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WT_STI_2013_006_EditorsLetter_02 23.08.13 09:36 Seite 6
EDITOR´S
Letter
Putting Brands
to the Test
atch aficionados know that ited-production marques like Audemars Piguet
JULES AUDEMARS
RS
IN PINK GOLD.
HIGH FREQUENCY
AUDEMARS PIGUET BOUTIQUES. 646.375.0807
CHRONOMETER. NEW YORK: 65 EAST 57TH STREET, NY. 888.214.6858
BAL HARBOUR: BAL HARBOUR SHOPS, FL. 866.595.9700
audemarspiguet.com
WT_STI_2013_TOC_03 23.08.13 09:37 Seite 8
6 EDITOR’S LETTER
18 16
18
HOW WE TEST WATCHES
DIVING MASTER
The Rolex Submariner has been around for 60
34 DIVING CLASS
We put Audemars Piguet’s Royal Oak
Offshore Diver, a watch built for sport but
suited for leisure, through its paces.
50 MAKING IT NEW
The Luminor 1950 3 Days 47 mm is a near-
replica of a coveted vintage Panerai. Inside,
though, is a new in-house movement. How do
case and caliber fare under our close scrutiny?
PRECISE TIME…
ANYWHERE ON EARTH
SATELLITE WAVE-AIR. Light-Powered Eco-Drive Movement Never Needs a Battery. Satellite Timekeeping System with Worldwide Reception Area.
Perpetual Calendar. Caliber H909 Movement. Power Reserve Indicator. World Time in 26 Time Zones. 200 Meter Water Resistant. Titanium Case with Diamond
Like Carbon Coating. Anti-Reflective Dual Curved Sapphire Crystal.
©2013 Citizen Watch Company
WT_STI_2013_TOC_03 23.08.13 09:38 Seite 10
CONTENTS
WatchTime Tests
42
50 66 GROUP EFFORT
Longines’s Column Wheel Chronograph
contains a movement made especially for the
brand by ETA, its sister company in the
Swatch Group.
58 Movado Datron
Montblanc Sport DLC
Chronograph Automatic
92
94
96 FIRST RESPONDER
Chopard answered the challenge of limited
supplies from ETA by setting up its own
factory to make less-expensive movements.
We tested the Classic Manufacture, powered
by the first fruit of this venture.
CONTENTS
WatchTime Tests
96
104
one. We take the measure of this quirky
chrono.
110 142
held up during the less-than-royal treatment
of a WatchTime test.
WATER BABIES
We see how four divers’ watches withstand the
rigors of actual diving.
Self-powered
micro gas lights
WATCH TESTS
Editor-in-Chief/Associate Publisher Joe Thompson
Executive Editor Norma Buchanan
Managing Editor Dara Hinshaw
Technical Editor Mike Disher
Associate Editor Jay Deshpande
Digital Media Editor Mark Bernardo
Digital Media Assistant Jason Francisco
Art Direction/Design Publishers Factory, Munich
Contributing Writers Gwendolyn Benda
Gisbert L. Brunner
Rüdiger Bucher
Maria-Bettina Eich
Jens Koch
Alexander Krupp
Alexander Linz
Witold A. Michalczyk
Martina Richter
Gerhard Seelen
Lucien F. Trueb
Thomas Wanka
Translations Howard Fine
Magdalena Grau
Joanne Weinzierl
Photographers Robert Atkinson
Nina Bauer
Imagina
Marcus Krüger
Nicolas Lieber
OK-Photography
Eveline Perroud
Maik Richter
Nik Schölzel
Zuckerfabrik Fotodesign
CEO Gerrit Klein
Managing Director/Publisher Dominik Grau
Advertising & Event Sales Director Sara M. Orlando
Event Manager Minda Larsen
Office Manager Steve Brown
Production Director Michael Kessler
Newsstand Circulation Ralph Perricelli and Irwin Billman MCC
Tom Prior CMG
All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form.
Copyright 2013 by Ebner Publishing International, Inc., 274 Madison Ave., Suite 804, New York, NY 10016
www.watchtime.com
WT_STI_2013_procedures 23.08.13 09:41 Seite 16
HOW WE TEST
WATCHES
BY MIKE DISHER
WATCHTIME TECHNICAL EDITOR
W English-language watch
magazine that does in-
dependent product tests.
These tests have been a
cornerstone of WatchTime since its
launch in 1999. The tests are conducted
FOR UP TO TWO WEEKS, USING IT
JUST AS THE OWNER WOULD.
by a team of specialist editors at our sister amplitude in all the positions. Finally, the and he compares the watch with similar
publication, Chronos, in Germany. The watchmaker notes the movement’s manu- models to determine overall value for the
editors select watches based on reader in- facturer and he inspects the movement to dollar.
terest, and in comparison tests, they se- judge its quality. The editor and the At the end of the test, the editor as-
lect watches they feel readers might com- watchmaker review the watch together, signs the watch a series of scores on a
pare when shopping for a new timepiece. focusing on the construction and finish of 100-point scale. The watch is graded on
Once selected, the watches are all components including the case, dial, nine criteria: movement (20 points), over-
sourced directly from the manufacturers strap or bracelet, and buckle. all value (15 points), design (15 points),
or their authorized distributors. The test Phase two is the “wearing test,” con- rate results (10 points), wearing comfort
editor has the watch for two to three ducted by the reviewing editor. He wears (10 points), case (10 points),
weeks. The test has two phases. One of the watch daily for up to two weeks to strap/bracelet and clasp (10 points), legi-
them, the technical phase, is conducted gauge each aspect of the watch, making bility (5 points) and operation (5 points).
by an expert watchmaker who measures every effort to use the watch just as its The editor also sends the watch to a
the movement’s performance on a owner would. Chronographs are used to photographer who specializes in watch
Witschi timing machine. The timing is time events; divers’ watches to go under photography. When the photos are ready,
checked twice, at an interval of at least 24 water, etc. The editor pays close attention the test is formatted for the magazine.
hours. Chronographs are tested with the to comfort, functionality, legibility and Along with the editor’s report, we present
chrono on and off. The timing is tested design. Each component is scrutinized: a “Pros and Cons” list, where we sum-
for 5 minutes in each of six positions: the case, bezel, lugs, dial, crystal, crown, marize the watch’s best and worst fea-
four hanging and two flat. The watch- pushers, strap or bracelet and buckle all tures, a “Specs” box, which contains all
maker notes the timekeeping accuracy in receive attention. Is the watch comfort- of the basic information about the watch,
each position. He then calculates the able? Is it legible? How well does it oper- along with the timing results and the
greatest deviation between positions and ate? How well is it made? How well does price, and a “Scores” box, with the edi-
the average deviation. The watchmaker it keep time on the wrist? Is anything tor’s numerical ratings in the nine cate-
also measures the average balance-wheel missing? The editor looks for any faults, gories listed above.
Pros
+ Excellent design
+ Superior finishing
+ Noteworthy in-house
movement
Cons
– Distracting Cyclops
date window
– Imperfect regulation
WT_STI_2013_Rolex_Submariner_03 23.08.13 09:53 Seite 19
DIVING
The Rolex Submariner has been
around for 60 years, with
only minor changes to its
design. How does this
pioneering divers’ watch
stand up to testing today?
BY JENS KOCH
PHOTOS BY NIK SCHÖLZEL
TEST
Rolex Submariner Date
SPECS
ROLEX OYSTER PERPETUAL
SUBMARINER DATE
W
Glucydur balance with Microstella fine
regulation; 48-hour power reserve
Case: Stainless steel, threaded caseback,
sapphire crystal, crown guard, screw-
down Triplock crown, water resistant to
300 meters
Bracelet and clasp: Stainless-steel Oyster
bracelet with safety clasp with adjustable
extension
Rate results:
(Deviations in seconds per 24 hours)
Dial up 0
hen Rolex introduced the Submariner in The Submariner should not be Dial down 1
1953, it was the first divers’ watch with a viewed strictly as a divers’ watch. Its
Crown up –5
rotating bezel and water resistance to a position as Rolex’s professional divers’
Crown down –1
depth of 100 meters. The design was an watch was taken over in 1967 by the
instant success, and since then, only mi- even sturdier Sea-Dweller, with its heli- Crown left –4
nor changes have been made. Applied um valve, its water resistance to 3,900 Crown right –2
markers and polished sides on the case meters, and its lack of a Cyclops date Greatest deviation of rate 6
and bracelet have been added, as well as a window. At 12.5 mm thick, the Sub- Average deviation –1.8
larger case with a crown guard (1959) mariner is thinner than the Sea-Dweller Average amplitude:
and a date display (1965). The most re- by more than half a centimeter. Its wa- Flat positions 295°
cent change was made in 2010 with the ter resistance of 300 meters is sufficient Hanging positions 257°
introduction of a ceramic bezel for the for recreational divers.
Dimensions: Diameter = 40 mm,
steel Submariner Date. Divers will also appreciate the height = 12.5 mm, weight = 148 grams
Although it was designed 60 years Rolex Triplock crown, which has five
Price: $8,550
ago, the Submariner is still both attrac- seals to keep out moisture. The case
tive and modern. The combination of the and bracelet are made of salt-water-
smooth, reflective surface of the unidirec- resistant 904L stainless steel. The bezel
tional, ceramic bezel, the shiny black dial is suited not just for diving but for oth-
and the flat sapphire crystal gives this er applications — any interval can be
watch an elegant feel, making it just as timed precisely to the minute. Simply
appropriate for business as for casual line up the triangle on the track to the
wear. minutes hand to tell how long your pas-
Even though the dial is still easy to ta has been cooking or your parking
read, these features — especially the flat, meter has been running.
untreated crystal — tend to detract from The black Cerachrom ceramic bezel
overall legibility. In addition, the Rolex ring has been a feature of the Sub-
“Cyclops” date window makes it hard to mariner since 2010. This material has
read the date unless you are looking at an extremely hard surface that resists
the watch straight on. At any other angle, scratching. The Cerachrom bezel is a
the date disappears and a portion of the huge improvement over the aluminum
dial becomes magnified. However, this one on the preceding model, which
could be considered an advantage for could be scratched easily. Platinum-
people with reduced vision since the date filled recessed numerals and markers
is magnified so much. on the ceramic ring provide a good con-
TEST
Rolex Submariner Date
TEST
Rolex Submariner Date
The Submariner is
easy to operate and
read under water.
ple, nice and smooth.” The diving time watch cannot replace a dive computer.
was easy to set with or without gloves. Rather, it should be used as a supplemen-
Before the dive, Köppe noted the superior tary instrument. While simple dive com-
legibility of the watch, even under poor puters often provide safety-related infor-
light conditions. This was also true dur- mation such as depth, diving time and ze- Diver Jens Köppe
ing the test. The elapsed dive time could ro time (the time one can remain at a giv- tested the Submariner
be read very easily under water. Köppe al- en depth without a decompression stop), Date under water.
so liked the Submariner’s minimalist de- they don’t show the actual time or the to-
sign, featuring large markers instead of tal time the diver has spent in the water –
numerals. The actual time was also easy the perfect reason to wear a watch with a
to read, which can be important for rotating bezel.
divers because changing tides may pres-
ent the risk of being carried too far out to
sea. The diving time was legible even
when general visibility was limited by
water-borne particles, as can occur at
depths of only a few meters. The watch
was nonetheless somewhat hard to read
when viewed from the side due to the
highly reflective surface of the crystal.
