Wotancraft

Congratulations to James and the team at Wotancraft on the launch of their new website and the release of the new Flottiglia Mas Original Special Edition collection of straps. 

Check them out at: 

Wotancraft

The new website, cool is all I can say.

The straps.....

Sigh, another visit is due. :)

Emmmmm..... 74......

Photographs: Wotancraft

Christopher Ward C9 Harrison Jumping Hour.

Christopher Ward has released a new watch in the C9 Harrison Jumping Hour. This is most likely Christopher Ward most expensive watch to date. But is it worth it? I think so. Why?

Well, for one, the watch features a jumping hour, a complication usually found in more expensive watches. The hour is displayed via a window at the 12 o’clock position while the minutes is displayed by the traditional centrally mounted minute hand.

German watch making ‘wunderkind’ Johannes Jahnke has modified the movement, an ETA 2824-2. Johannes has ingeniously created a completely original and unique adaption of the ETA 2824-2 calibre movement to achieve a consistent amount of power transition across the hour for greater accuracy.

There will only be 200 C9 Jumping Hour watches produced and the best part is that Johannes assembles each and every piece personally. How cool is that.

Other reasons to like the watch? I love the Galvanic guilloche dial. Very nice touch indeed. The hours are displayed via Roman numerals, another nice touch (Arabic numerals are more common).

The basic specifications:

Functions: hours and minutes

Movement: ETA 2824-2 (modified Jumpin Hour Complication JJ001)

Case: stainless steel (?), 43 mm diameter, 13 mm thick

Price: USD 1,585

For more information:

C9 Harrison Jumping Hour

The watch.

Well made case.

Beautiful display back.

The modified ETA 2824-2 movement. 

Photographs: Christopher Ward

Straps galore

Got news that some straps are on the way. I am excited. New 'sickness' I guess? Well it is cheaper compared to buying watches and it is the 'cheapest' way to change the look of your watch. :)

Anyway I finally got myself a Simona. I am looking forward to getting this strap. I have heard lots of good things about the strap. So it is time to check it out myself. I got one of Simona's new limited edition strap in the Alcatraz. Yes, a strap named after that famous island. :)

Other straps on the way include straps from Chriz in Singapore. I have only seen his strap on-line and it looks interesting. Well, hope they arrive soon. 

The Simona Alcatraz.

Photograph: Simona

It's that time of the year again

Yes, it is time for the Starhill Gallery's 'A Journey Through Time V' exhibition. This is the 5th year Starhill Galley is hosting the event. The exhibition will be held from December 1st to the 10th in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. 

The list of exhibitors includes:

Armand Nicolet

Davidoff

Hermes

Rebellion

Bedat & Co

Franc Vila

Hublot

Romain Jerome

Boucheron

Franck Muller

Maurice Lacroix

Snyper Geneve

Carrera Y Carrera

Graham

Nautische Instrumente

Speake-Marin

Cyrus

Hautlence

Omega

Van Cleff & Arpels

For more information:

A Journey Through Time V

Photograph: Starhill Gallery

MKII Cyber Monday Special Offer

I am not sure what is this Cyber Monday thing, but any special offer is a good offer, more so from MKII. On top of getting a great and extremely well made watch, for a limited time, MKII is offering to include the following items when you purchase their LRRP GMT 48 (HRV):

1. Maxmadco Pen

2. Maratac NATO strap

3. AF Strap Pin Tool

The MKII LRRP GMT 48 (HRV) watch:

Functions: hours, minutes, seconds, date and GMT complication

Case: 316L stainless steel case, 42.50 mm diameter, 13.50 mm thick

Movement: ETA 2893-2 automatic movement

Crystal: double dome sapphire

Water resistant: 30 ATM

Price: USD 1,265

For more information:

LRRP GMT 48 (HRV)

The watch:

I like the case back design.

MKII signed movement.

Photographs: MKII

For those who are not familiar with the Maxmadco pen, or the company, the people behind Maxmadco are the people behind the very popular Marathon SAR watch. I do have to say that the pen looks good and very 'engineered'. 

For more information:

Maxmadco

Bronze Patina (Week 1)

One of the main reasons people are getting watches with the case made of bronze is the patina that will develop over time. There are methods of speeding up the patina but I am more interested in the natural progression. As such I have decided to chart and log the patina development on my watch. 

Since I only have 1 bronze watch in the Magrette Regattare Bronze, this watch that will be the subject of this 'experiment'. I will chart the progress of the patina weekly and I will post the pictures to show the progress (if any) of the development of the patina. 

I will use the same equipment and shoot the photographs at the same time on the same setting. There will be the same 4 photographs. I will use the watch at least once a week and the rest of the time it will be kept in a dark box. 

So here goes. Week 1. 

MKII Seafighter Bund I-C (DLC)

MKII watches have released (perhaps a limited run?) of their new Seafighter Bund I-C with DLC. This watch is based on a watch that was originally issued to German combat divers during the 70s. I am not a fan of the over sized minute hands, but I have to say that in this iteration, it does look good. 

