did. But then I got the black dial on my wrist and damn near forgot the blue one even existed.

Aloha Watches is a new venture out of…Seattle, Washington. You were thinking Hawaii, I’m sure, and you’re as surprised as I was. Instead of being Hawaii-based, Aloha Watches and its founder Spencer Leu are all about living the “Aloha” lifestyle: be present, reconnect, do good. Knowing that Spencer came from the world of tech and dropped everything to pursue his brand, I can only support his goals and the principles that drive him. Plus, the first release is killer: I got a chance to go hands on with both iterations of the Aloha GMT 40—the black dial and the blue dial. Join me, won’t you?

The GMT 40 offers an exceptionally well-proportioned case. It’s too often that with GMTs you get a chunky case with a Big Bold Bezel (looking at you, Rolex), or sometimes even an extra crown to rotate an internal bezel. In both cases you can track three separate time zones, which I think we can all agree is superfluous except for the jetsettingest of folk. But not here: fixed bezel, one crown, two time zones. The case is an ideal 40mm and only 10.4mm tall. That makes for a delightful wrist experience (38mm-40mm is just right for my 7-inch wrist. The case alternates polished and brushed: polished fixed bezel, brushed top, polished ribbon chamfer (thick, from lug to lug), brushed side. I love a good chamfer, and this one is thicker than most, and I think the effect is great, suggesting a bold elegance, rather than a subdued one.

The lugs are a balanced 20mm—which further supports my theory that the best case diameter-to-lug width ratio is 2:1. They depart the case and soon after drop in a near 90-degree curve towards the wrist. The lugs complete a gentle curve to the entire case that let's the watch rest easy. A generic screw-down crown, etched with the logo, sits on the 3 o’clock side, affording 100M of water resistance. Imagine this watch case as a hybridization of the Rolex Oyster Perpetual and the Omega Aqua Terra. Goes off without a hitch, I'd say.

A domed sapphire crystal protects the dial, which comes in either black or blue. The blue dial features a sunray finish that can play almost purple in some light, while the black impresses with an inky gloss. Applied baton indices at every 5 minutes grace the periphery of the dial, with half-length printed hashes in between. Stepping in, a 24-hour track features numerals every four hours, a half moon at 12, a sun at 6, and dots otherwise. It sounds like too much, but glance at the dial and you’ll see it’s tastefully handled. (The black dial features roman numerals instead of Arabic, a nod to many of the large clocks around Switzerland that feature gilt roman numerals.) What I call the “DeltAloha” logo (deltas stand in for A’s) is just below the moon at 12, while “Automatic” and “GMT” are at 6. While the blue dial gets steel surrounds and hands, with orange accents, the black dial features gold and red accents, plus yellow for everything else. The date window is circular and features at 3 o’clock along the 24-hour track. It’s innocuous, though it's better on the black dial as the wheel itself is black. And further—possibly the only issue with the watch—the date numerals from 22 to 30 are clipped by the window. Barely, but it’s there. It’s a presumably easy solution to make the numerals that much smaller or the aperture that much larger. Certainly not a dealbreaker, especially with how well executed the dial is as a whole. Sum of the parts, and all…

The obelisk-style hands are just the right lengths: the seconds and minutes extend to the minute track, while the hour and GMT brush the inner edge of the 24-hour track. The GMT features a contrast color hand and a large arrow for great readability. Everything is slathered with an even coating of Super-LumiNova BGW9. Lots of more affordable (and even some unaffordable) watches will feature rushed lume that appears spotty or uneven on close inspection, but when I say the Aloha is even, I mean it. Go right ahead and zoom in on the lume shot. I dare you.

Flip the watch over. It’ll feel good, it’ll look good. That’s some classic SpecsText™ around the sapphire crystal caseback; it includes plenty of information to keep dinner conversation lively through the holidays. Through the crystal you’ll see a custom rotor decorated with a Flower of Life motif, which drives the Top Grade Swiss ETA 2893-2. ETA movements are hard enough for new brands to come by let alone top grade ones. For those not in the know, Top Grade means accuracy +/- 4 seconds per day. That’s chronometer level without the certification. That’s damn good timekeeping. Add to that a bunch of fancier materials for the tiny parts of the movement, and 50 hours of power and baby, you got a stew going. How does the GMT function work? Pull the crown out and rotate clockwise to set the 24-hour hand to the desired time zone. Traditionally, when travelling, this hand would be set to home and your other hands would show local time. But that’s all up to you. I just set it to “Whatever” because I liked to adjust it, which generates a satisfying click.

Both variants of the Aloha GMT 40 come equipped with a B&R Bands Classic Vintage leather band of the highest quality. It has a feel of durable firmness while still requiring no real break-in. It’s exactly what you want from a new strap, and I’m not at all surprised, as I’ve been a fan of B&R Bands for some time. Aloha tried out their own leather straps from a few OEM vendors, but at the end of the day, the B&Rs won out. While it’ll feature the B&R stamp on the back, the strap is secured with a custom designed and engraved buckle with the DeltAloha logo, just like you see on the dial. You can also buy a Milanese-style mesh bracelet on the site, for just $71. The 20mm lugs and gorgeous dials make this watch fairly easy to pair, regardless of which variant you choose (though again, I recommend the black).

The Aloha GMT 40 is a gentleman’s GMT: no bezel (internal or external), single crown, and a dash of elegance. This is a watch to slip under your French cuff while you take a meeting in LA, then rock with a NATO at the weekend back home in New York. Date window aside, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a cleaner GMT and at $1,495, it’s priced perfectly—right in the middle of its direct competition. The Aloha offers a top quality movement with great finishing, legibility, and design, at a reasonable price. I’ve already gone ahead and recommended my cousin—who asked me about the watch months ago—buy one for himself (and for me, though that’s a long shot). You can do the same by heading over to the Aloha website. If a watch isn’t in the cards, you can snag a t-shirt with the DeltAloha logo, and all the profits are going to a nonprofit to help Hawaiian youth. Either way you win, and if you get a shirt, the children win, too. So maybe buy a shirt either way.⬩

Happy Holidays! In the spirit of giving, The Time Bum will raffle off an awesome UNDONE x Peanuts: Snoopy ACES watch. This is the very same sample I reviewed here, and then displayed at the District Time show in October. ARV is $365. The watch comes in its original packaging with one orange Cordura Strap.

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 December 25, 2019. Why not wait until the end of the month? Because The Bum needs some time off too, that's why! I want this watch to be well on its way to the proud new owner by the time I'm ready to ring in the New Year.

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!

Straton is back with one more round of new releases before they close out 2019. The new Tourer series applies Straton’s well-developed 70’s race timer aesthetic to six distinct models: the Tourer GMT Automatic (43mm), the Tourer GMT Quartz (40mm and 43mm), the Tourer Triple Calendar Automatic (43mm), and the Tourer Three-hand Automatic (40mm and 43mm). I got to sample the 40mm Quartz and 43mm Automatic GMTs, and the Triple Calendar.

In typical Straton fashion, they are offering a dizzying array of colors and options. I’m not going to list them all here. Suffice to say that there are 90 possible combinations, so if you can’t find one that suits your fancy, you can’t blame Straton. Clearly, they are giving it all they’ve got.

Straton Tourer Triple Calendar green wrist shot

Let’s start with the commonalities. All watches in the series have a stainless steel tonneau case with sunburst brushing on the top surface, horizontal brushing along the sides, and a polished chamfer between the two. The smaller watches are 40mm wide and 45mm long with 20mm lugs. The larger ones are 43mm wide and 48.5mm long with 22mm lugs. Both are 13.4mm thick, which makes the smaller watches stouter than the larger ones. Relatively short lugs allow me to pull off the 43mm on my 6.75" wrist (above), but the 40mm (below) is a more natural fit.

Straton Tourer quartz GMT green wrist shot

They look fantastic, and with a 200m water resistance and AR-coated sapphire crystals, they are more than equipped for full tool watch duties. Out back, solid case backs bear an engraved Straton globe illustration.

In a bit of a twist, these racy watches have dual-crown cases in the classic compressor-style where the upper crown operates an internal bezel (12-hour on the Triple Calendar, 60-minute on the Three-hand and GMT). The 120-click, unidirectional, external bezel also rotates and is marked in the reverse manner as the internal – 60-minute on the Triple Calendar and 24-hour with a day/night color band on the Three-hand and GMT. So, even on the Three-hander, you can use the bezel as a poor man’s GMT and track a second time zone. Both bezels operated seamlessly on each of my samples.

The dials feature 6 o’clock dates, polished and faceted sword hands, and applied markers. The GMT adds a broad arrowhead, of course. The length is spot-on. All the main hands are lumed, as are the bezels! This is a big deal as a GMT with a bezel you cannot read is nearly useless.

Straton Tourer GMT and Triple Calendar lume

A heavily grained sun-brushed finish radiates from the center of the dial, creating a gorgeous play of color and texture as the light hits those deep grooves. It’s a fabulous effect that continues in the sunray bezel insert and radial brushing on the case. Of the three colors I sampled, there wasn’t a dud in the bunch, but the gold turned out to be my surprise favorite as it is an uncommon choice, and it looked especially fine with the white inner bezel and subdial rings.