The Submariner gained points for its
wearing comfort. “Very good, no trouble
at all,” our diver said. The high quality of
the watch impressed him above and be-
low the surface of the water. It had, he
said, “a great feeling.”
The watch’s high price might make
some people reluctant to take it on a dive,
where it can be scratched from unavoid-
able contact with often-heavy diving
equipment (this, in fact, occurred during
our test). At the end of the day each own-
er must decide for himself whether to use
this watch for actual diving.
The Submariner passed our test. It
showed itself to be a true divers’ watch
that can be used under actual diving con-
ditions. It should be noted that a divers’
HOW
HIGH
We tested two versions
of Omega’s famous
THE
Speedmaster Moonwatch.
Which scored better? MOONS?BY JENS KOCH
PHOTOS BY NIK SCHÖLZEL
WT_STI_2013_Moonwatch_03 23.08.13 10:02 Seite 27
Pros
+ Classic design
+ Good craftsmanship
+ Moderate price
Cons
– Poor rate results
– No stop-seconds function
– No date display
Pros
+ Well-constructed
manufacture movement
+ Very accurate rate results
+ Attractive design
+ High-quality craftsmanship
Cons
– High price
COMPARATIVE TEST
Two Omega Moonwatches
mer’s larger case and the addition of a tion in price ($4,500 versus $8,700)
SPECS
date display at 6 o’clock, the space for- would suggest.
merly occupied by the elapsed-hours The metal bracelets, which have SPEEDMASTER PROFESSIONAL
counter. This counter has now joined the brushed links, both feature broad inner MOONWATCH
elapsed-minutes counter at 3 o’clock, so pieces with narrow, raised and polished Manufacturer: Omega S.A., Rue Stämpfli
both elapsed minutes and elapsed hours areas at left and right. These give the 96, CH-2504 Bienne, Switzerland
can be read on the same subdial. The bracelets a high-quality appearance. The Reference number: 3570.50.00
new version has a steeply curved sap- classic model’s bracelet has pinned links.
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds;
phire crystal and caseback and an im- The bracelet of the automatic model chronograph with counter for 60 elapsed
proved bracelet; the older one has a promises greater longevity thanks to minutes and 12 elapsed hours
Hesalite crystal and solid caseback. Both screws and a freely moving crosspiece in Movement: Caliber 1861, hand-wound,
watches offer very good craftsmanship. each link and is more comfortable be- chronometer; 21,600 vph, 18 jewels,
The differences between the two, though cause its individual links always remain a Incabloc shock absorption, Glucydur
considerable, are smaller than the varia- certain minimum distance away from balance, fine adjustment via index and
eccentric, 48-hour power reserve;
diameter = 27 mm, height = 6.9 mm
Case: Stainless steel; curved Hesalite
crystal; fully threaded screw-in back
made of stainless steel; water resistant to
50 meters
Bracelet and clasp: Stainless-steel
bracelet, stainless-steel folding clasp with
safety buttons
Rate results:
(Deviation in seconds per 24 hours)
With chronograph switched off/on
Dial up -11 / +2
Dial down -14 / -5
Crown up +5 / +11
Crown down -4 / -2
Crown left -2 / +2
Crown right +5 / +6
Greatest deviation 19 / 16
Average deviation -3.5 / +2.3
Average amplitude:
Flat positions 311° / 266°
Hanging positions 255° / 227°
Dimensions: Diameter = 42 mm; height =
14 mm; weight = 150 g
Price: $4,500
COMPARATIVE TEST
Two Omega Moonwatches
each other, thus preventing them from axial escapement, which makes a differ-
SCORES
plucking the little hairs on the back of ent ticking sound than a standard escape-
the wearer’s wrist. This is sometimes a ment. The most important value deter- SPEEDMASTER PROFESSIONAL
problem with the older, pinned bracelet. mined by our timing machine, the great- MOONWATCH
The smooth sapphire back of the new est deviation among all six positions, was Bracelet and clasp (max. 10 points):
model further enhances wearing com- only two seconds – and that’s a very low The steel bracelet is merely pinned, but it
fort. The embossed seahorse (the logo figure. The average deviation was +3.2 has the same folding clasp with safety
that Omega traditionally uses for its wa- seconds. These values scarcely changed buttons as the co-axial model. 7
ter-resistant watches) on the back of the when the chronograph was switched on. Operation (5): The crown and push-
classic model may bother someone with The amplitude also remained stable. Giv- pieces are easy to use, but the watch
very sensitive skin, but all in all, this en these results, the Speedmaster Co- lacks a stop-seconds function. 4
watch is quite comfortable to wear. axial ranks among the most accurate
Case (10): The alternating satin-finished
The smooth surfaces on the insides of watches we have tested.
and polished surfaces are very attractive.
both folding clasps add to their wearing The classic model can’t boast such The Hesalite crystal is easily scratched. 8
comfort. Except for the absence of the outstanding accuracy. Although the aver-
Design (15): A beautiful classic with the
word “Professional” on the new version, age deviation was still an acceptable -3.5
charm of a precision instrument 15
the two clasps are alike in every way. The seconds per day, the greatest deviation of
segments bearing the logo are milled rate among the several positions was 19 Legibility (5): Very good legibility both
from solid blocks of metal. The clasps seconds, which is much too high. Fur- day and night 5
are a good match for the no-nonsense de- thermore, the deviations within one posi- Wearing comfort (10): Comfortable on
sign of the Speedmaster, but their satin- tion varied significantly and the ampli- the wrist, although the little hairs on the
finished surfaces are easily scratched. tude sometimes declined below 230 de- back of the wrist can become snagged
Although the two models have differ- grees. Although watches with this move- between the links of the bracelet 9
ent movements, their push-pieces work ment have performed better in past tests, Movement (20): The hand-wound
with the same smoothness and are equal- the accuracy of the hand-wound caliber movement is equipped with cam control
ly easy to operate. Each model’s crown cannot rival that of the automatic co- and horizontal coupling. It has scarcely
can be pulled into the hand-setting posi- axial caliber. any embellishments. 14
tion with little effort. It takes a bit more Omega took great pains to make Cal- Rate results (10): There is too much
force to set the hands on the hand- iber 9300 as precise as it is. Like the au- deviation among the various positions and
wound model, but the difference is mini- tomatic Caliber 8500, the 9300 belongs the amplitude declines too drastically;
mal. A greater drawback with this ver- to the second generation of co-axial only the average deviation is acceptable. 5
sion is the absence of a stop-seconds movements. Unlike earlier ETA calibers Overall value (15): Despite hefty price
function: its presence in the new model that were rebuilt to accommodate increases in recent years, the cost-benefit
simplifies to-the-second time setting. The Daniels’s co-axial brainchild, these new ratio remains good. 13
older watch has no date display, but the movements were designed to leave suffi- TOTAL: 80 POINTS
new one does. The hour hand can be re- cient space for the co-axial escapement,
set in hourly increments, and when it which underwent further improvement
passes midnight, the date display switch- and now has three functional levels
es either forward or backward to keep in rather than two. Although Daniels in-
sync with the hour. This adjustment tended that the co-axial escapement re-
method isn’t quite as speedy as a rapid- quire no lubrication, with this movement
reset function for the date, but it lets the a thin film of oil must in fact be applied Except for the presence or
wearer reset the hour hand without to the surfaces of the escape wheel that absence of the word
“Professional,” the sturdy
changing the positions of the minutes or exert friction and to the pallet stones.
and easy-to-use clasps on
seconds hand when entering a new time A silicon hairspring, which is nearly both models are alike in
zone or when it’s time to “spring for- unaffected by shocks and scarcely influ- every way.
ward” or “fall back” an hour in the enced by magnetic fields, contributes to
spring and fall. the watch’s accuracy. There’s also a regu-
This is also useful because the new lator-free fine-adjustment mechanism
Speedmaster keeps time with great preci- that relies on gold washers on the inside
sion. It gained an average of two seconds of the balance rim. The hairspring is thus
per day when worn. We then put the free to “breathe” throughout its entire
watch on a Witschi Chronoscope X1, a length.
timing machine that, unlike most, can Shock absorption has also been im-
measure the rate of a watch with a co- proved. The new Nivachoc system is said
SCORES
SPEEDMASTER MOONWATCH OMEGA
CO-AXIAL CHRONOGRAPH
Bracelet and clasp (max. 10 points):
Well-constructed, screwed steel bracelet
and folding clasp with safety buttons 8
Operation (5): Crown and push-pieces
are easy to use. The hour hand can be
reset in hourly increments, so no rapid
reset for the date display is necessary.
A stop-seconds mechanism helps you set
the time with to-the-second accuracy. 5
Case (10): A well-crafted case with an
attractive shape, plus a sapphire crystal
and caseback 9
Design (15): The design of the classic
watch has been well adapted to suit the
new size. 15
Legibility (5): Very good legibility both
day and night 5
Wearing comfort (10): The case is larger,
but the watch is nonetheless very
comfortable on the wrist. 10
Movement (20): The brand’s own
well-constructed chronograph
movement with refined co-axial
escapement, silicon hairspring and
fine adjustment without an index 18
Rate results (10): Very slight deviation
among the several positions, stable
amplitude and good average deviation 10
Overall value (15): High price, but plenty
of value for the money. The movement is
particularly appealing. 12
TOTAL: 92 POINTS
COMPARATIVE TEST
Two Omega Moonwatches
Pros
+ An attractive variation
on the classic Royal Oak
design
+ All components are very
well crafted.
+ Handsome, technically
interesting manufacture
caliber
Cons
– Setting the dive-time
ring is sometimes
difficult.
– Expensive for a steel
watch
We put Audemars
Piguet’s Royal Oak
Offshore Diver, a
watch built for sport
but suited for leisure,
through its paces.
D BY ALEXANDER KRUPP
PHOTOS BY OK-PHOTOGRAPHY
TEST
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Diver
D
crown can be conveniently unscrewed
and easily turned, but only if the diver
isn’t wearing gloves. This is another hint
that this watch is meant for tropical cli-
mates. Also, the crown is somewhat diffi-
cult to reach if the owner is wearing the
watch, as most people do, on his left
wrist.