Functions: hours, minutes, seconds and date complication

Case: 316L stainless steel with DLC, 42.35 mm diameter, 14.22 mm thick

Crystal: double domed sapphire

Movement: ETA 2824-2 Elabore grade

The watch retails for USD 1,095. 

For more information:

Seafighter Bund I-C (DLC)

The watch.

I like the position of the crown. It does prevent the crown from digging the owners wrist.

The coating looks very good.

The MKII signed movement.

Photographs: MKII

Straps.....

Ordered some straps today. Got them from a local (well regional) player. I like the colour and the design of the straps. Have never tried them before but looks good. Will do a small review on the straps once I get them.

If you are interested, check out:

Chriz

He is based out of Singapore. Basically he has straps in the 24 mm and above sizes. 

The straps I ordered.

Cacao.

Chestnut. I am looking forward to getting this one as I suspect it will match the Magrette Regattare Bronze well. 

Wristsolution

A very interesting site to visit if you want to get some NATO and ZULU straps. Wristsolution offers basically NATO and ZULU straps and they are based in Malaysia. Great for those in the SEA region but I am sure they will ship worldwide. 

Do check them out as they have a very interesting and wide range of products and I am sure you will be able to find that NATO or ZULU strap that you have been looking for. They use high quality nylon and 316L stainless steel hardware in their products. 

For more information:

Wristsolution

Basel 2012

BASELWORLD 2012 will be held from March 8 to 15. 

The opening hours:

Daily 0900 to 1800 hours daily except the last day. On March 15, the hours are 0900 to 1600 hours. 

Have fun to those who are going.

For more information:

BASELWORLD 2012

Black Out Concept Chronographe

The B.O.C. watch company has released a new watch in the Black Out Concept Chronographe. It is a limited run of only 100 pieces and it does look good. The basic specifications are:

Case: DLC Stainless Steel, 43.5 mm diameter

Movement: B.O.C. Signature movement (Valjoux based?)

Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, chronograph complication

The watch has a display back where you can admire the B.O.C. movement. It comes with a rubber/ silicon strap of the racing design. The watch is Swiss made and only 3 pieces have been allocated for this year. I guess the rest will be made available next year?

For more information:

Black Out Concept

The watch.

The display back.

Photographs: B.O.C.

Happy Thanksgiving

To all a Happy Thanksgiving.

The Boys...

Doing what they do best.

Watching what else....

Dam dam dam da da dam da da dam....

Magrette Regattare Bronze Vintage

So what did I get? Well, I have been contemplating getting one since I wrote about the watch here: 

Magrette Regattare

Actually there is not much to think about. It offers one of the best value of money in terms of getting a watch with the most popular case material in 2011, bronze. 

But I was at that time (and still is) streamlining my watch collection, so that took a back seat. Finally I decided that the time is right. So here is the watch. 

I tried my best to capture the brown dial and the 'gold' hands. I think it came out well. The bronze has started to 'patina' and am loving it. I plan to let it patina naturally.

A closer view of the dial.

I have to say that I am impressed and was also pleasantly surprised by the overall quality of the watch. Also I think the watch looks better on the optional tan strap. I understand a darker brown strap is being developed (and bronze buckle as well)  and will be available in mid December. I think that will be the best combination. 

Look out for a review soon (as soon as I can take it off my wrist).

MKII Watches

The secret is finally out. Well not really, as most people who knows the brand already know the amount of love and attention Bill Yao puts into his watches. But, now he puts it up for all to see and understand why it takes a long time to get one of his pre-built watches. Enjoy.

MKII Pre-bulit watches

My New Toy, Part 3

Oh no, not another one....

Yes, another one. This time it is Boba Fett, second only to Darth Vader.

Vader: We have rescued Boba from the Sarlacc. Now to revive him. 

Stomtrooper: Yes, Lord Vader.

Vader: Look at him, powerless. We will need him for our mission.

Stormtrooper: How will we revive him?

Vader: I will use the 'FORCE'. 

Stromtrooper tremble with fear.

Vader: He is different from us as he comes with batteries already inserted into his body. All we need to do is to pull this tab. For that I will use the 'FORCE".

The Pull Tab shakes and is slowly pull out of Boba Fett's body.

Vader: It is done. He is ALIVE!!! Muahahahahahahaha.... Errr sorry, over done.

The Pull Tab lies unused by the side of Boba Fett's body.

He is alive but the time has to be reset to the correct time.

Evidently the module used in the Boba Fett clock is different from the old ones as used in Darth Vader and the Stormtrooper. There is no longer the 24 hour display function.

Vader: Boba, are you OK?

Boba: I never felt better. What is the plan?

You can see the different back light used for the different models: Red for Vader, Orange for the Stormtrooper and Green for Boba Fett.

Vader: OK, here is the plan. We will sneak into Cloud City and force Lando Calrissian to help us. If he does not, we will destroy Cloud City. Boba, you will come with us and you can have Han Solo. 

Boba: ????

Stromtrooper: Errr Lord Vader...

Vader: WHAT? 

Boba: We already did this in Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back. 

Vader: I am getting too old for this.