Now, about those variant-specific details…

With a Miyota 9122 as its heart, the Triple Calendar is the only version with a 3 o’clock crown, which, when seen in conjunction with the upper crown, lower pusher (to set the month) and the white-ringed month and day subdials, gives the watch the appearance of a chronograph. I’ll confess that while I own a couple of triple calendars, I almost never bother setting those functions because I find the tiny printing on those calendars nearly impossible to see. (What can I tell you? I’m getting old, although I prefer to think of myself as more like “Mid-Century Modern.”) My aging eyes had no such issue on the Tourer as they used the big case and dial to its best effect, creating month and date complications large enough for geezers like me to read without squinting.

Straton Tourer GMT and Triple Calendar green

The GMT Quartz packs a Swiss Ronda 515, a reliable and affordable unit that also has the advantage of being able to squeeze into Straton’s 40mm case; something the Swisstech S24-45 GMT cannot accomplish. If you want the auto (below), you’ve got to go big.

The odd man out is the Three-hander, which I did not sample but which should be every bit as lovely as its stablemates. That one houses a tried and true Miyota 9015.

Each sample arrived with a minimally stitched leather rally strap and signed buckle. The leather was perfectly fine but entirely outshined by the Jubilee-style bracelets that were also supplied. Their seven rounded links in each row, in alternating brushed and polished finishes, created a groovy vintage vibe that worked perfectly on these swinging Stratons. Signed, low-profile, flip-lock clasps kept them secured. I’m pleased to report that the clasps were neatly finished all around, leaving no sharp, furniture scratching edges. I always recommend buying the bracelet with nearly any watch (particularly those with fitted end links like these), but in this case, I’m going to go beyond merely recommending and will instead insist that you order it. Considering that opting for the bracelet instead of the strap adds just $20 to the price, you would be a fool not to.

Pre-order prices start at $299 for the Tourer GMT Quartz, $499 for the Tourer GMT Automatic, $449 for the Tourer Triple Calendar Automatic, and $399 for the Three-hand. Prices include global shipping. Each model (not each color) is limited to a first production run of 300 pieces, or just 1,200 watches in total. Full retail will be 30% higher and will pre-order prices increase by $50 per month to reach that point, but frankly, I’d be less worried about rising prices as I’d be about the Tourer selling out. They are selling like mad. Most colors have just three or four pieces remaining, so if you want in on an eye-catching Tourer, point your browser over to stratonwc.comand get shopping. ⬩

Post by Nick Ferrell of DC Vintage Watches

In October 2019, the District Time watch show opened its doors for the fourth year in a row – this time as a two-day event at the District Architecture Center (DAC) in Washington, DC. Sponsored by NTH Watches, and hosted by Loren Sciurba of The Time Bum and Bill McDowell of McDowell Time Watches, the show featured a record high with over 50 brands and dealers represented. Fans of horology were able to slake their thirst for mainstream, independent, microbrand, and vintage watches, and those who registered took a deep dive into watchmaking with the popular The Horological Society of New York's watchmaking classes.

DC Vintage Watches at District Time 2019

Despite our recent expansion to Los Angeles, DC Vintage Watches (DCVW) again joined the District Time show, as it is a proven value for the venue it provides for watch aficionados – including some of our regular clientele who attended one more this year – to handle both new watches and our vintage offerings. Again, we were repeatedly asked why we don't open a brick-and-mortar store. While it seems like a great idea in general, the costs for us and other small watch businesses just wouldn’t make fiscal sense. As such, we love doing watch shows like District Time, as do all the microbrands we spoke with during the show. Many previous attendees returned this year, and some for both days, to shop for watches, check out upcoming releases, and try their luck in giveaways, which included over a dozen prize packages with new watches and accessories, as well as a vintage Stellaris (made for Sears by Seiko) that DCVW contributed.

Having attended watch shows elsewhere, I’ve seen it’s quite difficult to beat the value for customers offered the District Time show. Nearly all of the watches on display were priced below $2,000, making them accessible to most with a keen interest in watches, even if they are new to this passion/obsession. Coupled with the convivial environment of the DAC, and you have a fun and casual experience where attendees can enjoy a great variety of watches with zero pressure. We were rewarded with numerous chances to meet our customers face-to-face, some of which we had only spoken with previously via social media or email, to share our joint passion for watches.

We were heartened to see many familiar faces returning for this year’s show. We exchanged stories and opinions (in particular regarding Seiko and Heuer, vintage and otherwise), and shared our appreciation for fine watchmaking. As vintage Seiko has steadily gained popularity (it seems many are finally awakening to the exquisite value, in terms of both monetary worth and watchmaking skill), we had many more questions from show attendees than last year, and we relished the chance to evince our love for Seiko! Once more, the show served to build brand awareness and gain new customers from those in attendance – in other words, the show was again a success for all involved. Hundreds of watch devotees came to shop and talk watches at the DAC, despite the show falling on a three-day weekend. Clearly, many fought against the infamous DC urge to flee the city on holiday and chose to attend the show instead, while others from out of town took advantage of the long break to fly in for the event.

Once more, DCVW offers a big “thank you” to all that came out to see us at District Time, and we look forward to seeing what the next show in 2020 brings. In the meantime, please enjoy the gallery below showcasing the event. We hope to see you at District Time next year! ⬩

Photos Courtesy of Morgan Ferrell

Does anyone remember the Anstead Oceanis? I sure do. It launched on Kickstarter in 2012, and it was both the first crowd-funder I backed and the first microbrand watch I purchased. It was a very cool piece, most known for its pilot-diver aesthetic and massive, sawtoothed bezel. It had its quirks, but I loved it, and indeed still do as that watch is in my regular rotation to this day. Anstead produced an updated Oceanis later but ceased operations by January 2017. So imagine my surprise when I saw that the Deep Blue Defender 1000 looked for all the world like an Oceanis series 1 homage. I had to check it out.

Deep Blue offers dozens of variants including 44mm and 40mm cases, steel or PVD black finishes, five dial colors, and NATO or bracelet options. I ordered up a 40mm, steel finish, dark blue matte dial on a NATO, which was different enough from my 44mm black dial Oceanis to justify a place in my collection.

Anstead Oceanis and Deep Blue Defender 1000 40mm

So, how does the "Baby Anstead" compare? Pretty well as it turns out. They generally share the same specifications: Seiko NH36 movement, 300m water resistance, AR-coated sapphire crystal, 120-click bezel, etc. Of course, the devil is in the details. Shall I pit them against each other, point by point, and see where they end up? Yes. Yes, I shall.

Layout

As you can see from the photo, the Anstead (left) and Deep Blue (right) are practically fraternal twins. The pilot-style layout is almost identical save for the deletion of the tiny 24-hour markers on the Anstead. Truth be told, this addresses one of the criticisms of that earlier watch, that the numbers were too small to be really useful and ate precious space on the dial. Ah, but what one hand giveth, the other taketh away. By printing the model name in white instead of red, Deep Blue makes it look as if they packed an extra line of text into the Defender's dial, which, when combined with the larger typeface and Deep Blue's busy logo, adds up to unnecessary clutter. I'd blame this one the 40mm Defender's smaller dial, but the proportions are the same on Deep Blue's 44mm version too. While I prefer the Defender's more stylized typeface, I wish it wasn't all up in my face. Score one for Anstead.

Lume

Both watches did well with their SuperLuminova. I don't have a side-by-side lume photo, but here is the Defender in its full glowing glory. Take my word for it, this aspect is a draw, and both sides acquit themselves admirably.

Date

You will notice the different day/date functions too, but here, a little explanation is in order. Those 2012 Ansteads came with Seiko NH36a automatic movements with black-on-white disks, on which the days were printed ever so slightly off register. Monday looked straight enough, but by Thursday, it was noticeable, and the weekends looked awful. I addressed this by having my watchmaker swap them for white-on-black disks harvested from a Seiko 7s36. I like my version better, but that's cheating. As far as comparing the two contenders, the Anstead's day/date had an attractive brushed frame that the Deep Blue lacks, but the Defender's days aren't crooked. Advantage Deep Blue.

Handset

Not much to discuss here. The baton hour and minute hands are the same, or at least, near as makes no difference; however, the second hands diverge. I think the older watch's black shaft and red tip is classy look, but the all-orange pop on the new kid's face is not bad at all, and far more legible. I'll call this a draw.

Bezel

Things get pretty interesting as we turn our attention to the bezels. Arguably, this is the defining feature of both watches. The similarity in the engraved and brushed index is unmistakable. Still, weirdly the Defender looks like Anstead's Kickstarter prototype before they decided to give the triangle a black outline and a lume fill for better visibility. The lume outline on the Defender gets lost in daylight. Also, you will notice that the Deep Blue's 30 is oriented outward, so it is upright when the bezel is in the 12 o'clock position. The prototype Anstead had this too, but it was flipped to be oriented inward like the other numbers in production because why the hell would you have it any other way?

While the Anstead wins the bezel round on aesthetics and legibility, the Deep Blue trumps it on function. You see, the Oceanis had a notoriously stiff bezel. You could turn it, but only if you applied some real force, with those sharp little teeth biting your fingertips the whole way. The Defender, on the other hand, snaps through its 120-click rotation without any fuss. So, on bezel form and function, I must assign one point to each.

Case

For some vast differences, you will want to look to the case. Deep Blue went in an entirely different direction. Where Anstead had chiseled lugs, sheer sides, no crown guards, and a uniformly brushed finish, Deep Blue opted for smoothly curved lugs, rounded case sides, pointed crown guards, and a bright polish along the sides with brushing elsewhere. Where the Oceanis's case back was solid, the Defender's has an exhibition window ... that exhibits a workhorse Seiko, so who cares? It also has a helium release valve, which is a handy feature for the 0.001% who will use the watch for their weeks-long saturation diving. For the rest of us, not so much. So, after all that, is the case any better than that of the Oceanis? Well, I'm torn. The Defender's is very nice, but I can't say it's better so much as it's merely different. Another draw.