Because the screwed crown prevents
the rotatable ring from being inadvertent-
ly repositioned, Audemars Piguet de-
signed the ring so that it can rotate in two
directions. This makes it easier and SPECS
quicker to set the zero point of the dive.
AUDEMARS PIGUET
ROYAL OAK OFFSHORE DIVER
THE ROYAL OAK Offshore Diver is well
suited for diving, but would you really Manufacturer: Manufacture d’Horlogerie
want such a handsome, high-quality and Audemars Piguet, Route de France 16,
expensive watch to run the risk of rub- CH-1348 Le Brassus, Switzerland
bing against hard equipment or scraping Reference number:
against the deck when you climb out of 15703ST.OO.A002CA.01
the water? You’d probably prefer to wear Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds; date;
it while sipping a cocktail on deck or din- stop-seconds function; diving-time ring
on’t be fooled by its chic styling and haut ing at an exclusive seaside restaurant. If underneath crystal
de gamme price tag ($18,900): the Aude- so, this watch will look and feel right at Movement: Manufacture Caliber 3120,
mars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Diver, automatic; 21,600 vph, 40 jewels, freely
home because a Royal Oak always makes
oscillating Glucydur balance with eight
which was launched in 2010, is a rugged, a stylish statement – even this model, regulating weights, Kif shock absorption,
real-world divers’ watch, with all the fea- with its sporty rubber strap. Contributing 60-hour power reserve; diameter =
tures a watch needs to survive the rigors to its good looks is its perfectly crafted 26.6 mm, height = 4.25 mm
of the deep. dial, with the trademark “Mega Tapis- Case: Stainless steel; flat sapphire crystal,
serie” textured pattern, and its hour hand nonreflective on its inner surface;
IT’S BETTER SUITED for warm climates and minutes hand, both made of white stainless-steel caseback held in place by
than cold ones, because the watch’s strap gold. eight screws; two threaded, rubber-
has no extension piece to make it long Another ingredient in the Diver’s coated crowns; soft iron inner case to
protect against magnetic fields, water
enough to wear over the sleeve of a wet- special appeal is its multifaceted and im-
resistant to 300 meters
suit. In all other areas, however, this peccably crafted case. Familiar features
Strap and clasp: Rubber strap with
watch meets the requirements expected borrowed from other Royal Oak mod-
stainless-steel pronged buckle
of a genuine divers’ watch. It is water- els include hexagonal white-gold screws
Rate results:
resistant to 300 meters, 100 more than in an octagonal bezel and beautifully al- (Deviations in seconds per 24 hours)
the standard 200 meters expected of ternating satin-finished and polished
Dial up +12
divers’ watches. It also has a rotatable surfaces. The rubber ring under the
ring with a luminous zero mark to set the bezel is especially thick, as it is on all Dial down +5
dive time, the dial displays glow in the Offshore models. The Diver also has Crown up –4
dark, and the hands for hours, minutes Crown down +5
and seconds have different shapes for eas- Crown left –1
ier reading under water. Crown right +3
The rotatable ring has single-minute Greatest deviation of rate 16
subdivisions for the first quarter-hour, Average deviation +3.3
which are sufficient for most practical
Average amplitude:
diving situations. Unlike a classic divers’
Flat positions 296°
bezel, the ring is positioned underneath
the crystal and can be reset by turning the Hanging positions 250°
additional crown at 10 o’clock. The ring Dimensions: Diameter = 42 mm,
clicks authoritatively into place in single- height = 13.8 mm, weight = 168 grams
minute increments, and its designated Price: $18,900
TEST
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Diver
Noteworthy among the movement’s values in the “dial up” and “crown up”
numerous decorations, most of which positions differed by a full 16 seconds. Of
are done by hand, are the beveling and course, most people who wear this watch
polishing on the bridges and plates, as will be concerned primarily with the dai-
well as the inset sinks for the ruby bear- ly average. But here, too, we noticed devi-
ings and screws. The heads and the slits ations among the various positions. In
of the screws are polished; other parts our wrist test, during which we wore the
are adorned with Geneva waves, sun- watch almost constantly for days, the
burst patterns and various types of large Diver performed excellently, with a gain
circular graining. The rotor is another of just one second. When the watch was
visual highlight: crafted from 22k rose left motionless with its crown up, its rate
gold, it’s decorated with the brand’s in-
THE WATCH IS strayed into the minus column, losing 2.5
signia and logo, as well as with the EXPENSIVE BUT seconds per day.
coats-of-arms of the Audemars and When deciding whether to purchase
Piguet families. WELL CRAFTED the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Off-
Considering all this attention to de- shore Diver, you’ll have to decide if the
tail, we were surprised to discover that AND HAS AN price is worth it for a steel watch, even one
the movement in our test watch didn’t with a manufacture movement. If you de-
run with impeccable regularity. Although IN-HOUSE cide that it is, you can be confident that it
the average gain across all six positions will make an equally good impression on
was a reasonably small 3.3 seconds, the
MOVEMENT. land and in the water.
Pros
+ Nicely decorated in-house
movement
+ Interesting design details
+ Consistent rate results
+ Good value
Cons
- Hard-to-read big date display
- No hack mechanism
- Simple pronged buckle
Above
the
Clouds Whether in the air or on the ground, the Zenith
Pilot Big Date Special is always at home. We put
this high flyer through our rigorous test.
BY ALEXANDER KRUPP
PHOTOS BY NIK SCHÖLZEL
TEST
Zenith Pilot Big Date Special
SPECS
ZENITH PILOT BIG DATE SPECIAL
TEST
Zenith Pilot Big Date Special
the bottom of the dial, where the seconds The finishing process for the lugs re- The crown turns comfortably. (With an
markers were shortened to accommodate quires an additional step. At the point of El Primero movement, unlike with most,
the words “Swiss Made.” The incremen- transition from the sides to the back, any you set the time at the first pulled-out
tal markers are essential for El Primero sharp edges on the lugs are rounded off. position and the date at the fully extend-
watches because they show the high oscil- On the watch we tested, these areas ap- ed position.) The only drawback is the
lating frequency of this movement – five peared slightly irregular, but this merely lack of a hack mechanism. When you pull
hertz, instead of the usual four − which indicates that the process was done by out the crown, the small seconds at 9
enables the watch to measure increments hand and should not be seen as a flaw. o’clock continues to run. This makes it
to the 1/10-second. The pushers are easy to use, but there impossible to set the time exactly.
The central hour and minutes hands is a noticeable jump when the chrono- Like the rest of the watch, the strap
can also be difficult to read: the narrow graph’s seconds hand is started. Resetting combines good design and attractive de-
ruthenium-coated hands do not offer both chronograph hands with the bottom tails. What you notice first is that the
enough contrast with the matte black di- pusher works smoothly. strap has been treated to appear well
al. The time is actually easier to read in You can pull the large fluted crown aged. Light and dark areas over the
the dark, thanks to the Super-LumiNova out easily without using your fingernail. brown calfskin leather give the appear-
that covers the hands partially and the
hour numerals completely. The material
glows with an intense green color all
night. The subdials remain dark.
The case is quite attractive, due in THE TIME IS ACTUALLY EASIER TO READ
part to the polished facets on its lugs, a
recessed area for the crown, and pol- IN THE DARK, THANKS TO THE SUPER-
ished, shaped pushers. The spaces be-
tween the lugs are also polished.
LUMINOVA ON THE HANDS AND NUMERALS.
SCORES
ZENITH PILOT BIG DATE SPECIAL
Strap and clasp (max. 10 points):
The simple pronged buckle is a good
match for the nice calfskin strap but is
not well finished. 7
Operation (5): The crown and pushers
are easy to use but the lack of a hack
mechanism makes it impossible to set
the time precisely. 4
Case (10): The case has a nicely detailed
design and solid finishes. 8
Design (15): Pleasing variety of
attractive details but hard-to-read
big date display 11
Legibility (5): Numerous complicated
displays are difficult to read with low
contrast between the hands and dial.
Legibility is better at night. 3
Wearing comfort (10): The case fits the
wearer’s wrist almost as perfectly as the
supple strap and pronged buckle. 9
Movement (20): The nicely decorated
classic movement was improved with a
big date display that takes the place of
the hour counter. 16
Rate results (10): The average gain, maxi-
mum deviation in different positions and
amplitude drop between the horizontal
and vertical positions were all low. 9
Value (15): The watch is well priced for
a manufacture chronograph with a big
date display 13
TOTAL: 80 POINTS
TEST
Zenith Pilot Big Date Special
Terrasport I Chronograph
This chronograph represents a new addition to the Terrasport family by Mühle-Glashütte. It combines
the timeless instrument look with the well-proven qualities of Mühle chronographs. The design
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WT_STI_2013_Panerai_02 23.08.13 10:25 Seite 50
BY JENS KOCH
PHOTOS BY MARCUS KRÜGER, HAMBURG
Pros
+ Attractive design
+ Very good legibility
+ Manufacture movement
with long power reserve
Cons
– Plexiglas soon becomes
scratched.
– Mediocre rate results
WT_STI_2013_Panerai_02 23.08.13 10:26 Seite 51
TEST
Panerai Luminor 1950 3 Days 47 mm
T
6152/1 (ca. 1955)
SPECS
PANERAI LUMINOR 1950 3 DAYS 47 MM
TEST
Panerai Luminor 1950 3 Days 47 mm
SCORES
PANERAI LUMINOR 1950 3 DAYS 47 MM
Strap and clasp (max. 10 points):
The pronged buckle and the strap are
well crafted, and the prong is cleverly
shaped to prevent the thick strap from
being bent too severely. 8
Operation (5): The crown protector
doesn’t interfere with the crown’s
operation. The hour hand can be con-
veniently reset in hourly increments. 5
Case (10): The designers emulated the
historical model with tremendous fidelity
to detail. The craftsmanship is excellent,
but the Plexiglas crystal is susceptible to
scratches. 8
Design (15): A beautifully simple watch
has been re-created. 15
Legibility (5): Nothing interferes with
the legibility of the large, brightly
luminescent hands and markers. 4
Wearing comfort (10): Despite its size,
this watch is very comfortable on the
wrist. 9
Movement (20): Well-engineered Caliber
P.3000 is robust, has a long power
reserve and can be finely adjusted
without a regulator. The unostentatious
decorations are a good match for this
watch’s simple design. 16
Rate results (10): Large deviations
among the various positions prevent
us from giving a higher score, but the
average deviation is good and the
amplitude is adequate. 6
Overall value (15): The watch’s
craftsmanship, its in-house movement
and its demonstrated ability to hold or
increase its value over time (partly due
to the watch’s limited availability) justify
its rather high price. 12
TOTAL: 83 POINTS
Equipped with a balance bridge and two other large bridges, Caliber P.3000 is designed to be sturdy.
train and the other above the two barrels. A hole drilled in the onds for the greatest deviation of rate among the various posi-
latter enables a watchmaker to slacken the mainsprings via the tions. The amplitude in the hanging position was an acceptable
ratchet. 236 degrees.
