Syulla S3104 watch

I saw this watch in a Japanese magazine recently. It looked very interesting. It is the Syulla S3104 watch. Never heard of the brand Syulla? Well it is a Japanese/ Italian brand. I believe it is made in Japan but design by an Italian, Luigi De Clemente. The name is inspired from one of the deities of Buddhism in Japan.

Photograph: Syulla

Anyway, I should be in Japan sometime in October and I hope to get the watch. The watch does look like a particular high-end Swiss watch (by the initials RM). They (Syulla) have a few models under this series, called ARMA (Erma) collection. I am interested in this model, the S3104. 

I understand that the built quality is not bad and that it does work. However the gears that you see are decorative (I was told). I will report more once I get the watch (if I don't get side tracked....).

Photograph: Rakuten

Basic specifications:

Case: stainless steel, 42 x 48 mm

Movement: Japanese made quartz movement

Functions: hours, minutes, seconds, chronograph

Water resistant: 3 ATM

The watch retails for about USD 230.

For more information:

Syulla

Kunstwinder

This is a pretty cool watch winder. It is the KUNSTWINDER watch winder. They are introducing their Industrial Collection with the Limited Edition Oil Baron watch winder. Why Oil Baron? Well just look at the winder and you can see why. 

The winder design replicates the mechanical movement of the famous horse head liquid pump used for pumping crude oil. Every time I see it, it reminds me of the TV Series Dallas. Oppsss showing my age. The winder is the product of a group of Professional Engineers who are trying to break into the watch winder market. And what a way to do it. 

As I mentioned earlier, the winder is a limited edition winder. As such, each winder is individually crafted and numbered. The winder can wind two watches and offers the following specifications:

1. Alternate winding, 30 minutes clockwise rotation, 4 hour rest, 30 minutes counter clockwise rotation, 4 hour rest.

2. 900 revolutions every 24 hours.

3. Continuous rotation.

4. Universal VAC adaptor

The winder also comes with felt-lined drawers for storing watches and accessories. The winder is not small. It measures 8.35 inches in height and 8.24 in diameter. The winder is expected to retail for about USD 3,600. 

A video showing how the winder works.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LcYFbVMbblk

For more information:

Kunstwinder

The winder.

It is a very nice looking winder.

Another view.

It comes in a beautiful box.

Photograph: Kunstwinder

GM-100D Battery change

While getting my Casio G-Shock Tough Solar watches out for its monthly charge, I noticed that one of my non Tough Solar watch had a blank display. It is the GM-100D-9 watch. I like this watch as instead of having the normal 'beep, beep' sound for alarm, it has music. Anyway, the blank display of the watch.

The other reason I like the watch is it has a nylon strap instead of the normal resin/ rubber strap. You will need to remove the strap before you can remove the case back to gain access to the battery (or so I thought).

Remove the strap from the buckle. Note the cool gold satin on the other side of the strap.

I took these photographs to act as a guide for me (just in case) on how to re-route the strap into the buckle.

The buckle.

Now you can see the case back. The watch case back is unique as there are holes on the case back. This hole is to allow the sound to 'come out' as the sound is amplified on a second metal piece. You will see this later. I believe this is one of the few Casio G-Shocks that have this type of case back.

You can now remove the four screws. Note the holes.

The screws removed.

The other side of the case back. Note the water stains on the inside of the case back. Don't worry, water will not get into the watch as there is another pieces to prevent the water from getting into the watch.

See the other pieces. This piece is made of rubber. It is held in place by the outer case back. Kind of remind me of another watch I have.

 The other side of the rubber piece is a metal plate. This plate is the contact for the alarm.

Note the two springs. These springs contacts with the metal plate and you have sound.

Hey, where is the battery? What is this metal plate? I don't really know. It is about 1 mm thick. The springs go through the holes of the metal plates.

Wow, still no battery? Yet another rubber piece. Now that is a lot of pieces to remove just to get to the battery.

Finally, the battery. This is where everything is standard G-Shock. Unlock the battery cover.

Remove the battery and put in a new one.

Close the battery hatch and don't forget to reset the watch before replacing everything. This is very important on this watch as there are many pieces to remove if you forget to reset the watch.

Jason is back....