Crown

The crowns are another story altogether. Both screw down, both are engraved, but the Anstead Oceanis had one of my all-time favorite crowns -- a huge unit that made the most of its size by mirroring the aggressive tooth pattern of the crown, proudly wearing the Anstead logo, raised on its domed head. The Defender's crown is just a standard crown. Nice. Not thrilling, but nice. Points for Anstead.

Strap

Truth be told, I removed the ho-hum 24mm leather strap from my Anstead almost as soon as I got it, replaced it with a Hadley-Roma Brown Oil-tanned leather strap, and I never looked back. When I ordered the Defender, I decided I really didn't want it on the bracelet - not that I saw anything wrong with it, mind you. It just wasn't the look I was going for. I got the cheaper two-piece NATO instead. When it arrived, I saw the four stainless steel keepers and signed buckle and thought it would be pretty cool. It was not. This is the lamest strap I have encountered. The lower keeper serves no practical purpose and sticks out far beyond the strap, while the top keeper fails to contain the tail and also sticks out far beyond the strap. Despite all my fiddling, this is the best look I achieved.

Utter crap. I whipped it off and fitted a 22mm Hadley-Roma just like the one on my Anstead, but in oil-tanned Chestnut. As I predicted, it looks great. For straps, I give the advantage to Anstead, because at least theirs functioned.

Fit

The Anstead is a big brute: 44mm wide, 51mm long, and 14.3mm thick. As you recall, the Deep Blue Defender 1000 comes in size large (44mm wide, 52mm long, 13mm thick) and the small size tested here (40mm, 28mm wide, 15mm thick). I cannot explain why the small Defender is the thickest, but there it is. It is unfair to compare a 40mm to a 44mm, and I see no reason why the large Defender would wear significantly differently than the nearly identically sized Anstead. I award no points to anyone but will note that the 40mm Defender sits nicely on my 6.75" wrist, and given the Defender's tool watch design brief, its chunkiness is not a deal-breaker.

Price

Sadly, Anstead is no more, but in it's prime, the first generation Oceanis sold for $399. The Deep Blue Defender 1000 lists for $299, has been on sale for $249 for quite some time, and if you apply Deep Blue's apparently perpetual 40% off "BLUE" sale code (you'd be a fool not to), you will snag it for the impulse-buy price of $149.40. There is no contest here, just math. The bargain-priced Defender takes it.

And The Winner Is ...

The Anstead Oceanis! For the folks keeping track at home, The Deep Blue Defender 1000 takes the advantage on date and price, but the Anstead Oceanis bests it in the layout, crown, and strap. Still, I must note that they were tied in the other five categories and the Deep Blue has the huge advantage of still being available for sale. If you don't want to trawl Watch Recon waiting for a good second-hand piece, you can definitely satisfy that Oceanis itch with the crazy inexpensive Defender 1000, and sample a whole range of variants that Anstead never made. I'd call that a win. ⬩

Review and photos by Mike Razak

Rick Bell not only has a great name, but he also has great taste in watches. He bought himself a Grand Seiko for Christmas and has my undying respect for doing so. He also owns Cincinnati Watch Company, a project co-created with his business partner Mark Stegman. The proposition is simple: make great, affordable watches, sell them, and toss a bit of the proceeds to a charity, usually related to the watch in question. He’s collaborated with the Cincinnati Museum Center, the Freehold Foodbank, and now, for the handwoundP-40M Mechanical, he’s giving money to the Tri-State Warbird Museum to help refurbish old World War II planes. Call me when you find a cooler perk (your enormous Omega box and that useless FOIS medallion won’t come close).

If I waited for your call, we’d never get to the review, so let’s move on. The blue dial P-40M Mechanical reviewed herein is the second iteration of the watch, the first having a black dial (which is still available). It takes its name and inspiration from a fully restored 1943 Curtiss-Wright P-40M Kittyhawk at the Tri-State Warbird Museum, just outside Cincinnati. P-40s saw extensive use in World War II, being the third most produced warplane of the time (behind the P-51 Mustang and P-47 Thunderbolt). While over 13,000 were produced, only about 80 remain to this day. If you find yourself situated in the cockpit of a Kittyhawk, and you glance to your lower left, just above your knee, you’ll find the AN-5743 milspec clock. The influence on the P-40M Mechanical is clear, most notably in the indices, handset, and minute track.

The P-40 is an exceedingly wearable watch. The case flies in (you can expect plenty of aviation puns in this review) at under 10.3mm thick, including the domed sapphire crystal. Everything on the watch is in perfect balance, and the 40.5mm diameter is no exception. With dimensions like those, it’s not a surprise that I found the watch simply floated on the wrist. A lot of pilot-style watches are hefty, but that’s not the case here. Mixed finishing makes the case a joy to look at, too. A polished bezel surrounds the crystal and sits atop a brushed midcase, with a brushed caseback (more on that later).

However, the real surprise is the split-finished, drilled 20mm lugs: they feature a step with the lower portion polished and the upper brushed. The step itself adds a bit of art deco style to the case, while the contrast simply adds class. At 3 o’clock, the push-pull crown is a classic pilot style, though I would have preferred it a bit larger. The slimness of the case prevents a larger crown (lest it constantly dig into the wearer’s wrist), but at times the size makes it difficult to get a good grip. With the push-pull crown, you’re only getting 50M water resistance, appropriate for a pilot watch, and suitable for most non-aquatic activities.

While the case is excellent, the defining feature of the P-40 is undoubtedly the dial. As mentioned above, it’s inspired by the cockpit clock of the Kittyhawk, an AN-5743 milspec. These clocks were made by a number of familiar brands—Elgin, Wakmann, Waltham, etc. One thing you won’t find in those old clocks is a dial that plays with light the way this one does. Sure it’s blue. But catch the light and it’s a rich oceanic green, or a shallow black. And the dial is split into a vertically brushed outer ring and a sunray-finished center disc, adding even more play. A minute track rings the dial, marked at 5-minute intervals with dots and numbers. Cardinal indices are baton style with polished surrounds, aside from 12 o’clock which mirrors the triangle found on the cockpit clocks. Along with the applied numerals for the other hours (which lack surrounds, a great aesthetic choice), they are all lumed with BGW9 Super-LumiNova. A date fits snugly at 6 o’clock, between the baton marker and the step to the center disc. A simple cutout date window like this would usually bother me, but because of its placement and the abundant presence of white on the dial, it’s a non-issue. The center disc features a 24-hour track, plus branding text. Contrasting orange “Mechanical” text reminds the wearer of the handwound movement lurking underneath.

Everything about this dial seems to be in perfect balance. And that includes the handset. Hollowed minute and hour hands feature lumed ends, allowing for great legibility in all situations. Great attention to detail was given with the sizing of the hands. The lumed portion of the hour hand begins at the 24-hour ring and ends right at the edge of the baton indices. Similarly, on the minute hand, it starts at the edge of the center disc and extends perfectly to the end of the minute markers. One puzzling bit is the use of a lumed counterbalance on the seconds hand, which has a an orange tip to match the “Mechanical” dial text. It’s harmless, but if you’re looking at the watch in the dark, it’s the only indication of running seconds and as lumed indicates 30 seconds ahead or behind of the actual time. Further, I will mention that the lume on the hands is slightly dimmer than the rest of the dial. It remains perfectly legible under good conditions, but I always feel lume should be even across all applications.

Flipping the watch over, a novel approach to see-thru greets the owner. The watch features a half-circle sapphire caseback, with the rest being brushed stainless steel. Etched upon the caseback is an approximation of the attitude indicator on the Kittyhawk dash, an etching that carries from steel to sapphire. It's a great effect and allows the sapphire to suggest itself as the windshield. Around the periphery is your standard SpecText™, including "RNZAF," an indication that the namesake plane was flown by the Royal New Zealand Air Force.

The movement powering the P-40 is a manual-wound Swiss Sellita SW215-1. It’s a far cry from the Allison V-1710 that powered the P-40 Kittyhawk, but with 19 jewels, hacking, and a 42-hour power reserve, it’s plenty to propel the hands round and round, if not achieve lift. And The Good Mr. Bell ensures that every watch is within spec, in some cases fully disassembling and reassembling the watch. There are plenty of brands that get their assembled watches, give them a once over, and send them on to customers. That CWC is putting in the extra effort to make sure every single watch is up to snuff is encouraging, and places them in the upper echelon of microbrands.

The watch comes equipped with an excellent oyster style bracelet, featuring fitted end links and a sturdy, easy-to-operate push-button clasp. Making it even better, the links are thin, a perfect match with the slim case. There are plenty of watches in this price range that grab a generic bracelet without regard for whether its proportions fit the rest of the watch; what frequently results in a slim watch with a chunky bracelet, or a thiccboi watch with a skinny thang bracelet. Neither is okay, and neither is a problem with the P-40. To boot, I found the bracelet exceptionally easy to remove and install, a credit to the keen eye during design and production, ensuring proper sizing and tolerances. Also included is a super soft midnight blue single-pass NATO strap—it was a pain to size but was quite comfortable once I did. As you can tell, I had plenty of fun pairing this watch with plenty of straps—and yes, it passed the Barton Elite Silicone strap with flying colors (mostly green).