The bridges have arabesque-like contours, in keeping with The movement has a useful feature: when you pull the
the watch’s overall vintage flavor, and the movement’s decora- crown out to its first position, you can reset the hour hand with-
tion also has an old-time look. The most noticeable embellish- out affecting the minutes hand. This way you can adjust the
ment is a tastefully unostentatious finish applied in precisely the watch quickly for Daylight Savings Time or when you travel
same direction on all three bridges. The rims of the sinks for the and change time zones. By pulling the crown out to its second
screws and the jewels are beveled, as are the edges of the position, you can set the minutes hand, and, as it rotates, the
bridges. It takes a strong loupe and good eyesight to see that the hour hand.
beveled edges aren’t polished, but only very precisely milled. The long, 3-day power reserve also deserves praise. The
Our timing machine revealed a mixed picture of the move- Rolex caliber in the 6152/1 had a power reserve of just 36
ment’s performance: irregularities in the rate became apparent hours. Nostalgically minded purists might protest that the new
only after some time had passed. The average deviation across watch should have the same power reserve as the old one did,
all positions was a satisfactory +2.5 seconds per day, but there but we’re more practically minded so we applaud this improve-
were large differences among the individual positions. The ex- ment. (Panerai ultimately replaced the Rolex calibers in its
tremes were +8 and –5 seconds per day, which resulted in 13 sec- 6152/1 with Angelus movements that had 8-day power reserves.
TEST
Panerai Luminor 1950 3 Days 47 mm
These watches are easy to recognize by the seconds subdials at moved. The watchmaker who helped us with this test suggested
9 o’clock.) that a bit of screw adhesive on the threading would have been a
We feel the same way about the transparent back. Though welcome addition, especially because this special glue continues
it’s true and also quite surprising that Panerai first introduced to serve its purpose even after the threaded fasteners have been
transparent backs as early as 1956, they were only used on screwed and unscrewed numerous times.
watches with Angelus calibers. The back of the PAM 372 is The strap buckle is different than the one on the original
made of sapphire crystal, but the old Angelus-fitted models had watch: it’s curved rather than straight. Many people who wore
Plexiglas backs. The engraving on the ring in the caseback has the 6152/1 bent the buckles so they would be less likely to snag.
remained unchanged: “Officine Panerai Brevettato.” (“Brevet- The clasp and the prong, which is quite broad, are milled and
tato” is Italian for “patented.”) very well made. The prong is shaped so that it barely bends the
The watch is quite comfortable to wear despite its size, strap when inserted in a hole. The clasp is satin finished, as on
thanks mostly to the low positioning of the lugs. The screwed the original.
crosspieces that attach the strap to the case have thick outer The PAM 372 sells for $10,400. That’s a tall stack of coins
bushings for greater security. for a watch with a hand-wound movement, no date display, no
The watch’s vintage appearance is underscored by a very seconds hand and no sapphire crystal. But the price is justified
thick, reddish-brown strap, which has pale contrasting stitching by the high quality of all the watch’s components and the well-
and no lacquer along its sides. The strap is quite stiff, but engineered Panerai caliber. Furthermore, this model is anything
nonetheless comfortable on the wrist. The watch comes with an but a shelf-warmer: Panerai is making 3,500 of these watches
additional leather strap that is lighter in color and more supple. (not 3,000, as was initially announced), but even that seems like
A screwdriver is also included. It’s easy to change the strap be- a drop in the bucket compared to demand. It’s not at all easy to
cause the crosspiece is screwed between each pair of lugs. The get your hands on this model. As a result, second-hand PAM
crosspiece of the buckle is also screwed and can be easily re- 372s sell for more than new ones.
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WT_STI_2013_IWC_03 23.08.13 10:35 Seite 58
PFlane
this version of the IWC Big
Pilot’s Watch incorporates
a cockpit rarity, a perpetual
calendar. See how the watch
fared in our test.
BY JENS KOCH
PHOTOS BY NIK SCHÖLZEL
and
anc y
58 WatchTime Tests 2013
WT_STI_2013_IWC_03 23.08.13 10:36 Seite 59
y Pros
+ Very attractive design
+ Scratch-resistant
ceramic case
+ Sophisticated
perpetual calendar
Cons
– The calendar displays
are hard to read.
– High price
TEST
IWC Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar Top Gun
TEST
IWC Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar Top Gun
SPECS
IWC BIG PILOT’S WATCH PERPETUAL
CALENDAR TOP GUN
SCORES
IWC BIG PILOT’S PERPETUAL
CALENDAR TOP GUN
Strap and clasp (max. 10 points):
The textile strap with inner leather and
bead-blasted steel clasp is neatly crafted
and secure. 9
Operation (5): The large screwed crown
is easy to pull out to quickly reset the
date and to stop the seconds hand; the
perpetual calendar needs no corrector
buttons. 5
Case (10): The well-crafted, silky, matte
ceramic case has an impressively scratch-
resistant surface . 9
Design (15): Some will like the truncated
hour numerals, others won’t, but the
numerous displays are as appropriate to
the style of a pilots’ watch as are the
black case and the textile strap. 14
Legibility (5): The calendar displays are With a big balance, a
hard to read at first glance. Despite the skeletonized rotor and
truncated numerals, the time is easy to pawl winding, the gigantic
manufacture movement
read day and night. 4
offers plenty of fine details
Wearing comfort (10): Except for the for a connoisseur to
crown, which can press uncomfortably admire.
against the back of its wearer’s hand if
the watch is worn low on the wrist, this
gigantic watch is surprisingly comfort-
able to wear. The soft inner leather in the
strap deserves some credit for this fact. 8
Movement (20): The well-engineered
manufacture movement offers a very
long power reserve, an interesting
graph perpetual calendar. (In that watch, the calendar module
winding mechanism and a sophisticated
was paired with a modified ETA 7750 chronograph caliber.) By
perpetual calendar. The finishing isn’t
the time Caliber 51614 debuted in the Portuguese Perpetual
quite as thorough as one would expect in
a haute horlogerie watch. 18
Calendar, in 2003, the moon-phase display on Klaus’s original
module, which was off by an unprecedented one day every 122
Rate results (10): The tested watch was
years, had been upgraded to its current level of precision.
quite accurately adjusted: the gain
The watch incorporates IWC’s Pellaton winding system, in
wasn’t too large and the amplitude was
which a rotor, borne on springs for better shock resistance, turns
strong. 8
a cam. Ruby rollers run along the moving cam, setting in motion
Overall value (15): Even though a a lever system and, with it, two pawls that turn a ratchet wheel.
perpetual calendar is never inexpensive, The energy so produced could keep the watch running for eight
and despite the watch’s high quality, the
days, but because the movement would become less precise on
price is too high. 9
its last day of running, when the energy level is low, the watch
TOTAL: 84 POINTS stops automatically after seven days.
TEST
IWC Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar Top Gun
The large two-spoke balance was pre-regulated via two The watch’s price, $38,600, could buy a midsized Mercedes
eccentric screws on the spokes and then finely adjusted by or an Audi, but few watches can be compared with this one.
means of four tiny square-headed screws on the balance wheel. However, IWC’s own Portuguese Perpetual Calendar in gold
Fine adjustment without a regulator allows the Breguet hair- with the same movement sells for less than this watch.
spring to breathe freely. High price will not dissuade you if you’ve become infatuat-
The watch we tested performed with strong amplitude and a ed with the watch’s cool, instrument-like styling. The perpetual
low average deviation of +4.5 seconds per day on the timing ma- calendar has been well integrated with the Big Pilot’s design and
chine. The greatest deviation among the various positions was the result is a very attractive cockpit watch. As IWC’s ad says,
six seconds, also an acceptable value. “Please pay attention to the other instruments in the cockpit.”
This movement has several attractive decorations, although What other instruments?
they are hidden behind the opaque caseback. The skeletonized
rotor has IWC and the company’s motto, Probus Scafusia (Latin
for “good solid craftsmanship from Schaffhausen”), embossed
in gold. A wavy pattern adorns the bridges, the steel parts are
satin finished, the wheels bear a sunburst pattern, and the sides
of the gears’ teeth are polished, as are the heads of the screws.
The edges of flat components are neither beveled nor polished,
a factor that significantly reduced the amount of manual labor
required.
Date-switching lever
Date wheel
Month-program wheel
Group
Effort
BY ALEXANDER LINZ
PHOTOS BY OK-PHOTOGRAPHY
Longines’s
Column Wheel
Chronograph
contains a
movement made
especially for the
brand by ETA, its
sister company in
the Swatch Group.
Pros
+ State-of-the-art chronograph
caliber
+ Near-perfect rate results
+ Attractive price
Cons
– Loose chronograph pushers
– Sharp lug edges
– Corrector button for setting
the date is too small.
WT_STI_2013_066_Longines_03 06.09.13 16:24 Seite 68
TEST
Longines Column Wheel Chronograph
SPECS
LONGINES COLUMN WHEEL
CHRONOGRAPH
the other end controls the clutch lever, moving it in a clockwise lifts the tip of the clutch lever again, which causes the clutch
direction, while the end of the clutch lever moves counterclock- lever to move slightly counterclockwise and then allows it to
wise. This is where we find the bearing of the oscillating pinion. move clockwise again. The oscillating pinion lifts away from the
It moves slightly to the right and allows the oscillating pinion chrono-runner. Simultaneously, the two locks come in contact
(driven by the fourth wheel) to mesh with the chrono-runner. As with the hour counter and the chrono-runner. This stops the
it does, the mechanism releases the lock for the hour counter chronograph mechanism and the elapsed time can be read from
and the chrono-runner, and the chronograph begins to run. An the watch dial. Pressing the pusher at 2 o’clock again will restart
intermediate wheel links the chrono-runner with the wheel for the process and make it possible to add an additional time
the minutes counter at 3 o’clock, which also begins to move. interval to the first.
The lifting of the lock also allows the hand of the hour counter The watch has no flyback function; you can reset the
at 6 o’clock, which is traditionally driven directly by the barrel, chronograph only by pushing the start-stop button at 2 o’clock
to gradually move. Pressing the pusher at 2 o’clock again caus- and then pushing the return-to-zero button at 4 o’clock. Doing
es the column wheel to turn back to the right. The next column so starts the following sequence: three reset cams, mounted on
Caliber L688.2 is a
modern chronograph
movement with
a column-wheel
mechanism. Its
decoration and finishes
are in line with this
watch’s price class.
