This is it! The big news for Rolex this year, one that many expected and have dreamed of: the Rolex GMT Master II Pepsi 126710 BLRO. Why is it a dream becoming reality…? Because it features a jubilee bracelet, because it has a new movement, because it is steel 40mm diameter but mainly, it is STEEL. Yes, that’s a big one.
The Omega that many people have always referred to as the ‘Bond watch‘, is the Omega Seamaster Professional, which is already for some time known as the Seamaster Diver 300M. And now it’s back! Not that it was gone or anything, but it has been rather quiet on this watch. The watch that was once lovingly referred to as the Bond watch or the SMP (Seamaster Professional), and later came with a glossy ceramic dial, has been revamped and Omega is launching fourteen new models of the legendary Bond watch.
Omega releasing a new Speedmaster model at Baselworld 2018 is hardly the biggest surprise ever, but still, the high contrast black and yellow colour scheme and novel dial design make the Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon Apollo 8 an interesting, attention-seeking addition to the family. Vital statistics Fifty years ago, Apollo 8 was the first mission to orbit the moon, and actually see the dark side of the moon. So the black, zirconium oxide ceramic Dark Side of the Moon is an obvious choice. And while Omega say the choice of yellow is inspired by the original Speedmaster Racing and associations with speed, really what it comes down to is the fact that it looks cool. But what’s really interesting about this watch is the dial. It’s skeletonised, which is unusual for a Speedy, and the plates and bridges have been given a dark lunar makeover, courtesy of a laser ablation technique. In a cool twist the caseback side of the watch is rendered to resemble the dark side of the moon. Initial thoughts The space theme on the DSOTM Apollo 8 is nuanced and well done — I particularly like that the Jim Lovell quote, “We’ll see you…
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One of the most popular and most loved Omega watches is the mighty Seamaster 300 — made especially famous by James Bond. Baselworld 2018 marks the 25th anniversary of the design, and to mark the occasion, Omega have completely upgraded and revamped the line, offering a total of 14 new Seamaster Diver 300 models, in both steel and two-tone cases. Vital statistics Every detail of the new Seamaster Diver 300 has been assessed and rethought, from a new, more ergonomic bracelet, to a conical helium escape valve. But it’s the big changes that will capture the eye. The size has been boosted to 42mm, and that famous scalloped bezel is now in ceramic with Ceragold or white enamel diving scale. The dials are also polished ceramic, in blue, black and chrome (thanks to a PVD treatment), and the ever-popular wave design is now laser engraved. You’ll note that the date is a touch more subtle at the six o’clock position, and the hands design, while still recognisable, has been tweaked. Things are different on the inside too, as each of these new watches is powered by the Master Chronometer certified 8800, with all that entails for accuracy and performance. Initial…
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The Seamaster is one of the enduring staples of the fine watch world, found on the wrists of young and old, all over the world. It turns out that this year the old favourite turns 70, and so we’ve obviously got new Omega Seamaster watches being released at Baselworld 2018 — like these Omega Seamaster 1948 Limited Editions, offered in small and central seconds variations. Vital statistics It’s not often you think about watches in the context of international events, but in the case of the Seamaster it’s pertinent. First released in 1948, while the world was still reeling from World War II, the original Seamaster built on the lessons Omega learned in the war — it’s a rugged, robust and overall accurate watch, the sort of watch they provided the British Ministry of Defence in their thousands, but with a more civilian flavour. Today, Omega have honoured that original design with two similar, but subtly different, variants. The Small Seconds model, features leaf-style hands in 18k white gold, adding an extra touch of elegance to the domed silver opaline dial with its applied markers. The Central Seconds is slightly more youthful, with sportier dauphine hands and SuperLuminova. Both are…
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As surprising as it gets, this is the first time the iconic Nautilus receives such a complicated movement. It already features annual calendars, several chronographs, a weird display on the 5712, but never Genta’s brainchild has been offered with one of Patek’s signature “grande complication” movements, the 240 Perpetual Calendar.
The Carrera is celebrating its 55th anniversary this year. To celebrate, TAG Heuer isn’t looking at the past but instead remains true to its “avant-garde” identity. They could have chosen to go vintage. Instead, they gold bold and modern. After the presentation a few weeks ago of the new Carrera Heuer 02 Chronograph with an updated movement, Baselworld 2018 brings us the traveller’s version, the TAG Heuer Carrera Heuer 02 GMT Chronograph.
It was only a matter of time. And if you were a betting man, you’d have safely bet that it would be right on a year that Longines would double down on the Record Collection and offer it in gold. The benefits are immediate, giving the otherwise conservative new range a whole snap, crackle and colour pop, care of rose gold and navy blue alchemy, as well as two-tone variants. Vital statistics The watches in the Record Collection, certified as “chronometers” by the Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC), thanks to engineering upgrades such as a silicon balance, combine classic elegance with excellence. Longines talk about the Record being a bridge between the brand’s tradition and innovation; however, it’s more accurate to say that the movement is now just on a par with more expensive brands and its accuracy and quality is guaranteed within -4/+6 a day. It’s not particularly innovative, but it is particularly good value at this price point, which is a brand quality we find ourselves repeating ad nauseam. The Record Collection features two sized calibers housed inside four sizes of models (26, 30, 38.5 and 40mm) and comes in a variety of dials. Like the debut range,…
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The Longines Legend Diver Watch, a reimagined version of a diving watch from the 1960s, had a dramatic reintroduction in 2017, care of the Milanese bracelet addition — perhaps the best strap hack of the year, period — and now it’s going to set pulses racing even faster with a new version in black PVD. Vital Statistics Apart from the PVD, the Legend Diver remains true to the bold styling that made the original timepiece something of an icon in the Longines canon. It houses Longines’ L888 caliber. In terms of design, the lines of the original watch have been preserved, including the boxed glass (but in sapphire crystal) and the bidirectional internal turning diving bezel. While upholding the 1960s spirit of this legendary timepiece, Longines have also equipped it with contemporary and high-performance technical characteristics, including a black PVD coating for a resolutely modern design, a sapphire crystal, two crowns and a screw-down back to guarantee water-resistance to 30 bar. The bezel is activated and stopped by the crown located at 2 o’clock, allowing the wearer to determine the remaining dive time. The steel 42mm case is coated with a layer of black PVD and has an illustration of a diver…
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The Conquest is considered by Longines to be “the ultimate sports line”, and with the V.H.P. chronograph, the brand is combining sportiness with next-level precision, care of the impressive technical quartz heart that makes the watch accurate to +/- 5 seconds a year. It’s not the first time the winged hourglass brand has set its sights on ultra precision and performance. Vital statistics Longines’ history with quartz has been one full of technical innovations and feats. In 1954, the first quartz watch set a precision record at the Neuchâtel Observatory. It would be fitted into the legendary Chronocinégines, an instrument that became a pioneer in the history of timekeeping. Another huge step forward was made in 1984 with the quartz calibre fitted in the first Conquest V.H.P, setting yet more precision records. These historic milestones form a foundation for the new Conquest V.H.P, with a chronograph calibre in various chromatic variations. The movement developed exclusively for Longines stands out for its high degree of precision for an analog watch and its ability to reset its hands after an impact or exposure to a magnetic field, using the Gear Position Detection (GPD) system. These attractive features are likely responsible for its…
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