I like this watch. I’m right on the precipice of buying one. It’s only $439 for a Swiss movement, bracelet-included, gorgeous-dialed pilot watch. And you can get a free membership to the Tri-State Warbird Museum (I wouldn’t as it’s in Ohio, and I’m in Virginia). And! And! And Cincinnati Watch Co. has partnered with penmaker Opus Mechan to create a limited edition P40-M pen, that you can add to your order for $119 (A lot for a pen? Well most people would say spending over $100 on a watch is absurd, so…). It’s a watch package, if you want it to be. As I sit here and ponder the decision to purchase or not—the lume and the crown really don’t bother me enough to not buy the watch, it’s more a matter of need and how it fits into the collection—I know I’d only buy the watch, and I know plenty of people who already have. But hurry up! It’s limited to 100 pieces. And now your wondering why I've wasted your time without mentioning this, risking that they’ll sell out in the meantime. Why didn’t I tell you they were limited earlier? I apologize. Here’s the link so you can go buy yours (if there are any left). Cheers.⬩

It seems The Time Bum was good this year because I found a Werenbach Leonov waiting for me under the tree on Christmas morning. The fact that I purchased it, wrapped it, and placed it there is entirely beside the point. It was exactly what I wanted, and I have worn it every day for the past week. What makes this watch so cool? Three things: space stuff, excellent proportions, and top-notch graphic design.

Werenbach watches are made from Soyuz rocket parts salvaged from the steppes surrounding the Baikonur Cosmodrome launch site in Kazakhstan. Rockets are single-use items, shedding their fuel tanks and propulsion systems in stages as they deliver their payload to orbit. The Werenbach team collects these discarded fairings, engines, booster shells, etc. and, in what must be an extraordinary feat of bureaucratic navigation, brings them back to Switzerland to turn them in to watch parts. They currently offer three collections: the quartz Mach 33 with rocket fragments embedded in the dial, the automatic Leonov with whole dials cut from rocket skin, and the Soyuz automatic 3-handers and chronographs with cases made from engines or shells. Prices range from a couple hundred dollars for a Mach 33 to several thousand for a Soyuz chronograph. I chose a mid-range ($1,151) Leonov Model 2 dual-crown launch sequencer with a gray booster shell dial and took advantage of their 25% off holiday sale (code XMAS25 and still active as of today).

The Leonov's stainless steel case is 40mm wide and 50mm long. It is fitted with two sapphire crystals (domes in front and flat in the rear) and is listed as being 14mm thick, although the precision instruments here at Time Bum Labs got that last measurement only by including the feet of the lugs. From the case back to the crystal, it is a far more manageable 13mm. A combination of a brushed top and matte sides enhances the Leonov's industrial appeal. Engraved on the left side is the symbol for hydrogen that was included in the Pioneer plaque.

The crowns are curious as they are two different designs. The 2 o'clock crown for the internal bezel is coin-edged. The 3 o'clock time-setter has fat flutes and is signed. Why not make them the same? I have no idea, yet somehow, it works, coming off as more of an eccentricity than anything else.

Werenbach Leonov Model 2 booster shell crowns

With its sheer sides, angular lugs, and chunky guards, it projects the aura of a tool watch, although perhaps not as toolish as one might think. I would have expected a 100m water resistance rating given the fact that both crowns screw down, but recall that this is not a diving watch. 50m is on par for most pilot and field watches, and more than sufficient for almost anyone's daily use, the proliferation of Giant Squid-depth dive watches notwithstanding.

Werenbach Leonov Model 2 booster shell case back

The backside offers a view of the Swiss STP 11-1 automatic movement. This is a 26-jewel ETA 2824 clone, nicely finished with perlage and a signed custom rotor. You will find more than the usual specs engraved back here. Because Werenbach collects its space junk shortly after launch, they can accurately identify the rocket and mission from which these parts came. Along with the usual case back specs of water resistance and serial number, the Werenbach also states that its material came from the Soyuz FG rocket that propelled Flight Mission MS-09, sending three astronauts to the ISS on June 6, 2018.

Which brings us to the most unusual part of the watch, the dial. Werenbach uses several different parts of the Soyuz shell, jettisoned at various stages, each with its own character. This dial was cut from the inside of an aluminum booster shell, part of the first stage of the rocket and one of the first items to fall to earth after attaining an altitude of between 46-85 km, which, depending on whose definition you follow, is more or less the edge of space. Its surface is left as-is is, so whatever nicks, scratches, marks, or discolorations it picked up in its travels remain, and no two are alike.

Werenbach Leonov Model 2 booster shell launch sequencer wrist shot

The layout is clean and straightforward, consisting of lumed bars and a printed index. They have truncated the 3 o'clock marker to make way for a porthole date window. The 9 o'clock marker is similarly shortened to make way for the "Soyuz Mat.'[erial] engraving. I'm generally agnostic about date complications, but I do love them when they are done well. This one is ringed and countersunk, which shows off the thickness of the dial and reveals a glint of fresh aluminum that finds its match in the engraving on the other side. You can appreciate the raw material even more by inspecting the actual block of rocket skin from which your dial was cut, included in the packaging.

Werenbach Leonov Model 2 booster shell certificate and original material

At 12 o'clock, we find the last shortened marker, this time making way for the Werenbach crossed arrows logo - and, boy, do they need the space because there are seven lines of text to follow. Regular readers know I tend to be critical of wordy dials. There is really only so much information anyone needs on there, and I have never once looked at a watch and thought, "You what this needs? More words." Well, the Leonov proves to be the exception to my rule. They packed a ton of information onto here in a manner that keeps it legible while becoming an essential feature of the watch's face.

The text is printed in a lightweight, sans-serif typeface. Up top is the "Spaceborn" label (the only exception as it is slightly bolder and has more tracking), then the specific rocket material, and its coordinates. Below the pinion is "Launch Sequencer" (referring to the bezel, which I'll discuss next). The final three lines list the three stages of rocket separation.

Like I said, it's a lot in a small space, but the information is unique to the Werenbach's composition, nothing is crowded, all is legible, and the stacked text ends up working quite well as a design element. It could have come right out of the 1975 NASA Graphics Standards Manual. I was instantly reminded of precision instruments, warehouse-sized IBM computers, and maybe a dash of "Doctor Strangelove" war room.

The Launch Sequencer index was another huge selling point for me. The bidirectional bezel indicates time to separation for each stage after liftoff. As the entire process unfolds in just 8:49 minutes, the remainder of the ring shows the approximate altitudes achieved by each stage. You can use this handy tool when viewing a Soyuz launch, or you can just set "lift-off" as you would the top triangle on any other movable bezel devoid of other useful markings. But let's face it, the sequencer bezel is just a nifty curiosity. While it has little practical value, I must admit that in my life, it no different than tachymeter, a moon phase, or any number of other interesting but unused functions on my watches. It is all about character, and the Leonov has it in abundance.

In keeping with the industrial aesthetic, the handset is a clean pair of long, black batons, filled with lume from the 3/4 mark. The only decorative flourish is the open counterweight on the second hand that mirrors the shape of the hour markers. Both the hands and the markers have an ample application of SuperLuminova for an excellent nighttime glow.

Werenbach Leonov Model 2 booster shell lume

Werenbach offers several strap options, including leather, rubber, nylon NATO, and an engineer bracelet. I know I always say to buy the bracelet, but the absence of fitted end links makes this one less desirable for me. Instead, I opted for the black textile strap. As a stand-alone accessory, it sells for a steep $85.49, and I can understand why. It is a heavy nylon weave with great texture, quick release pins, and leather keepers and reinforcement from the adjustment holes to the tip, which is stamped with the Werenbach logo. The underside is rubberized leather printed with two graphs, trajectory on one side, and the solar system on the other. An engraved buckle finishes it off. It is a top-quality piece all around and I love the fact that Werenbach allows you to choose from three lengths for a perfect fit. My only gripe is that it is quite stiff out of the box and takes some time to develop a comfortable curvature, but that's a small price to pay for such a unique strap.

Of course, my enthusiasm for the strap did not stop me from fitting a different one. I figured the arrival of my rocket watch provided the perfect justification for trying a NASA strap. I ordered mine from CheapestNATOStraps.com for a mere $9.95. Designed initially to secure watches over the gargantuan arms of an external vehicular activity space suit, these straps consist of a single-pass strip of Velcro that folds back over a metal loop to stick to itself. Cheapest NATO offers a suede-accented model that is considerably shorter and a tad more luxurious than the original. The system works perfectly. Once in place, that long strip of hook-and-loop is not coming apart until you do it yourself, and there is more than ample length to wrap it over any wrist. I liked it, and it is an ideal match for a watch like this, but I'll warn you that Velcro will grab all kinds of loose fabric, so I found myself continually picking odd bits of fuzz and fluff off its trailing edge.

Werenbach Leonov Model 2 booster shell on Cheapest NATO Straps suede NASA strap

I recall when Werenbach's Kickstarter campaign was still underway, a friend joked about how someone was selling a "rocket watch" and asked if anyone would buy this thing if it did not have that gimmick. I said I would. I agreed that a watch made of salvaged bits could easily have been little more than a novelty. Instead, the Werenbach Leonov is a cleverly executed design in and of itself, and the fact that it was fashioned from the skin of an honest-to-god, shot-into-space rocket brings it all together.