TEST
Longines Column Wheel Chronograph
SCORES
LONGINES COLUMN
WHEEL CHRONOGRAPH
Strap and clasp (max. 10 points):
The crocodile strap and the buckle, with the pinions of the chronograph hand and minutes and hour
its Longines logo, are nicely finished. 8 counters, form the basis of the reset mechanism. During the re-
The dial has a
Operation (5): A fluted crown makes it refined, classic look, set process, hammers press on the cams. The hammers’ surfaces
easy to set the time. Smoothly operating but little contrast turn the cams so that at the end of the reset process the flat edges
chrono pushers. Date adjustment via between the hands lie along the flat, top side of the cams. Two operating levers ac-
push-button, which is too small and and dial colors. tivate the hammers. One of these moves the long reset lever for
requires use of special tool (included). 4 the chronograph hand and the minutes counter. A new innova-
Case (10): The looseness of the start-stop tion is the self-adjusting, two-armed reset hammer attached to
pushers and the sharp lower edges on the end for the chronograph hand and minutes counter. On the
the lugs detract from the otherwise end near the column wheel there is also a safety interlock which,
nicely finished case. 6 when the reset pusher is pressed, should fall in the gap between
Design (15): The classic-looking dial has two columns. If, however, a column is at this position, the reset
no striking features. 12 mechanism will be blocked in order to prevent an unintentional
Legibility (5): Good under normal operating error by the watch’s wearer. The second operating
lighting conditions but less legible under lever presses directly on the shorter, one-piece reset hammer for
bright and low light. Limited luminous the hour counter, but only when the reset mechanism has been
material. 3 released by the column wheel as described above. During the re-
Wearing comfort (10): Its diameter
set process the two locks are lifted. Only after the reset pusher is
(39 mm), thinness and light weight make released, and the chronograph hand returns to its starting posi-
this chronograph comfortable to wear. 9 tion, will the reset hammers return to their initial position and
the locks be reactivated.
Movement (20): ETA developed this
Longines’s decision to use a column wheel rather than a tra-
state-of-the-art chronograph movement
exclusively for Longines. For its price class,
ditional cam system to control the chronograph functions has
it is nicely decorated and finished. 15 both visual and technical advantages. The column wheel is cre-
ated in a complicated milling process that ensures less wear than
Rate results (10): Near-perfect rate
a cam system, since the load exerted by the clutch process is dis-
results and exceptional amplitudes in
tributed over six rotating columns as opposed to only two
every position, even when the chrono-
points. There’s another advantage: the lack of a shearing force
graph is running. During the wearing
test, the watch showed results that rival
caused by the rocking action of the cam system gives the process
those of a radio-controlled watch. 10 a smoother and more comfortable feel when you press the start-
stop and reset pushers.
Overall value (15): Once the minor
weaknesses of its case have been
WE COULD CERTAINLY appreciate the smooth operation of
corrected we will be able to call it “a lot
our test watch. The pressure point – which you feel when you
of watch at an attractively low price.” 13
push the chronograph buttons – is exactly what one would ex-
TOTAL: 80 POINTS
pect from a high-quality chronograph. Less satisfying was the
TEST
Longines Column Wheel Chronograph
THE WORLD OF
USA
India
Brazil
Germany
China
Korea
Japan
Poland
WatchTime is a subsidiary of Ebner Publishing of Germany, whose flagship watch magazines are WatchTime
(USA, India) and Chronos (Europe, Asia). Ebner also owns the 'Inside Basel.Geneva' event brand.
WT_STI_2013_TEST_FEST_Intro_02 23.08.13 10:50 Seite 75
CHRONO
TEST
If you like chronographs, and if you
like watch tests, the next 18 pages
should make you as happy as a
rattrapante at the New York
Marathon. Here, you’ll find seven
FEST
mini-tests of chronos plain and
fancy, large and, well, larger. Enjoy.
76
Baume & Mercier
Capeland
80
Frédérique Constant Vintage
Racing Chronograph 84
Hamilton Khaki
Field Officer
Auto Chrono
88
Porsche Design
P’6620 Dashboard 92 Montblanc Sport DLC
Chronograph Automatic
Movado Datron
94
90
Stowa Pilots’
Chronograph
WatchTime Tests 2013 75
WT_STI_2013_Baume_02 23.08.13 10:53 Seite 76
TESTS
7 Chronographs
BY JULIA KNAUT
PHOTOS BY OK-PHOTOGRAPHY
SPECS
BAUME & MERCIER CAPELAND
TESTS
7 Chronographs
Pros
+ Beautiful design
+ Excellent wearing
comfort
+ Good rate results
Cons
- Difficult quick date
adjustment
- High price
TESTS
7 Chronographs
Frédérique Constant
Vintage Racing Chronograph
BY ALEXANDER KRUPP
PHOTOS BY OK-PHOTOGRAPHY
Pros
+ Sporty retro design
+ Good rate results
+ Very high-quality
folding clasp
Cons
– Central hands are hard We like the sporty retro design of the
to read.
watch we tested, but what else does it of-
F
– The imitation crocodile
strap doesn’t match the fer? First, it has a Swiss-made self-wind-
automotive look. ing movement. The ETA 7750 has been
reworked to provide historical tri-com-
pax positioning of the subdials rather
than the conventional dial arrangement.
Frédérique Constant also removed the
movement’s date display, which gives the
dial perfect symmetry. One of the move-
ment’s visual highlights is the “Peking to
Paris” rotor with colorful engravings.
rédérique Constant has been the official Except for this attractive element, the
timekeeper and a supporter of numerous movement has no embellishment.
events celebrating classic Austin-Healey
cars since 2000. Recently Frédérique
Constant announced it is the official
timekeeper of the Peking to Paris Motor
Challenge, the most adventurous of all SCORES
endurance rallies for vintage cars. The FRÉDÉRIQUE CONSTANT
long-haul rally, first organized in 1907, VINTAGE RACING CHRONOGRAPH
covers some 9,000 miles and crosses
most of Asia and much of Europe on Strap and clasp (max. 10 points): 7
“roads” that are sometimes barely there. Operation (5): 4
More than 100 teams participate, some Case (10): 7
driving century-old cars. Design (15): 12
A watch that’s launched to honor
Legibility (5): 4
such a race should have a nostalgically
sporty design, a steel case and the ability Wearing comfort (10): 8
to measure the duration of driven Movement (20): 12
stretches. Frédérique Constant’s Vintage Rate results (10): 8
Racing Chronograph includes all of Overall value (15): 12
these features. The model in our test has
TOTAL: 74 POINTS
contrasting counters on the dial.
TESTS
7 Chronographs
The movement is well constructed $3,300 should not be fitted with an imi- SPECS
and the rate results are good. According tation crocodile strap. Frédérique Con-
to our timing machine, the tested watch’s stant’s affiliation with car rallies would FRÉDÉRIQUE CONSTANT
average daily gain was only 2.2 seconds. be better served by using a cowhide strap VINTAGE RACING CHRONOGRAPH
The greatest difference among the vari- pierced with holes, like the one the brand
Manufacturer: Frédérique Constant SA,
ous positions was not large: six seconds. uses in its Austin-Healey collection. Chemin du Champ des Filles 32, CH-1228
Long-term wearing tests in which we However, we like the well-constructed Plan-les-Ouates, Geneva, Switzerland
used the chrono several times a day folding clasp: the closure is sturdy and it Reference number: FC-396SB6B6
showed daily gains between 1.5 and 2.5 ensures that leather rather than metal
Functions: Hours, minutes, small seconds;
seconds. touches the inside of the wearer’s wrist. chronograph with 30-minute and 12-hour
A simple yet solidly crafted stainless- Safety pushers and an outer stirrup with a counters; stop-seconds function
steel case with two sapphire crystals sur- raised logo against a matte background Movement: Modified automatic ETA
rounds the movement and the well- complete the good overall impression of 7750 elaboré; 28,800 vph; 25 jewels; fine
crafted dial. The case is water resistant to this component. adjustment via regulator with eccentric
100 meters, so this watch will continue to We found only three minor shortcom- screw; Incabloc shock absorption;
tick merrily even after suffering the indig- ings in the Vintage Racing Chronograph: 42-hour power reserve; diameter =
30 mm, height = 7.9 mm
nity of being splattered with Mongolian the strap is imitation crocodile, the crown
mud kicked up by a car’s tires. However, is somewhat hard to grasp and there isn’t Case: Stainless steel, domed and
nonreflective sapphire crystal; six screws
the case’s rounded contours and polished enough contrast between the dial and the
hold back in place; back has a transparent
surfaces may not appeal to everyone. three central hands. But the watch’s price window of sapphire; water resistant to
The strap and clasp are well made, and its features definitely outweigh its 100 meters
but a luxurious watch that sells for nearly minor flaws. Strap and clasp: Embossed calfskin strap
with stainless-steel safety clasp
Rate results:
(Deviations in seconds per 24 hours)
One of the watch’s highlights is its “Peking to Paris” rotor. With chronograph switched off / on
Dial up -1 / -2
Dial down +5 / +3
Crown up +1 / +1
Crown down +3 / +3
Crown left 0 / -2
Crown right +5 / +6
Greatest deviation of rate 6/8
Average deviation +2.2 / +1.5
Average amplitude:
Flat positions 301° / 284°
Hanging positions 275° / 255°
Dimensions: Diameter = 43 mm,
height = 14.5 mm; weight = 121 g
Limited edition: 1,888 pieces
Price: $3,275
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TESTS
7 Chronographs
BY JULIA KNAUT
PHOTOS BY OK-PHOTOGRAPHY
Pros
+ Solid craftsmanship
+ Good wearing comfort
Cons
– Mediocre rate results
– Daytime legibility could
be better.
SPECS
HAMILTON KHAKI FIELD
OFFICER AUTO CHRONO
TESTS
7 Chronographs
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AND 3 MO
RE
37ARRETVIC
IELW
ES
PPAAGGEESSOOF FROM THE
F WATCH
May 2013
TIME
BY ALEXANDER KRUPP
PHOTOS BY OK-PHOTOGRAPHY
Pros
+ Harmonious,
understated design
+ Nicely fluted crown
and pushers
+ Finely decorated
movement
Cons
- Time displays are not
perfectly legible.
- Date cannot be changed
using the crown.
TESTS
7 Chronographs
TESTS
7 Chronographs
Stowa Pilots’
Chronograph BY ALEXANDER KRUPP
PHOTO BY OK-PHOTOGRAPHY
Pros
+ Distinctive design
+ Good cost-to-benefit
ratio
+ Very legible both day
and night
Cons
– Too much force is
needed to operate the
crown and push-pieces.
TESTS
7 Chronographs
DATRON
the various positions: nine seconds with
Pros the chronograph off and 10 seconds with
+ Well-adapted retro it on. The movement is a pleasure to be-
design hold with its various decorative patterns,
+ Cleanly crafted blued screws, and the brand’s own rotor
fitted with the ETA 2894. Because of the with a red “M” for “Movado.”