It is finally coming back. Jason is back. Yes, Casio will be releasing the G-001 watch in August and September. The G-001 is based on the very popular DW-001J watch from the 90s. The watch will be fitted with the module 3247.

The watch is lovingly called Jason as the design looks very much like the hockey mask worn by Jason of the Friday the 13 fame. I hope to bring to bring more news on this watch.

The hockey mask.

Photograph: nait.ca

The DW-001J (the original Jason).

Photograph: Riley

The G-001.

Photograph: Riley

I am sure the yellow version will be the popular one among the four watches to be released.

Breguet Type XXII

One of my dream watch (of which I have many.... ), is the Breguet Type XXI. There are a number of reasons why I like the watch and they are:

1. It is one of the cheapest way to get into the world of Breguet (the cheapest being the Type XX).

2. It has the tri-compax design that I like and am looking for.

3. It has the chronograph complication which I like (having the fly-back function being a bonus).

4. I just love the colour of the dial which is one of the most difficult to photograph, the colour being somewhere between copper, brown or coal gray.

The Breguet Type XXI (3810ST/92/9ZU).

Photograph: Breguet

This year (Basel 2010), Breguet introduce the Type XXII. This new watch is just awesome. It has a new heart that beats at an astounding 10 Hertz or 72,000 A/h. This is twice as fast as the fastest available movement. How is this possible? Well it is fitted with a new silicon escapement which requires no lubrication and is very lightweight. 

Because of this, the sweep second chronograph hand rotates once every 30 seconds, and this is reflected in the design of the dial. An aperture at the 12 o'clock position shows if the chronograph hand is displaying the first 30 seconds or the second 30 seconds of a given minute. The added cool factor is that the display is a retrograde display. 

The elapsed minute is shown by a centrally mounted minute hand. The chronograph has the fly-back function as per the Type XX and XXI. The running second is displayed via a sub-dial at the 9 o'clock position and it also rotates once every 30 second.

A second time zone is displayed via a sub-dial at the 6 o'clock position. The display is a 12 hour display. The sub-dial at the 3 o'clock position shows if it is day or night at the second time zone. There is a date complication (6 o'clock position) and it is linked to the main time display and not the second time zone. 

The basic specifications:

Functions: hours, minutes, seconds, date, chronograph (with fly-back) and dual time.

Case: stainless steel, 44 mm diameter, 17.30 mm thick

Movement: Breguet manufacture calibre 589F, 28 jewels, 13 1/4 ligne

Water resistant: 10 ATM

The watch is expect to retail for USD 18,200 with leather strap and USD 19,600 on bracelet.

For more information:

Breguet

The watch (3880ST/H2/3VX).

Photograph: Breguet

So do I have a new dream watch? Well, no. As much as I like the Type XXII, it is twice the price of the Type XXI. So, I think I will stick with my Type XXI.

Good to be back...

It is good to be back. Normal blogging will start tomorrow. We were away travelling around Taiwan for the past few days and also getting my Internet connection sorted out. 

Movado Men Junior Sports Watch

Today we look at Movado watches. I am sure everyone knows and pictures a watch with no hour index and a dot at the 12 o’clock position when Movado is mentioned. Yes, the Museum Watch, so called as it is featured in a number of museums throughout the world. But we are not looking at that watch but another.

But first a bit of history about Movado. Movado as we all know today was founded by a young (19 years old) watch maker, Achille Ditesheim in 1881. It was only named Movado in 1905. As such Movado will be celebrating its 130 anniversary next year.

Anyway the watch we will be looking at is the Movado Men’s Junior Sports Watch. It is a very different watch from the Museum Piece as it has Arabic numerals as the hour index, chronograph sub-dials, 6 hands and even date. It is indeed very different from the Museum watch.

Photograph: shopnbc

It is a sports watch. The model number is 0605968. I like it. The dial is black and as earlier stared, it has Arabic numerals as the hour index except at the 2, 6 and 10 o’clock position where the chronograph sub-dials are. It is replaced with a baton index. The date is at the 4 o’clock position, hence no hour index.

The watch comes with a uni-directional bezel, which is made from stainless steel, as is the case and bracelet. The steel bracelet has a hidden deployment.