I am very happy with my prurchase. The raw-looking medium gray dial has the perfect scientific instrument look I initially fell for when Werenbach first introduced the collection, but there is so much more to choose from: orange engine cladding, burned booster shell, yellow hatch skin, decal-clad faring... it's all fascinating stuff and well worth a look. If the Leonov's space-race era looks and unique origin appeals to you, then head over to Werenbach.ch. You won't be disappointed. ⬩

Werenbach Leonov Model 2 booster shell launch sequencer

Today, I have a new model from the Roebuck Watch Company, the Diviso. The watch will debut on October 12 at the DC District Time Show and should be available for sale in November. [Update, January 8, 2020: It took a bit longer but the Diviso has officially launched.] For this review, I sampled a blue and orange prototype.

“Diviso” is Italian for “split,” a name that applies in more ways than one as the watch is split by a band of color, has an internal timing bezel to split timekeeping functions, and has a personality split between diving (the compressor-style case) and driving (the racing striped dial). However you interpret it, the Diviso is an attractive piece.

The Diviso’s stainless steel case measures 42mm wide, nearly 50mm long, and just about 12mm thick; proportions that are spot-on for a modern sports watch and a good fit, even on my smallish 6.75” wrist. Water resistance is 100m; right on target for a sports watch. A flat and anti-reflective coated sapphire crystal tops it off.

I was particularly pleased with the combination of finishes. A polished edge accents brushed recesses in the case sides. Signed, deeply sculpted crowns are matte finished with polished peaks on widely set ridges that make them a joy to grip and operate. The fixed bezel offers a lively contrast to the linear brushing on the tops of the lugs with both its polished edges and its glossy carbon fiber pattern insert. It is all just enough to keep it lively without veering into something too close to a dress watch.

Speaking of lively, the Diviso dial is a treat. Vertically scored ribs create fabulous reflections, creating movement and color changes as it catches the light. Polished markers and hands also contribute a share of sparkle, not in a blingy way, but more like a touch of chrome trim on a ‘60s muscle car. A flat center stripe bisects the dial. Roebuck will offer the watch in black/silver, green/gray, white/black, and the blue/orange shown here. All have the white inner bezel, which operates smoothly by way of the upper crown. BGW9 lume provides a bright glow when the lights go down.

The vast majority of motorsport themed watches are chronographs, but this three-hander leaves no doubt about its motorsport inspiration. Of course, carbon fiber is major clue. Any self-respecting gearhead will instantly associate the pale blue and bright orange color scheme with the fabled Gulf Oil racing livery. The bar markers and squared stick hands are attractive in and of themselves (especially the neat split tails on the hands) but more importantly, they highlight the large 12 centered on the stripe, making it look for all the world like a racing number. Roebuck’s stylish logo and logotype are attractive but the offset and vertically oriented “Automatic” running along the stripe really makes it for me. It’s a simple thing that makes perfect sense given the watch's design brief and adds bags of charm. Finally, the second hand’s red tip and the shiny red triangle on the white internal bezel cap off the racing look, because as every car guy knows, a little red paint is good for at least 2-3 hp (perceived, that is).

Flipping the watch over, the watch drops its racing association, opting instead for an engraved illustration of the Round Rock water tower, a nod to Roebuck’s Texas home. Behind it, is a Miyota 9039 automatic, the no-date version of the smooth and solid 24 jewel, 28.8k bph 9015.

The final touch is a 22mm black leather strap stitched in gray for a muted look that ties to the carbon fiber accent. It is equipped with quick-release pins and tapers to a 20mm buckle.

I liked Roebuck’s original concept, the Alpha, but this one is leagues better in every way. From its use of color and texture to its sculpted case and crowns to its clever racing cues, the Diviso is a delight. The watch will sell for $600 directly from Roebuck. It is currently in production and should be ready to ship in early November. In the meantime, head over to RoebuckWatchCo.com to sign up for updates, and if you happen to be in Washington, DC, check them out in person at District Time by NTH Watches on October 12, 2019. ⬩

Review and photos by Mike Razak

I want to start by discussing—briefly, now, and not again—the connection that the brand is pushing with Neil Armstrong. Neil Armstrong owned an original Wolbrook, just like the one you see here. That’s all we know for sure. Everything else is speculation. And as such, the use of it as a prominent marketing tool—campaign copy, model subtypes, and caseback graphics and text—is at least somewhat misleading. A watch should be able to sell itself without relying on a tenuous link to a dead astronaut.

The Wolbrook Skindiver is a near-1-to-1 reproduction of an old watch. Wolbrook was a company born in the 1940s that, come the 1960s, was branding some of its watches with the Douglas name. This was incredibly common back in the day. Even among brands under different ownership, it's not uncommon to find nearly identical watches that only differ in the names on their dials. As a modern repro of the original Skindiver, the new Wolbrook is beyond reproach: they nailed it. But does it hold up on its own as a modern timepiece? Let’s find out together.

The case of the Wolbrook is classic for the skindiver watch type. With no beveled edges or fancy finishing, the watch lets you know it’s meant to be worn and used—if not fully abused. Brushed all around (circular up top, horizontal on the sides), the 40mm case features a straight edge between 20mm drilled (!) lugs that furthers the no-nonsense aesthetic. That edge also means that straight-end bracelets actually look good with the watch. At 13mm high and with a curved crystal, it slips under a cuff or rests comfortably in more casual occasions. The Hesalite crystal pushes the vintage vibe and features an underside cyclops; it has been custom-engineered by Wolbrook to allow for 10ATM of water resistance, quite impressive considering there is no screw-down crown. The crown at 3 o’clock winds and sets nicely, though the date position is not as defined as I’d like, and finding it can sometimes be a challenge.

We must move on to the bezel, mustn’t we? The stainless steel, aluminum-insert bezel provides the watch with its “Worldtimer” nickname, though don’t be fooled into thinking that makes worldtiming a cinch. If you know where you are in relation to GMT (indicated by “Greenwich” and a smalltriangle), you can then turn the bezel to correspond to that difference in relation to the hour hand. Et voilà! You’ve got the time in 12 time zones! At least for that moment. Wolrdtimers are not true GMTs, so the Skindiver will only tell you the time at the moment you’ve set the bezel. And forget about timing much else. Due to quite small markers and no numbers, tracking a bezel timer at a glance can be a challenge. I think the stronger play here would have been to go for a bidirectional bezel for faster worldtiming. With all those qualms and nits picked, the unidirectional bezel does have great turning action and no back play, which is a pleasant surprise on a watch at this price point.

The Hesalite crystal protects a matte black dial that is identical to the original except for the “Automatic” text in the southern hemisphere. Minute hashes and long baton indices circle the periphery. At your cardinal hours are Arabic numerals that were computer-traced from the original dials and feature what Rolex nerds would call an open 6 and 9. The vintage numerals are charming and the extra effort to ensure their accuracy pays off. North of the hands is the “Douglas” brand text and south, along with “Automatic,” is “Shockresistant.” I love the fact that it features no hyphen and is presented as a single word, just like on the original. At 3 o’clock is a white-rimmed date window. Care was clearly taken hear to ensure that the ‘3’ was not interrupted, and as someone with a distaste for lopped-off digits, I commend it. The date window alone would be an exercise in Meh, but it features a roulette date wheel (alternating black and red; just red on my prototype) and is magnified by the cyclops on the crystal.

A high gloss dauphine seconds hand adds much needed pop under the crystal and contrasts with the restrained look of the hour (a gargantuan, stumpy arrow) and minute (straight, unwavering, like the path of Cupid’s arrow). The hands and hour markers all feature the same C7 Super-LumiNova. I base my assessment of lume quality on three things: charging, brightness, and evenness. The Skindiver is adequate in its brightness and charging but falls just shy of that on evenness. As you can see below, the hands shine quite a bit brighter than the indices, and the latter are somewhat mottled. I will concede that if charging and brightness are on point, evenness is of tertiary importance, and that’s true here with lume that allows for full legibility in the dark.

As we flip the watch over, we are greeted by a fabulous eagle touching down on the moon—just like in the moon landing fairy tales. Or perhaps it’s a literal representation of the “Eagle” lander that landed on the moon with Apollo 11. Probably the second one. It’s quite well finished, with “Apollo 11” text on the graphic itself and “The Eagle Has Landed,” “1969,” “2019,” and “50^thAnniversary” in the ring around it. And around that is even more, smaller text, telling you everything you need to know, including that the watches are assembled in France, just like the original. Based on the Kickstarter, this caseback isn’t even an option, which is a damn shame, as it’s lovely. Instead, you’ll not have an avian moonscape, but a simple etched image of either a plane or a moon lander.

When you’re done reading everything on the caseback, having finished your coffee, and taken a short nap, you’ll be happy to know that the gentleman at the reborn Wolbrook didn’t do everything just like the original. In place of the one-jewel, hand-winding movement, they’ve dropped in an automatic Japanese Miyota 8215. The 21-jewel movement is sadly non-hacking, but it’s regulated down to +/-15 seconds (down from +20/-40 when delivered) and can be hand-wound. Plus it’s got that trademark Miyota rotor noise—whirrrrrrrr—which I happen to enjoy. The automatic is quite the upgrade from the original movement, and for that, we can all be thankful.

The Skindiver as tested, comes with a superb single pass leather strap that is thin and flexible yet still seemingly durable. As you can see, I had some fun with the straps on this—as I am wont to do—including the Barton Elite Silicone, which fit perfectly. But the watch completely changed for me when I put on a cheap expansion bracelet. The vintage look of the bracelet coupled with the vintage style of the watch just worked. The watch went from something I felt rather ho-hum about to something I could totally see owning (if not necessarily buying). And this is what I like to call StrapNirvana™: when you pair a non-stock strap or bracelet with a watch and achieve perfection. I’ve achieved it with two other watches (my Nodus Avalon and my Mido Oceanstar) and strive for it with every watch I put on. You should, too.