Cons change, two of the subdials have swapped The stiffly running start-stop button is
– Legibility not ideal places: the running seconds is now at 3 problematic; you have to push it hard.
– No built-in extension
o’clock and the 30-minute counter at 9 The crown, on the other hand, works very
piece to lengthen
bracelet o’clock. The subdials now overlap; they smoothly.
didn’t on the original. The date window is The bracelet is well made and attrac-
also different: it is now round instead of tively finished. Unfortunately, it does not
rectangular, an allusion to the dot at 12 have a built-in extension piece, a useful
o’clock found on Movado’s best-known feature when your wrist swells in the heat.
model, the Museum Watch. You can adjust the bracelet yourself, but it
Legibility isn’t the Datron’s strongest requires a watchmakers’ tool and plenty
n 1970, Movado introduced an au-
I
feature. Its silver-colored hands aren’t al- of force. Once you find the right length,
tomatic chronograph called the ways instantly visible above the subdials, the watch can be quite comfortable. There
Datron, which had an oval case which are also silvery. The round calendar are, however, a few sharp edges on the
and a date display in an unusual aperture requires that the numerals be bracelet and clasp.
position, at 12 o’clock. For the smaller than they would be if the display The Datron is a tribute to ’70s styling.
Datron’s 40th anniversary, in 2010, the were rectilinear. Furthermore, its position Watch fans with a weakness for historical
company brought out a commemorative at 12 o’clock means that the chronograph models will enjoy this one, which retails
version of the watch, preserving many of seconds hand sits directly on top of the for $2,995.
the original model’s features but changing date when the chronograph is not run-
others. ning. The dial is nonetheless well crafted,
The case shape is the same, as are the as is the case. SCORES
mushroom-shaped push-pieces, the hands, The watch we tested performed very
MOVADO DATRON
and the luminous baton indices. The date well on both the timing machine and the
display remains at 12 o’clock, and the wrist, despite the fact that the movement Strap and clasp (max. 10 points): 7
three subdials retain their contrasting is of the basic “elaboré” grade. The aver- Operation (5): 4
color scheme. age daily rate was about +3 seconds Case (10): 8
The movement, however, is different. whether the chronograph was switched
Design (15): 13
The original Datron contained the Zenith on or off. We subtracted a few points be-
El Primero, one of the world’s first auto- cause of the rather large deviations among Legibility (5): 3
matic chronographs, which was launched Wearing comfort (10): 7
in 1969. (Zenith acquired the Movado Movement (20): 12
brand the same year. In 1983, Gedalio Rate results (10): 7
Grinberg bought Movado, and it eventu-
Overall value (15): 12
ally became the flagship of the now pub-
licly held Movado Group.) The new one is TOTAL: 73 POINTS
SPECS
MOVADO DATRON
Montblanc
Sport DLC Chronograph Automatic
BY ALEXANDER KRUPP
Pros
+ High-quality
craftsmanship
+ Easy to read
Cons
– Basic movement
– Wearing comfort
and ease of use
less than ideal
TESTS
7 Chronographs
SPECS
M ontblanc has been making complicated
watches containing in-house movements for
several years. But it continues to introduce
less expensive watches that house standard
calibers. The Sport DLC Chronograph
Automatic, fitted with the ETA 7750, is a
particularly distinctive example of such a
watch. Its case is coated with scratch-resis-
tant diamond-like carbon (DLC) and it’s
water resistant to 200 meters. If you’re wear-
seen at a glance. But the luminous material
on the three smaller hands is too much of a
good thing; these hands glow so brightly
they distract from the primary time display
when you’re trying to tell the time in the
dark.
A solid caseback conceals the watch’s in-
ner workings. Montblanc uses the basic
“elaboré” version of the ETA 7750. The pre-
cision requirements for this grade are a little
MONTBLANC SPORT DLC
ing the stainless-steel-bracelet or rubber- less stringent than for ETA’s “top” and
CHRONOGRAPH AUTOMATIC
strap version of the watch, you won’t have to “chronometer” grades. The movement has
Manufacturer: Montblanc Montre S.A., worry about close encounters with water. been left unembellished except for blued
Chemin des Tourelles, CH-2400 On the other hand, if the dressier, matte alli- screws and the rotor’s wavy finishing. As you
Le Locle, Switzerland gator-skin strap on the model we tested were can see from the “Specs” box, this watch ran
Reference number: 104279 to get wet, it might not fare so well. quite regularly on our timing machine,
Functions: Hours, minutes, small The Sport Automatic Chronograph where it posted a very slight daily gain. Ditto
seconds; chronograph with counters for comes with a unidirectional divers’ bezel that for its performance on the wrist: a very
30 elapsed minutes and 12 elapsed clicks precisely into place when rotated. The accurate rate with a loss of just one second
hours; date; stop-seconds function
watch’s flat sapphire crystal has nonreflec- per day.
Movement: ETA 7750 elaboré, tive treatment on both sides, and the date dis- Despite its laudable rate results, the
automatic chronograph; 28,800 vph;
play is magnified by a built-in lens. The watch’s simple and mostly unadorned move-
25 jewels; Incabloc shock absorption;
Etachron fine adjustment via regulator; crown is threaded and well protected, and ment makes its price of $6,105 somewhat
48-hour power reserve; diameter = the Montblanc logo is embossed in the center too high. The nearly perfect case, the well-
30 mm, height = 7.9 mm of the fully threaded, DLC-coated steel back. crafted and multilevel dial and the solidly
Case: Black DLC-coated stainless steel, flat The arcing lugs have tiered edges, which built strap all deserve a “top” rather than an
sapphire crystal is nonreflective on both have been attractively crafted. The side of the “elaboré” movement. Nevertheless, the
sides, built-in magnifying lens above the case opposite the crown is adorned with a Sport DLC Chronograph Automatic is the
date display, fully threaded back made of complex engraving of the word “Mont- embodiment of sportiness and luxury.
DLC-coated stainless steel; water resistant blanc.” The case’s only shortcoming is that
to 200 meters
the matte surface of the bezel makes finger-
Strap and clasp: Alligator strap with SCORES
prints or dust readily visible.
safety folding clasp
The Sport DLC Chronograph Automat- MONTBLANC SPORT DLC
Rate results:
ic is robust in more ways than one. Weak- CHRONOGRAPH AUTOMATIC
(Deviations in seconds per 24 hours) fingered would-be wearers should beware:
With chronograph switched off / on Strap and clasp (max. 10 points): 8
the push-pieces require near-lethal force
Dial up 0 / -1 before they budge, and the crown, while easy Operation (5): 3
Dial down +1 /+1 to unscrew, can be tough to pull out. The 16- Case (10): 9
Crown up 0 / +2 mm-thick case and the sharp-angled, triple- Design (15): 13
Crown down +3 / +3 folding clasp also give wearing comfort a
Legibility (5): 4
Crown left -2 / -2 back seat to virility.
In terms of quality, the clasp is impecca- Wearing comfort (10): 7
Crown right +4 / +5
ble: its construction is solid, it opens and Movement (20): 12
Greatest deviation of rate 6/7
closes securely, and it has a well-crafted clo- Rate results (10): 8
Average deviation +1 / +1.3
sure stirrup that has the same tiered edges as Overall value (15): 11
Average amplitude: the lugs. The clasp is a good match for the
Flat positions 286° / 269° TOTAL: 75 POINTS
neatly sewn alligator strap and its cleanly
Hanging positions 258° / 243°
glued edges.
Dimensions: Diameter = 44 mm, height = Although the watch is not especially
16 mm, weight = 159 grams
user-friendly or comfortable, its legibility is Want to read more
Variations: Non-coated stainless steel: praiseworthy. The rhodium-plated hands are watch tests? Scan
with black dial and rubber strap ($4,100) here to access our
well proportioned and have ample luminosi-
or with black dial and stainless-steel online archive of
bracelet ($4,300) ty, the magnifying lens makes the date dis- tests and reviews.
play easy to read, and the markers on the http://www.watchtime.
Price: $6,105
elapsed-time counters are sharp and can be com/category/reviews/
Pros
+ Comfortable to wear
+ Well crafted
+ Good manufacture caliber
Cons
– Design not completely
consistent
– Maximum deviation too high
TEST
Chopard Classic Manufacture
SPECS
CHOPARD CLASSIC MANUFACTURE
TEST
Chopard Classic Manufacture
SCORES
CHOPARD CLASSIC MANUFACTURE
Strap and clasp (max. 10 points):
The crocodile strap is hand sewn and the
pronged buckle is elaborately crafted. 9
Operation (5): The crown is easy to
operate. Both the time and the date can
be quickly reset thanks to a stop-seconds
function for the seconds hand and a
rapid-reset mechanism for the date. 5
Case (10): The polished case is well craft-
ed, but a watchmaker’s screwdriver left
tool marks on the screws in the back. 8
Design (15): The elegant and
understated appearance is a good
match for a tasteful business suit; the
addition of a date display sacrifices
elegance for convenience. 12
Legibility (5): Thanks to the dial’s high
contrast, the time is easy to read,
although the dial lacks a minutes circle
and the hands are not coated with
luminous material. 4
Wearing comfort (10): With its light
weight, moderate diameter and softly The handsome gold buckle is
supple strap, this watch can hardly be elaborately crafted, with a
felt on the wrist. 10 milled prong, inset screws
and raised-relief engraving.
Movement (20): The new movement is
well engineered, adequately embellished
and still closely related to the L.U.C
calibers. 15
Rate results (10): A little too much
deviation among the various positions
detracts from otherwise good average
deviation. 7
Overall value (15): The expected price
advantage compared to the higher-end
L.U.C models wasn’t achieved, but the
price is in line with all this watch offers. 12
TOTAL: 82 POINTS
T H R O U G H CHIC
K E L E T O N S : SEE-
S ATCHES
ZINE OF FINE W
THE MAGA
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TESTS &
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A YEA 7
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TIME
AND AGAIN
Girard-Perregaux’s Vin
tage 1945 XXL brings
styling and technology modern
to a World War II-era
classic. Here,
we see how well it stan
ds our test of time.
