Battle of the Doxa colours! Cast your vote as the team fight over their favourite hit of dive-watch freshness.
We love the fresh pop of Doxa colours – what an easy way to brighten up your day. But what’s your favourite? Are you a monochrome black Shark Hunter, or an orange Professional traditionalist? We put this to the team in an editorial meeting and a heated discussion ensued, recorded for posterity by yours truly to be shared here. Should you feel like submerging yourself further in the deep, check our story on the latest Sub 200s here, and the Sub 300s here Fergus Nash: Yellow “I know orange is the Doxa colour, but to me the ‘Divingstar’ yellow just hits a much sweeter spot. The pastel dandelion tone creates a much more pleasing contrast with the black text and white lume to my eye, giving a cartoonish yet still professional feeling. To this day, the yellow Sub 200 on rubber remains the only watch I have ever been complimented on by a total stranger.” Zach Blass: Orange “Why orange you ask? Because can anything really top the OG? The orange dials of Doxa divers have become nothing short of iconic within the watch community, standing out from the pack of professional tool watches with typically tame toned dials. Is…
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The watch landscape has changed massively over the last 20 years with an increased trend towards in-house calibers. No longer is ETA the only outlet for brands to source movements with Sellita effectively cloning ETA ebauches and Japanese providers such as Seiko, Miyota, and Citizen filling the void for even more cost-effective solutions. That being said, ETA movements are still pervasive throughout the industry in both modified and unmodified forms. One staple of their manufacture is the ETA 2824, which has been seen in watches across the decades in everything from vintage Tudor Submariners to Omega Seamasters prior to the co-axial era. Let’s take a look at some watches at various price points that use the ETA 2824 movement. Steinhart Ocean 39 Green Ceramic Gasp! I know, Steinhart made the list and I don’t blame you for asking why. The reality is, however, that what Steinhart lacks in originality they gain with very attractive price points – especially considering the solid build of their pieces. It’s quite incredible to be able to get a new watch under $500 USD with a ceramic bezel and a renowned ETA 2824 movement. If the horological plagiarism doesn’t irk you, it’s a quality entry-level…
We all dread the nightmare scenario of water damage in a watch. Water and watches is like Superman and kryptonite, too much exposure will wreck the timepiece. As soon as components are exposed to moisture, the process of oxidation and rust will begin and, as the days pass, render some of them irredeemable. Rolex makes some of the most robust and desirable watches in the world, but the increasingly luxurious nature of these products make some owners fearful of testing the professional capabilities of their tool watch. In a video released by Nicholas Hacko, a.k.a Master Watchmaker on YouTube, the Aussie watchmaker films the entire process of the restoration of a water exposed and highly rusted 1996 Rolex GMT Master II two-tone. And it’s clear people are curious to know what such a restoration entails – over the past two months the video has received over 1.7 million views! As you can see, this classic 1996 Rolex GMT Master II watch incurred serious water damage. The parts have developed significant rust on the rotor and even more so on the components below. While restorations can be pricey when they’re as extensive as this, we can all be thankful that it…
The Rolex GMT Master II range is incredibly sought after. Known for their jet-setting origins, they spruced up the wrists of golden age pilots who appreciated having that extra timezone information to hand. Today, the undeniable appeal for this functional luxury asset remains. Rolex have previously injected a good bit of colour into the 24 hour bi-directional bezels of the GMT line with blue and red (Pepsi), brown and yellow or brown and black (root beer), red and black (coke), and the highly debated all blue (blueberry). But the most modern of the colour duos is found in the blue and black bezels – now limited to the Rolex GMT Master II 126710BLNR “Bat Girl”. The original reference, on a satin and polished oyster bracelet, was dubbed the “Batman” due to its bezel echoing the aesthetics of the superhero detective’s wardrobe. When discontinued, the watch was not entirely removed from the Rolex catalogue. It was instead upgraded to the new caliber 3285, with a more efficient Chronergy escapement that delivers an extended 70 hours of power reserve, and paired with a more formal appearing jubilee bracelet. Collectors didn’t exactly stretch their imaginations when they dubbed the new Rolex GMT Master…