So back to the top: is it a good modern watch when we peel away all that history? In my opinion, it's got minor lume issues, and the bezel could use a practicality upgrade, but aside from that, it's a pretty solid skindiver. Fans of the vintage look and the skindiver look will no doubt be happy with the Wolbrook. So I've got bad news and I've got good news. The bad news is this: the Kickstarter campaign is over already. That’s on me—I could’ve turned this out in a few days (I got the watch a bit over week ago) and sneaked it in right before the campaign ended, but it wouldn’t have been a good review. I need to have a watch in rotation, not just on my wrist for a day or two.

There were—brace yourself—23 different iterations of the Wolbrook Skindiver “Worldtimer” available through Kickstarter; you can see them at the link above as I refuse to enumerate all the options. But here's the good news! They've shifted preorders on to Indiegogo, so you can still get one now! Prices aren't as low as KS Early Bird, but you can still get the Mecaquartz for $166 and the watch as reviewed herein for $310. While the original watch cost $19.99 (and came shipped in water), the one owned by he-who-shall-not-be-named recently sold at auction for $6,875. So adjust for microbrand inflation and actual inflation, and all in all, you’re getting a pretty decent deal.⬩

Singapore start-up Vesuviate Watches has readied its first model for a January 20 Kickstarter launch. The plan was to create an elegant tool watch using hardened titanium, ceramic, and a Valjoux 7750 movement. I got to try a blue prototype, and I must say that they have squarely hit their mark. There will be a couple of changes between this unit and final production, but the sample shows every indication of being an attractive, well-executed watch.

While the case is a mid-size 41mm wide, a broad dial and comparatively slim bezel make it appear slightly bigger. At 49mm long, it sits neatly within the limits of my 6.75” wrist; however, it is relatively thick for its width - nearly 16mm from the case back to the crystal (15.8mm to be precise). Vesuviate tells me they plan to slim the height of the bezel, but even then, it will still be an imposing piece. I had no issue wearing it - indeed, the light weight and curved lugs went a long way to keep it comfortable - but it does wear large.

Vesuviate Automatic Chronograph Blue wrist shot

You really can’t go wrong with titanium. It’s strong, light, hypoallergenic, and the fact that it carries a bit of aerospace cachet doesn’t hurt either. Vesuviate fashioned their case, bracelet, and clasp from Grade 2 titanium and then went the extra mile to heat-treat it, bumping up the surface hardness from 145 HV (softer than 316L stainless steel) to about 1100 HV (harder than granite). It dresses up nicely too. The gently rounded sides are polished right up and over the broadly beveled lugs, leaving just a slim section at the topmost surface brushed. This bit flows into the brushed side links on the bracelet and contrasts with the polished center. It’s a sharp look. My only caveat is that it appears more gray than silver, which is to be expected from titanium. Personally, I don’t think that’s a bad thing, but the brand tells me they are tweaking the hardening process to make it lighter and closer to the silver color of stainless steel.

The signed, coin-edged crown screws down, as do the knurled collars on the chronograph buttons, which helps protect the Vesuviate’s impressive 300m water resistance. It is not a dive watch, so the high rating may be overkill, but I’m okay with the extra protection. With this, you can free the plungers, time your jet ski races, and secure them again, confident in the knowledge that your watch is watertight once more. It is worth noting that the prototype type has a step in the crown that contacts the case. This will be resolved before production either by recessing the case or eliminating the step.

Topping the hardened titanium case is a ceramic bezel insert and a flat sapphire crystal – both of which have a Vickers Hardness rating of 2000 HV. Clearly, the folks at Vesuviate hate scratches. I dig glossy ceramic bezel, and this one does not disappoint. The color is vibrant, the engraving is clean, and the tachymeter index is fully lume-filled; after all, you never know when you might need to time those jet skis in the dark. I approve.

The dial is a rich blue that proved to be great fun to photograph. Black and Panda dials will also be offered. A matching chapter index leads to small, applied and polished markers, textured and sunken sub-dials, and framed day/date windows sandwiched by the brand and specs. Right now, the hands are polished, as are the sub-dial needles and arrow-tipped sweep hand. Production models will have a red sweep hand but will be otherwise unchanged. Along with the bezel, the hands and markers enjoy a healthy dose of BGW9 lume.

Production bracelets will look very much the same as this one, except that the end links will fit more snugly, and the "rivet” style pins will be gone. It is a 20mm Oyster style with a signed titanium clasp that is properly finished with no sharp corners or edges. It has a flip-lock, push-button release, folding dive extension, and six micro-adjustments. For those who want to forgo a bracelet, Vesuviate will also offer a leather strap with the same clasp and matching end links for $222 SNG (about $164 US).

Vesuviate Automatic Chronograph bracelet

Behind the currently bare case back is an Eloboré grade ETA Valjoux 7750; a sound automatic movement, known for its reliability. As I have found with every 7750, the chronograph buttons activate with a satisfying mechanical click, and the crown extends far beyond the case when pulled out, making it a breeze to find the right positions. Features include hand-winding, hacking seconds, a small seconds at 9 o’clock, 30 minute counter at 12, and a 12 hour counter at 6.

The Vesuviate is an appealing chronograph. I appreciate the quality of the materials and movement, and while its designers have taken a very traditional approach to its aesthetics, it is undeniably handsome. My only qualm is the thickness, which makes is wear large, despite its otherwise mid-sized proportions. I would prefer a slimmer watch, but the Vesuviate could be ideal for those who like the presence of a big watch but prefer something more compact.

Preorder prices start at $1699 SNG, or about $1260 US, which is right on the money for a 7750 powered watch with these specs. Expect that to rise 33% after the campaign ends. You can’t order it until January 20, so in the meantime, check out the Vesuviate Kickstarter preview page and register for notice (if you are reading this after the 20th, just click anyway, it goes to the live page too). ⬩

On January 19, Advisor Watches will launch its latest model, the SUPA Diver. This 300m bronze tool watch has a Swiss Sellita automatic movement and an aggressive design. I was able to try a blue dial prototype for this review.

When I first strapped the SUPA to my wrist, I thought, “What a good fit. I’m glad they kept it to a reasonable size.” Then I double-checked the specs and discovered that this is not a 42mm case as I thought, but a 44mm beast. Ok, maybe “beast” is inappropriate. It is 51mm long, and while it’s 14.5mm thickness is not exactly svelte, it seems so when spread across the ample area of the case. The screw-down crown has an appealingly blunt gear shape, and its 4 o’clock placement helps to keep things looking compact.

Together, these proportions mellow the SUPA’s surprisingly prodigious width. I liked the way it sat on my 6.75” wrist without dwarfing it. But that is not all, as Advisor employer some design tricks in the bezel and dial that enhance the illusion of a smaller watch.

Advisor SUPA Diver bronze blue wrist shot

It’s kind of serendipitous that I just reviewed a mid-sized watch the wears large (the 41mm Vesuviate) and followed it up with a large watch that wears small. It is proof again that reading measurements online gives you only a rough idea of how a watch will wear, and those people who only ever consider watches in a narrow range of sizes are really just kidding themselves.

The brushed CuSn8 bronze case is a pleasant golden brown and already developing a mottled brown patina. It has a domed and AR-coated sapphire crystal. Sharply angled lugs and a large, wide-toothed crown at 4 o’clock lend it a tough, no-nonsense, tool watch stance but its the bezel that really grabs you by the lapels.

Broad with deep channels ending in Torx heads (presumably decorative), the bezel is easily gripped, even in the absence of any edge texture. The matte black ceramic insert sports fat white numbers that you can practically read from across the room. It is not subtle. Sadly, while the prototype delivered in form, it failed in function. It was too loose through the 120-click rotation and responded with an unpleasant rattle when tapped. The folks at Advisor tell me they are taking this up with the factory and will tighten things up before it is finalized.

Beefy bezels leave less area for dials and that is certainly the case here, creating a ratio that makes the face appear smaller than it really is, but that’s not all. The date window at 6 o’clock mimics the markers’ shape and shows a white-on-black disk. It doesn’t have any effect on your perception of the dial’s size, but I would be remiss if I did not mention how much I appreciate a date that does not in any way disrupt its symmetry.

The SUPA’s navy blue main dial is positioned on top of the white minute index. Between the white color framing the center and the slight shadow of the dramatic layering, the dial looks smaller still. Add to this some large, applied brushed rectangular markers, equally blocky syringe hands, and a reticle and your eye is drawn even closer to the center. I love it. It is an uncommon arrangement and a very cool effect.

Speaking of cool effects, the lume on this watch is just insane. As you would expect, the hands and markers have a nice bright dose of SuperLuminova. It’s BGW9 on this blue dial; C3 on the green dial version. Those fat numbers on the bezel? Also lumed. The white ring? More lume. The Advisor “A” engraved in the crown? Yes, you guessed it, lumed. The prototype stuffed from a lume mismatch (C3 crown on BGW9 face) but rest assured that production models will have the same lume all around.

The case back features a diver approaching a Chinese sea dragon. The lines are sharp and the image stands in high relief from its matte background. If you were to unfasten the six screws holding it fast, you would discover a Swiss Sellita SW200-1 automatic movement, a 26 jewel ETA 2824-2 clone.

A real dive watch demands a waterproof attachment. Advisor has fit the bill by providing a 22mm rubber strap featuring a distinctive honeycomb and ribs pattern. It fastens with a signed bronze buckle. The whole package is a cut above many similar rubber straps I’ve encountered lately as the vanilla-scented rubber is supple and the buckle properly finished. I’m not a huge fan of rubber straps, but I enjoyed wearing this one.