BY ALEXANDER KRUPP
PHOTOS BY NIK SCHÖLZEL
TEST
Girard-Perregaux Vintage 1945 XXL
s its name suggests, the Girard-Perregaux shape of the case, with its triangular lugs
Vintage 1945 XXL is a jumbo-sized ver- and mid-section curved in both the north-
sion of a watch that G-P launched in south and east-west directions, makes it
1945. With a width of 35 mm and a difficult to manufacture. The crystal,
length of 36 mm (not including the lugs), which is made of sapphire and, like the
the case is so big that it would extend be- case sides, is curved in both directions, is
yond the curvature of most people’s also hard to make. Many companies that
wrists if the sides of its case did not arch manufacture highly curved watches use
downward. The clumsy feeling would be Plexiglas or other plastics for their watch
magnified when you tried to slip the crystals because it is easier to work with.
watch under your shirt cuff. G-P ends up rejecting many of the crystals
But, in fact, our tested watch is because of imperfections.
extremely comfortable to wear. It posi- The watch contains the manufacture
tively wraps itself around your wrist, be Caliber GP3300, which has automatic
it thick or thin. Considering how well the winding, a Glucydur balance that won’t
watch fits, it’s surprising to see that the react to temperature changes and a
rectangular caseback is flat, although it’s height of just 3.2 mm. The movement is
beveled on the long sides. The two pairs quite traditional in its structure but it has
of downwardly curved lugs enhance the very attractive embellishments: the rotor
good fit. The leather strap follows the arc is adorned with a snail-shaped pattern
begun by the lugs, and has very little and the engraving is inlaid with gold;
give, conforming well to the shape of fine circular graining decorates the
your wrist. bridge of the automatic winding mecha-
This new watch is more elegant than nism; the surrounding bridges have
its predecessor thanks to its dial, which Geneva waves and golden engravings;
has a satin finish, arching applied hour and circular graining can be seen on the
indices and dauphine hands. The original movement’s lower levels. All screws (but
model had sportier, luminous hour and for the two at the outer edge that hold
minutes hands. the movement) are blued, except for the
The hands on the new model are slits in their heads. And nearly all the
slightly faceted. The tip of the minutes edges of the flat components are both
hand curves downward to minimize beveled and polished.
parallax. All of these rich embellishments can
Girard-Perregaux spared no expense be seen through a perfectly sized pane of
giving this watch its dramatic, three- sapphire in the caseback. Just large
dimensional appearance. The unusual enough to reveal the entire movement,
Pros
+ Well-crafted manufacture
wristwatch
+ Appealing design
+ Very comfortable to wear
Cons
– The time cannot be read
with to-the-minute accuracy.
– Varying rate results
– High price
TEST
Girard-Perregaux Vintage 1945 XXL SPECS
GIRARD-PERREGAUX VINTAGE 1945 XXL
Manufacturer: Girard-Perregaux, Place
Girardet 1, CH-2301 La Chaux-de-Fonds,
Switzerland
Reference number: 25880-11-121-BB6A
Functions: Hours, minutes, small seconds,
stop-seconds function
Movement: GP3300, automatic; 28,800
vph, 32 jewels, fine adjustment via lateral
THE AVERAGE DAILY screw, Kif shock absorption, Glucydur
balance, 48-hour power reserve; diameter
RATE WAS NEARLY = 26.2 mm, height = 3.2 mm
Case: Stainless steel; highly curved
PERFECT BUT THE sapphire crystal is nonreflective on its
inner surface; four screws hold caseback
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN with pane of sapphire; water resistant to
THE VARIOUS POSITIONS 30 meters
Strap and clasp: Alligator strap with
WAS A FULL 10 SECONDS. stainless-steel folding clasp
Rate results:
(Deviations in seconds per 24 hours) this window extends ex-
Dial up +6 actly to the lateral bevels
Dial down +8 on the back of the case.
Crown up –2
A Witschi timing ma-
chine showed varying re-
Crown down +3
sults for the watch’s rate.
Crown left –1 The average daily rate
The alligator
Crown right +3 was nearly perfect, with
strap is very Greatest deviation 10 a gain of just 2.8 sec-
comfortable but
Average deviation +2.8
onds. (For safety’s sake,
rather simply a well-regulated watch
made. Mean amplitude:
should run about two
Flat positions 285° seconds fast.) The great-
Hanging positions 257° est deviation among the
Dimensions: 35 mm x 36 mm, height = various positions was
10.8 mm; weight = 77 g less satisfactory: there
Variations: Rose gold, $27,650 was a full 10 seconds’
difference between the
Price: $9,860
“dial down” and “crown
up” positions. Depending on how the
watch is actually worn, such a large dis-
crepancy could result in big timing errors.
During our wearing test, the watch
lost four seconds per 24 hours when left
overnight in the usual position, with its
crown pointing upward, but it remained
perfectly in sync with our radio-controlled
clock when we placed it on the nightstand
with its crown down. It also remained
completely in sync with the clock when
worn overnight, which is an option given
how comfortable it is to wear.
One more note on comfort: the fold-
ing clasp scarcely rubs at all yet is sturdy
enough to feel secure. Its drawbacks are
that it has no buttons to open it with and
that the G-P logo is only superficially
laser-cut into its outer stirrup. A jeweler
Pros
+ Good rate results
HY
R AP + Elaborately crafted case
G + Well-balanced design
T OTO
AU -PH Cons
KN OK
LIA BY – Poor legibility
JU OS – Simple strap and clasp
Y
B OT
PH
TEST
Carl F. Bucherer Manero CentralChrono
SPECS
CARL F. BUCHERER MANERO
CENTRALCHRONO
TEST
Carl F. Bucherer Manero CentralChrono
SCORES
CARL F. BUCHERER MANERO
CENTRALCHRONO
Strap and clasp (max. 10 points):
Lacquer flakes off the strap and the
underside is easily separated from the
rest of the leather strap; the buckle is
simply made. 6 ber 2079. The movement, beautifully THE MANERO
Operation (5): The crown and push- decorated, is visible through a sapphire
pieces operate smoothly; the strap tapers window in the caseback. CENTRALCHRONO
toward its ends and slides easily into This caliber isn’t merely handsome: it
the buckle. 5 also performs with impressively good BOASTS GOOD
rate results. We used a Witschi timing
Case (10): The case is very well crafted;
machine and found a small average daily
LOOKS AND
the push-pieces and the crown are firmly
installed; the lower edge of the case is gain of slightly less than three seconds GOOD RATE
somewhat sharp. 9 with the chronograph switched off. The
Design (15): Harmonious dial design;
greatest deviation among all six positions PERFORMANCE.
was four seconds. We were pleased to
the case offers pleasant surprises with
find that these values remained nearly un-
shaped sides and refined decorative
patterns. 14
changed when we switched the chrono-
graph on. Our rate test on the wrist The strap tapers toward its ends and
Legibility (5): The polished hands and
showed somewhat less regular results: the is extremely supple: it’s very easy to slip
indices are highly reflective and the
watch lost two seconds after being worn the strap into the buckle and secure it
markings are quite small; elements that
one day, but gained four seconds the with the prong. The rounded contours of
have been coated with luminous material
gleam dimly in the dark. 3
second day. the caseback, the ergonomically shaped
Unfortunately, the simple lacquered buckle and the watch’s low overall weight
Wearing comfort (10): Good wearing
crocodile strap isn’t on a par with the of 108 grams add to the wearing comfort.
comfort thanks to low weight,
elaborately crafted dial and case. The This brand obviously has high ambi-
rounded bottom and ergonomically
strap is padded and the craftsmanship is tions, which it expresses not only in its
shaped clasp 9
mostly clean, but the details reveal sev- products, but also in its prices, which rival
Movement (20): The time-honored ETA eral shortcomings: the slightest rubbing those of better-known manufacturers. On
2892 in the “Top” version is upgraded causes lacquer to flake off and the leather the other hand, using a standard caliber
with an interesting Dubois Dépraz
on the underside separates from the rest with an additional module, this watch
module and attractive embellishment. 14
of the strap. offers an unconventional central display
Rate results (10): The rate results are The pronged buckle is as simply made for elapsed minutes. Furthermore, the
very good whether the chronograph is as the strap. It’s crafted from polished chronograph showed very good rate
switched on or off. 9 stainless steel, but its only embellishment results. And the Manero CentralChrono
Overall value (15): The price is high, is an engraving of the Bucherer logo. Its tops all this off with a handsome and dis-
but this watch offers several interesting milled prong seems a bit too slender for tinctive design. Considering all these
extras. 11 the massive buckle, but the pin fits firmly advantages, the $7,100 price tag seems
TOTAL: 80 POINTS inside its hole in the strap. neither too low nor exorbitantly high.
w
fared in our intense test.
I
Ne
rI
he
re
gt
BY JENS KOCH
PHOTOS BY NIK SCHÖLZEL
rin
plo
plo
Ex
Ex
Pros
+ Very well crafted
+ Terrific manufacture
caliber
+ Easy-to-use second
time zone
Cons
– High price
– The magnifier above
the date seldom
improves legibility.
TEST
Rolex Explorer II
SPECS
ROLEX OYSTER PERPETUAL EXPLORER II
TEST
Rolex Explorer II SCORES
ROLEX EXPLORER II
Bracelet and clasp (max. 10 points): The
safety folding clasp and steel bracelet are
The watch is equipped with Rolex’s threaded Twinlock very well made, sturdy and good-looking. 9
crown and is water resistant to 100 meters. The crown is well Operation (5): The crown is easy to grasp
protected on either side yet is easy to unscrew. After you pull it and to use, the date can be quickly reset
out to its first position, you can turn it to wind the barrel as usu- and the stop-seconds function facilitates
al. Pull it out a bit farther and you can use it to reset the hour accurate time setting. 5
hand in hourly increments. (The seconds hand keeps running Case (10): The well-crafted steel case could
while you reset the hour hand.) This function is very helpful have greater water resistance for an
when you travel to a different time zone because the 24-hour expedition watch, but the threaded crown
hand continues to indicate the time at home. If you advance the adds an extra measure of security. 9
hour hand across the date line, the date display automatically Design (15): A successful design, but not a
jumps one day forward or back. Since it can advance or retreat timeless classic. Typical Rolex features have
as needed, resetting is almost as quick as on a watch with a full- been modernized and are juxtaposed with
fledged quick-reset mechanism for the date display. Finally, if retro elements. 12
you pull the crown out to its third position, you can turn it to Legibility (5): The large hands and indices
adjust the minutes hand: repositioning this hand also moves the are legible but do not contrast greatly
24-hour hand and the regular hour hand. with the white dial. The blue luminous ma-
terial continues to glow for a long time. 4
Wearing comfort (10): Comfortable on
Perfect craftsmanship is evident on the bezel, the wrist thanks to the narrow bracelet
which has sunburst brushing and polished sides. and its curved links. We also like the built-
in extension piece in the clasp. 10
Movement (20): The well-constructed
manufacture movement has been
improved with Rolex’s own shock
absorbers and hairspring. The
embellishments deserve a close look. 18
Rate results (10): Small average gain; the
rate is within COSC standards, but our six-
position test found a high deviation
among the various positions. 8
Overall value (15): Although the price is
high, the owner gets a very high-quality
watch. 13
TOTAL: 88 POINTS
The clasp, too, is easy to use. First you pivot the safety stir-
rup back and then you can open the sprung lever of the folding
clasp. This construction is also extremely rugged. The clasp con-
tains a concealed detail that’s very useful for a steel bracelet: an
integrated 5-mm (3/16-inch) extension pivots out easily. Unlike
a rubber or leather strap, a steel bracelet has no “give,” so it
doesn’t stretch when your wrist swells in hot weather or after
vigorous activity. The extension piece is exactly what you need
to keep the bracelet comfortable. It is designed so that even in its
folded-out position, you can’t tell the difference between it and
the rest of the bracelet.