Basic specifications:

Functions: hours, minutes, seconds, date and chronograph

Case: stainless steel, 38 mm diameter, 12 mm thick, lug width 22 mm

Crystal: sapphire

Movement: Swiss Quartz

Water Resistant: 3 ATM

If you are interested in getting one:

http://www.shopnbc.com/Watches/Movado/Default.aspx?cm_re=DN-_-Watches-_-Movado

Watch Pouch

Just found out about these handmade leather watch pouch. The pouch are handmade in Indonesia and uses cow leather is varying finish. There is the smooth finish, nubuck leather and granulated finish leather. The pouches are available in a number of sizes and colours. You can even have contrast stitching. The flap is secured either by brass buttons or slip flap design. The pouches cost about USD 8 each. The cool part about the pouch is that the owner, Ronald Malone, provides a leather slip to protect the case back from being scratch by the bracelet.

For more information:

http://leatherwatchpouch.blogspot.com/

Pictures of the pouches.

Pictures: Ronald Malone

Panerai iPhone application

Panerai has introduced its application for the iPhone. And yes, I have it my iPhone. I love the start screen (I am biased as I like the brand). It is the Luminor Marina Automatic version of the watch as the start screen. 

As with application of these type, there is the usual functionality, like a catalogue showing the novelties for 2010, a boutique search (limited to Panerai boutiques only, sadly), latest news (updated monthly) and a 'memory' game. Pretty cool.

The catalogue is comprehensive. You can view the front and the back of the watch and a short description of the watch is also provided.

Photographs: Apple

Omega Buckle

I finally got the buckle for the X-33 Coramid Kevlar strap. It came much earlier, not the 2 months promised by Omega. Talk about managing expectations. Anyway, on to the buckle. The buckle I ordered is not really for the strap. Omega (Taiwan) was not able to help furnish me with the correct buckle for the strap. So the buckle ordered is based on the recommendation on the Ofrei site. Additionally I have checked pictures of other X-33 with the Coramid Kevlar strap and the buckle looks to be similar to the ones fitted to the strap.

The buckle, fresh and new from Omega. 

The parts that makes up the buckle.

The buckle, part number 9451-1803, is made of stainless steel. It has a satin finish. Why not a titanium buckle? Well, I understand that Omega does not make titanium pin buckle. So this buckle is the best option for the strap. 

As you can see in the pictures, I have installed the tang the wrong way round.

This mistake corrected.

Christopher Ward C5 Battle of Britain watch

Christopher Ward (of London) working with the RAF, will be issuing a watch to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Britain. The watch, the C5 Battle of Britain watch is available for pre-order for the 9th of July. 

The watch is based on the watch, reference 6B/ 159, issued to the RAF in the 40s. The watch will carry The King's Crown and laurel wreathed RAF Crest (of the period) on the dial. The hour index will also be similar to the watches of the period. The hands is also designed to look like the propeller blades of the Spitfire. 

The watch is a limited edition run of only 1,940 pieces. The watch will be powered by the robust and popular ETA2824-2 movement. The cool aspect of the watch is that the owner's handbook will look like the original 1940s aircraft pilot logbook. Additionally, Christopher Ward will donate 5% of the retail value of the watch to the RAF Benevolent Fund. How cool is that.

Basic Specifications:

Functions: hours, minutes, seconds and date (3 o'clock)

Case: stainless steel, 38 mm diameter, 10.8 mm thick, lug width 18 mm, screw down crown and case back

Crystal: sapphire with AR coating

Movement: ETA 2824-2 automatic movement

Water resistance: 5 ATM

For more information: 

http://www.christopherward.co.uk/

The watch.

The case back. Note the very nice inscriptions.

Photographs: Christopher Ward

Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Tribute to the Fifty (Taiwan)

Just some news on this watch. This is the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Tribute To Fifty watch introduced in Basel 2010. I understand that this watch is a limited edition watch of only 500 pieces. Anyway the watch will be coming to Taiwan (Blancpain Boutique, Taipei 101) sometime in September or October. They cannot confirm how many pieces will be coming in (well at least 1 will come in). The retail price is about NTD 513,000 (USD 15,900).

The watch.

Photograph: Blancpain

Malaysian Watch Forum update

The Malaysian Watch Forum has moved and is now at this link:


http://www.malaysiawatchforum.com/