All in all, the Advisor SUPA Diver is a great package – particularly at the $429 Super Early Bird price. You are getting a very wearable, well-equipped dive watch, an arresting design, crazy lume, and a quality strap. Once the few pre-production quibbles are ironed out, the SUPA will be a blast to wear.

The Kickstarter campaign starts January 20. In the meantime, head over to AdvisorWatches.com for more information and to sign up for the launch alert. ⬩

I have a friend who owns one watch. The cheap black leather strap that came from the factory is still on it and looking rather worse for wear, and not in the charming patinated way. When it eventually disintegrates, he will likely ask his local department store to replace it with the exact same thing. It makes me sad every time I look at it. I mean, the man doesn’t even own a spring bar tool! I, on the other hand, love straps almost as much as I love watches, and I change them constantly. This is where companies like Singapore's Delugscome in, feeding my nearly insatiable appetite for variety with high-quality replacement straps. For this review, they gave me a set of four to wear and enjoy as I saw fit, and enjoy them, I did.

While Delugs offers several strap options including Apple Watch straps, exotic leathers, and bespoke service, I got an off-the-shelf selection that is more generally representative of their range. All were 20mm wide tapering to signed 18mm buckles. They feature quick-release pins, finished edges, and leather lining. Delugs has three lengths, and I opted for the medium 115/70, which happens to be the optimum for my 6.75” wrist, offering just enough tail to tuck neatly into the keeper without any excess flapping on the other side. Across the board, construction was top-notch, displaying tight, even stitches and neat finishing on the undersides of the lug and buckle ends.

Three of the samples were from Delugs’s Signature collection, a four-layer, lightly padded (4mm thick) strap that tapers 2mm at the buckle. It is glued, pressed, and finally stitched.

Delugs Watch Straps Shell Cordovan Signature olive

The Shell Cordovan Signature ($99) is made from leather sourced from the Shinki Hikaku tannery in Japan. Shell cordovan is made from the rump of a horse and is known for its beauty and durability. Like many Americans, I am most familiar with Horween shell cordovan from Chicago. The quality is the same, but Delugs claims Shinki Hikaku produces a more even and refined product as opposed to Horween, which often has a more rugged character. I’d say that one is not necessarily better than the other, just different.

Delugs Watch Straps Shell Cordovan Signature olive Visitor Vale Park Officer

Delugs offers seven colors of shell cordovan, including the dark olive shown here. With its rich semi-gloss sheen, I especially liked it on dressier watches. I found it to be an outstanding match for my Visitor Vale Park Officer, where its distinctive color complemented both the unorthodox case and green-white C3 lume. Delugs’s Shell Cordovan straps are lined in French goatskin leather. Why French goat and not Spanish, Nigerian, or Peruvian goat for that matter? I have no idea, but it feels lovely. Maybe they feed it wine and cheese.

The Horween Chromexcel Signature ($80) does, in fact, use leather from the American tannery. The natural color displays a fabulous pull-up effect when bent, the colors ranging from brown to pale beige. Four other colors are offered. Chromexcel tends to age well as light scratches and bumps are easily minimized with a little rub, eventually developing into a unique patina. I paired this more rustic strap on an Undone Basecamp Cali, where its mellow tan colors brought out the vintage lume.

Delugs Watch Straps Natural Chromexcel Signature Undone Basecamp Cali

Perhaps the most distinctive model in the collection is the Waxed Camouflage Signature ($80) featuring a multi-tonal camo pattern available in red and blue as well as the more traditional natural and green. Both the surface and the lining are sourced from the Conceria la Bretagnia tannery in Italy. It is vegetable tanned, and the pattern differs on each strap. As the waxed surface wears off, the leather develops a sheen and reveals more color. Over time, it will produce a patina.

Delugs Watch Straps Waxed Camouflage blue

My blue sample strap showed just a hint of the larger pattern in shades of sky blue, steel blue, and blue-gray. Just rubbing it a little brings out the darker tones, offering a hint of how it will age. I tried it on several different blue dial watches, but it really came to life with silver dials like the one on this Vario Eclipse.

Delugs Watch Straps Waxed Camouflage blue Vario Eclipse

The final sample is from the Delugs Epsom Slim Collection ($95). Unpadded and constructed of three layers, the strap is only 2mm thick, making it an excellent choice for smaller watches or thinner cases. Epsom leather comes from the Tanneries Du Puy in France. It has a matte finish and pronounced grain. Delugs touts its durability and offers it in 15 (!) colors. Unlike the other straps in this article, the Epsoms are made to order and require a month of lead time. I’d say they are worth the wait.

Delugs Watch Straps Epson Slim Golden Brown

The golden brown sample was supple right out of the box and looked amazing on a wide range of watches. White dials were an easy match, and blues popped against the gold, but I am particularly fond of the way it works with warm cream dials like that on my Undone Urban Vintage Killy.

Delugs Watch Straps Epson Slim Golden Brown Undone Urban Killy

Delugs straps are not cheap, but not overly pricy either. From what I have seen, they could easily charge well over $100 for any of these straps. The quality of materials and craftsmanship would more than justify it. I would not hesitate to recommend them to anyone, and indeed, I suspect I will be picking up a few more myself (the Waxed Camouflage is impossible to resist). If you are looking for a bigger bargain, have a look at the Bargain Bin, where they sell slightly imperfect and overstock straps for 30-60% off.

Head over to delugs.com and have a look for yourself. Whatever you buy, I am quite sure you will be more than satisfied. ⬩

Review and photos by Mike Razak

Let us start at the end. The Cincinnati Watch Co. Cincinnatus Field is an absolute steal at the preorder price of $239 ($299 retail, though they'll likely sell out before then). A final batch of 50 pieces is available as of 9:00 P.M. last night and I know for a fact that at least six of those have already sold (I had to update that number twice while writing). The Cincinnatus is what I would call a gentleman’s field watch, and I'll get into why below. The dial has a wonderful texture and great design, and the finishing is tops. It wants for a larger crown but doesn’t suffer for the one it’s got. This watch is just more proof that you don’t need to break the bank to have a great timepiece. If that wasn’t enough, owner Rick Bell is once again donating a portion of proceeds to a local charity in Cincinnati, this time Freestore Foodbank. If you aren’t yet convinced, feel free to read.

The Cincinnatus (named for the Roman statesman for which the American city was named) clocks in at 39mm and just 12.4mm thick. For a 39mm watch, that may seem to be on the wrong side of thick, but it’s not something I noticed at all, despite worrying that I would; the watch sits well on the wrist. The entirety of the midcase features a brushed finish with exceptionally crisp edges (on par with higher-end watches). Outside of the dial texture, the 20mm lugs are my favorite feature of the watch. They slope down towards their sides as they curve toward the wrist, and instead of an abrupt corner at their ends, they feature a gentle curve down and around to the caseback.

The fixed bezel is polished on its slope and brushed on its narrow top, providing some contrast in the case, which I always tend towards. Both the lugs and the polished bezel give the watch that gentlemanly feel I mentioned up top. The screwdown crown at 3 o’clock allows for 100m water resistance and is standard fair, with the CWC logo etched in. It could stand to be a millimeter or so larger, nor do I think that change would have disrupted the aesthetics of the watch. As it is, it meets the minimum requirements for functionality and shouldn’t cause significant frustration except for those with the very stubbiest of fingers.

Time to dial in on that dial. Texture! Texture! Read all about it!

Ok. I'm done. While I’m always a fan of applied indices and such, this watch doesn’t need them as it has plenty of vivid depth just from the sandy texture of it’s matte black dial. The dial is at once distinguished and rugged, again lending credence to the idea of the gentleman’s field watch. At the periphery is a golden minute track with a large triangle at 12 and smaller ones at each other hour. Just inside those markers are the 24-hour numbers. Moving in are Arabic numerals, with enlarged numbers at the cardinal hours. Take a close look—real close—and you’ll see that each number is outlined in gold. A great touch! The open 9 and open 6, too, are inexplicably cool—maybe it’s the nonchalance and carefree spirit that an unclosed number conveys. In the northern hemisphere is the brand in a sans serif font, while the southern features the model name in a serif font; it’s a contrast I rather like as it allows the brand name to remain consistent across watches, while adding specific fonts for each model.

The gold sword-style hands are perfectly sized. The minute body extends to the minut track with its pointer extending to the tracks far edge; the hour tip extends just to the widest portion of the minute hand. The seconds hand features a lumed tip and a red pointer beyond that, also reaching the outer edge of the minute track. The primary numerals and the hands all feature BGW9 Super-LumiNova. As I’ve mentioned before, while evenness is a factor, it’s the least important factor so long as all the lumed portions shine brightly enough. As such, the watch just squeaks by in this segment: the lume is uneven between the hands and the numerals, and while plenty bright on the hands, is only just adequate on the numerals.

The entire dial on the Cincinnatus is well-proportioned, legible, and enjoyable every time you glance at it. So much so that you’ll likely be looking more often at the dial itself than the time. And did you see how it pops when the sun hits it? Oh boy.

Flipping the watch right on over, you’re greeted with the brilliant gold of the gilt automatic Seiko NH71A. This is a rare movement, even in its non-gilt form (NH70). A close look reveals that the movement is actually skeletonized (or what passes for skeltonized at Seiko). This isn’t part of the appeal of the movement in this watch, as you look straight into the back of the dial. Rather, the choice of this movement allowed for quality and prettiness, with a non-date, hacking, handwinding, and 24 jewels. And GOLD! This movement will be just as robust as your NH35, so buy with confidence. Plus Rick regulates everything to make sure they are within spec. Surrounding the sapphire display is the steel ring of the screwdown caseback, which is adorned with all your fun details, plus the full name of that old Roman statesman: Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus. Say that three times fast.

At 20mm, these lugs have no issue with strap swaps, and the entire watch handles them well. The watch comes standard on a throwaway black NATO—there are better NATO straps out there and if that’s your jam, you should get one. Additionally, the watch comes with a 2-piece canvas strap. I would’ve preferred a bit more supple material and a taper, but the strap pairs nicely with the watch and doesn’t take long to break in. Further, it comes affixed with a killer branded buckle. As you can see, this watch can handle a variety of colors and the textured dial allows it to match up with textured straps quite nicely.

Have you heard enough? Did you like my dial jokes? What about all the pretty pictures? Isn’t the watch nice? Or did you get fixated on that crown thing? Are your fingers really that stubby? They probably aren’t. Do you even have a gentleman’s field watch in you collection? You probably didn’t even know that style existed. But here we are, at the end of the review, and the watch is just $239. Your call.⬩

Benrus is back! Yes, it is the same storied American brand that produced the Sky Chief chronograph in World War Two, built mil-spec field watches and divers in the 1960s and 70s, and even made a line of automatic steering wheel-mounted clocks. Well, it’s the same name, at least. The Benrus brand has been around the block a few times and in out of court the past few years, but it has now been resurrected under new ownership, and more importantly, it has three new models to sell. They let The Time Bum take a turn with a Heritage Field Watch for this review.

The Heritage Collection watches draw their inspiration from classic Benrus models, so it should be no surprise that the Field Watch is an homage to the iconic Vietnam-era U.S. Government-issued piece, or more specifically, its civilian version, the Benrus #3061. It is, after all, the quintessential field watch design with its Arabic 12- and 24-hour indexes and triangular hour markers. Even the needle-tipped handset remains the same, and the red arrowhead on the second hand provides a welcome pop of color, just as it did back in the day. I think it looks especially sharp against the pearl white dial.

It is not an exact replica of the military dial. Most notably, the Benrus designers employed a sharper-edged typeface for the numbers that looks both older and more sophisticated than the original.

Vintage SuperLuminova graces the markers and hands, and while many watch reviewers bemoan “faux-tina,” I am not one of them. The creamy lume looks fantastic and maintains a healthy green glow at night. Benrus also offers the Field Watch in classic black as well as a fetching dark gray in a black ion-plated case. All are winning combinations. My only gripe is the way the tastefully framed date window cuts off the 3. It’s not the worst design offense, and certainly not uncommon, but it always strikes me as a sign that dial should have been a different size.

Benrus Heritage Field Watch white wrist shot

The stainless steel case is 41mm wide, 49mm long, and 13mm thick from the case back to the top of its K1 mineral crystal. While it is not huge, its proportions make it seem so. I’m not going to lie, my 6.75" wrist would have preferred something closer to 38mm to better reflect the smaller sizes of yore, but I can’t fault them for choosing a case size with broader appeal. On the other hand, I do fault them for its slab-like lines. The sides are flat, there is no beveling save for that on the bezel, and the lugs display minimal tapering. A generous undercut helps to lean out the profile a tad, but the overall impression is still bulky. I blame the lugs more than anything as they are so broad they nearly square off the round barrel.

Considering its burly stance, you would expect the Field Watch to be prepared to take on actual field expeditions, and it is. The knurled crown is large enough for easy operation yet not so tall as to appear ungainly. The case is water resistant to 100m, so you should have no issue using the watch for any sort of outdoor adventure, although you might pick up some scratches along the way. Given the watch’s aggressive stance, I was initially surprised to see a mirror-polished finish instead of more tool-like brushing, until I realized the #3061 was polished too.

Benrus did not miss a chance to remind us who made the watch. We have branding on the dial, the rotor, the display window, the outside of the strap, the buckle, and the left-hand side of the case. Add the stamped stair on the crown, and the watch is signed six times. I understand the pride in restoring a classic name, but this is overkill.

Inside, is a Miyota 9015 automatic movement, the same smooth-sweeping stalwart used by many an independent brand. You know the specs: 28.8k bph, 24 jewels, 42-hour power reserve, hacking, and hand-winding. Aside from its loud rotor (they all do that), it is all good stuff.

Depending on the model, the Heritage Field Watch will arrive on a nylon NATO (grey dial) or a straight-cut leather strap like this one. It is 22mm at both ends and minimally stitched. Like many straps I’ve encountered lately, it is equipped with rather handy quick-release pins. I loved the British Tan color as the red tones really complemented the tan and white dial; however, the leather is stiff with the sort of overly processed finish that rarely ages well.

Which brings us to the last element of this review, the price. Benrus asks $1,095 for the Heritage Field Watch, and that my friends, is hard to justify.

Back in the day, Benrus’s old rival Hamilton produced watches under the same government contract, and not coincidently, they offer dozens of field watch variations today. For example, the desirable Hamilton Khaki Murph has a domed sapphire crystal, Swiss H-10 automatic movement (modified ETA 2824), a more traditionally attractive case, and it retails for $995. Before you chalk that up to Hamilton’s deep Swatch Group pockets and the economies of scale, I’d mention that several microbrands offer excellent, low-volume field watches for even less. The Hemel HM series has similar specs to the Benrus, a sapphire crystal, runs a Miyota 9039, and sells for just $399. I’m just saying.

It is unfair to judge the Benrus Heritage Field Watch through the same lens as one would a vintage Benrus Field Watch. After all, decades have passed, tastes have changed, and while the name may be the same, this is, in fact, a totally new venture. So I asked myself how I might consider this watch if it was released by an unknown start-up. I’d probably say it has potential, but only if they revise the case and slash the price.

If you like the iconic field watch look and dig the Benrus’s commanding presence, then head over to Benrus.comand check out the rest of the collection. But I’d wait for a generous sale before you buy one. ⬩

Paul Twice is a Polish strap company run by two friends named - you guessed it, Paul. Together, they select quality leathers and handcraft premium straps. Being the kind of guy who believes that half the joy of collecting watches is collecting straps, I was happy to accept one of their creations in exchange for this review.

Nomos Metro Gangreserve on Paul Twice La Mancha olive Suede Strap

Upon visiting their site, you may be surprised to see their range is rather narrow, which is to be expected. After all, they are a pair of craftsmen, not a factory. They offer just three models: goat suede with a straight stitch, and shell cordovan or Horween Chromexel with a minimal stitch. Sizes are 18, 20, and 22mm. Color varies by availability (right now, there are plenty of goat options and few in cordovan), but there should be more than enough to meet most needs. Prices run from €89 ($99) for goat and cordovan to €99 ($104) for Horween Cromexcel. You will find some sale items in there as well.

I let the Pauls choose my review strap, offering up my Nomos Metro Datum Gangreserve as the one to match. They'll do this for you too if you ask. This lovely watch, with its silver dial and red and pale green accents, has challenged my strap pairing skills. I took their suggestion to try their La Mancha olive goatskin.

My sample was sent by regular airmail at no additional cost and arrived at The Time Bum's DC headquarters in about 10 days. The small Paul Twice cardboard box and paper wrapping provided more than adequate protection, and the "relentlessly handcrafted" sticker was a clever touch.

The strap measures 18mm at the lugs tapering to a 16mm buckle, a slight 2.3mm thick, and is 115/75mm long. Its construction was perfectly clean with tight stitching, even holes, and nearly seamless tabs on the undersides. It is unpadded and lined with vegetable-tanned calfskin. The brand name is marked on the insides of both the strap and the buckle's frame. It has one fixed keeper and one floating. Paul Twice has not hopped on board to quick-release pins train. While I like the convenience of an integrated spring bar, it would not have worked here as the Nomos requires a 16mm pin.

I was pleased to see that the olive color was faithful to that depicted on the website, a pale, muted green that is more delicate than the military shade we usually associate with that label. The Pauls were indeed correct that it would be an excellent match for the watch. The strap's painted edges, while brighter than the matte suede surface, were the right color and did not detract.

The main green proved to be very close to that of the Nomos's markers and power reserve and amplified the metallic qualities of the silver dial, which often seem to wash out to white when viewed against a deeper color. Of course, the suede was buttery soft, requiring no break-in whatsoever.

All around, I would declare the Paul Twice strap to be an unqualified success. Their prices are not especially cheap, but on par for a high-quality hand made strap. I would not hesitate to order from them. If you would like to do so yourself, head over to PaulTwice.com. ⬩

2019 Holiday Gift Guide

Kingsbury Watch Co. White Water 300 Giveaway

TC-9 Titanium Pilot – Skeleton Edition

Eliana Timekeeper Twilight Glint

Phoibos Eagle Ray GMT

Aloha GMT 40

Giveaway: UNDONE x Peanuts

Straton Tourer GMT and Triple Calendar

District Time 2019 Wrap-up by DCVW

Deep Blue Defender 1000 vs. Anstead Oceanis 1

Cincinnati Watch Co. P-40M Mechanical

Werenbach Leonov Model 2

Roebuck Diviso

Wolbrook Skindiver "Worldtimer"

Vesuviate Chronograph

Advisor SUPA Diver

Delugs Watch Straps

Cincinnati Watch Co. Cincinnatus Field

Benrus Heritage Field Watch

Paul Twice La Mancha Suede Strap