The smooth back of the case and especially the convex links
of the bracelet (which won’t pull the hairs off your wrist), con-
tribute to good wearing comfort. The bracelet tapers somewhat
toward the clasp, which adds to the wearing comfort because a
wide steel bracelet can sometimes cut painfully into the wrist
BACKGROUND PHOTO: FOTOLIA / TYLER OLSON
when you move quickly.
TEST
Rolex Explorer II
Photo
courtesy of
Antiquorum
components. Some of the changes are visible only to the trained
eye, while others are more noticeable. The changes include modifi-
cations to fonts used on dials and bezels, updates to the Oyster
bracelet, changes to the shape of the Rolex crown on the dial, and a
change to the seconds hand from the original straight or “needle”
shape to one with small circles or dots on the short and long ends
to aid legibility.
The original model was available only with a black dial, and, like
all Explorers to this day, only in stainless steel.
In 1982, the model 16550 replaced the 1655, and the new
version brought significant changes. Important technical updates
included a sapphire crystal and a new Caliber 3085 movement
with an independently adjustable 24-hour hand that enabled the
Explorer II to track two time zones.
The trademark “big orange hand” was replaced by a long, slen-
der red hand with a smaller luminous triangle at the tip, while the
primary hour hand adopted the Rolex skeleton or “Mercedes” style.
The satinized bezel featured larger, bolder numbers.
The new Explorer II model 16550 was also available with black
or white dials. Some of the new dials did not age as well as others.
Over time, white dials turned a pleasing cream color, and some
black dials developed small surface cracks. The latter came to be
known by collectors as “spider web” dials. The 16570 brought
subtle upgrades,
including an
improved movement.
Pros
+ Eye-catching design
+ Impeccable
craftsmanship
+ Comfortable on the wrist
+ Innovative material
Cons
– Less than ideal legibility
– Irregular rate
SHADES
OF
With its shiny, lightweight, titanium-
ceramic case, Chanel’s J12 Chromatic
is a triumph of form. Now we see how
it functions.
TEST
Chanel J12 Chromatic
SPECS
CHANEL J12 CHROMATIC
TEST
Chanel J12 Chromatic
SCORES
CHANEL J12 CHROMATIC
Bracelet and clasp (max. 10 points):
The bracelet is made of titanium-
ceramic and is very well crafted, but it
shows smudges easily; this type of
sturdy double-folding clasp is made
only by Chanel. 9
Operation (5): The folding clasp is easy
to grasp and operate, but only after
some practice. 4
Case (10): Thoroughly well crafted and
highly water resistant; the caseback is
unfortunately not made of ceramic. 9
Design (15): The lavishly detailed design
is harmonious and looks very elegant in
combination with the shimmery color
scheme. 14
Legibility (5): Low contrast between the
dial, hands and hour numerals, together
with the long counterweight on the sec-
onds hand, detract from the legibility. 3
Wearing comfort (10): Very pleasant to
wear thanks to the polished surfaces and
titanium-ceramic case, which quickly
warms to skin temperature. 9
Movement (20): A tried-and-true, large-
series ETA 2892 without adornment. 10
Rate results (10): The timing machine
and the wearing test both recorded only
a minimal daily gain, but the greatest
difference among the several positions
was very large. 7
Overall value (15): Manufacture watches
are offered in this price range, but the
unusual case material makes this time-
piece special in its design and its feel. 12
TOTAL: 77 POINTS
TEST
Audemars Piguet Extra-Thin Royal Oak 39MM
TEST
Audemars Piguet Extra-Thin Royal Oak 39MM
A loupe is needed to fully appreciate the complexity of the ramolayé technique on the Royal Oak’s dial.
A watchmaker from Wempe’s service department examining the Royal Oak we used in our test
The parts of the case after the movement has been removed
The beautifully
embellished
Caliber 2121
TEST
Audemars Piguet Extra-Thin Royal Oak 39MM
The balance wheel has six weights for fine adjustment. The diagram on the balance bridge shows
which way to turn the weights to adjust the rate.
sheet metal and some tiny scratches can four tiny ruby rollers that are borne in
be seen on them, so these parts don’t look their own bridges. This generates a dis-
quite as finely made as they should. The tinctive yet very restrained sound.
date ring is borne on four rubies. The bar- Circular graining adorns the under-
rel is fastened on only one side: this “fly- side of the rotor. Indeed, all of the move-
THE EXTRA-THIN ing” (cantilevered) construction is a small ment’s components boast embellishments
sacrifice that must be made to achieve on their undersides. The staffs of the bal-
SHARES ONE ultra-thinness. ance and the escape wheel each have Kif
IMPORTANT But a flying barrel isn’t the only trick shock absorbers on both ends. The hair-
that Audemars Piguet’s designers and en- spring can breathe freely because fine ad-
FEATURE WITH ITS gineers dreamed up to make the move- justments can be made with the aid of six
ment so slender. Another is the rotor that tiny weights along the rim of the balance,
FOREBEAR FROM glides atop ruby rollers rather than run- which oscillates at the uncommon fre-
ning on conventional ball bearings. To quency of 19,800 vph.
1972: ITS VERY prevent the rotor from striking against its The bridges for the self-winding
bridges, it’s screwed to a ring that extends mechanism and for the escape wheel are
HIGH PRICE. around the entire movement and runs on under the rotor. Ceramic ball bearings
(Continued on page 140)
TEST
Audemars Piguet Extra-Thin Royal Oak 39MM
TEST
Audemars Piguet Extra-Thin Royal Oak 39MM
SCORES
AUDEMARS PIGUET
EXTRA-THIN ROYAL OAK 39MM
Bracelet and clasp (max. 10 points):
Excellent craftsmanship and elaborate
construction 10
Operation (5): The crown is easy to use,
but there’s no rapid-reset mechanism for
the date display. 4
Case (10): Perfect craftsmanship meets
interesting construction. 10
Design (15): A successful and faithfully
detailed reconstruction of the original
model; the Royal Oak is regarded as an
icon of watch design. 15
Legibility (5): Very good contrast
between the hands and the dial;
luminous substance enhances
nighttime legibility. 5
Wearing comfort (10): Pleasant,
lightweight and flat on the wrist,
but a mechanism to adjust the
bracelet’s length on hot days would
be a welcome addition. 9
Movement (20): Very slender,
handsomely decorated movement
with freely breathing hairspring 17
WATER
BABIES
BY ALEXANDER KRUPP
PHOTOS BY OK-PHOTOGRAPHY
COMPARATIVE TEST
Divers’ Watches
ORIS SPECS
TUBBATAHA LIMITED EDITION
T
the dark and the motion of the seconds
pine reef that Oris is helping to hand is also clearly visible, even in murky 38-hour power reserve
preserve, the new Tubbataha water, so this hand can also be used to Case: Titanium case with domed sapphire
Limited Edition bears a strong show that the watch is still running. The crystal that’s nonreflective on the inside;
ceramic bezel; fully threaded titanium
resemblance to the brand’s Master Diver. orange used for the minutes hand, the in-
back with printed mineral crystal inset;
Like that watch, this one is a regulator, dices and the dots on the bezel changes to water resistant to 500 meters
meaning that it has a central minutes a bright, luminous yellow when the lights
Bracelet and clasp: Titanium bracelet;
hand and subdials for the hours and sec- go out, thus further increasing the already folding clasp with safety buttons and
onds. This arrangement works well on a bold contrast. quick-release extension
divers’ watch because the minute is the The bezel has scratch-resistant ceram- Rate results:
most important unit of time for a diver ic inlays. The watch’s face wasn’t
(Deviations in seconds per 24 hours)
while he’s under water. Oris modified the scratched at all during our diving test. The
Dial up +7
Master Diver’s dial for the Tubbataha, only scratches appeared on the sides of
moving the subdials to a symmetrical the case and on the clasp. Dial down +8
arrangement except for a slightly enlarged Crown up +8
hour display. They also made the minutes Crown down +9
hand wider and gave it an eye-catching, Crown left +7
arrow shape. Crown right +8
What pleases the diver, however, may Greatest deviation of rate 2
not suit the landlubber: the minutes are Average deviation +7.8
very legible, but enlarging the minutes
Average amplitude:
hand makes it more difficult to read the
Flat positions 316°
hours. This caused us to deduct a few
points from the Tubbataha’s score on our Hanging positions 294°
test. The subdials gleam an intense blue in Dimensions: Diameter = 46 mm,
height = 16.5 mm, weight = 150 grams
Variations: With rubber strap ($2,800)
Limited edition of 2,000 pieces
Price: $3,000
Pros
+ Ceramic bezel clicks firmly into
position.
+ High contrast on the dial and bezel
+ Well-made divers’ extension piece
for the bracelet
Con
– Bezel has minutes subdivisions
around just one quadrant.
Pros
+ Ceramic bezel
clicks firmly into
place.
+ Rubber strap can
be lengthened
easily.
The crystal is highly
reflective and the stripes
of luminous material Con
on the hands are too – Time of day and
narrow. the dive time are
hard to read
under water.
SPECS
SEAMASTER PLANET OCEAN
COMPARATIVE TEST
Divers’ Watches
in turbulent or murky water. If you de- fracts under water. The front crystal is SCORES
scend to darker depths, the luminous highly reflective: if you turn the watch
paint on the hands is too sparse to assure even slightly, the dial you could read a SEAMASTER PLANET OCEAN
absolute clarity. moment ago can change into a totally re- 600M CO-AXIAL
The paint itself shines very brightly flective surface. Bracelet and clasp (max. 10 points): 8
and the minutes hand, unlike all the oth- This effect disappears entirely when Operation (5): 4
er displays, glows yellow rather than you return to the water’s surface, where
Case (10): 9
green. The indices are nice and wide, too. you can view the face from the side to en-
These features combine to make the time joy the three-dimensional look of the di- Design (15): 14
very easy to read on land both day and al, which has applied indices and an ap- Legibility (5): 4
night. The poor legibility only occurs un- plied logo. We weren’t so happy with the Wearing comfort (10): 8
der water, so the watch’s legibility re- black date disk: it’s the only element that Movement (20): 18
ceived an overall rating of “good” in our doesn’t match the blue of the rest of the
Rate results (10): 8
test. watch.
Another shortcoming – and one that The date display can be reset back- Overall value (15): 13
we found on nearly all of our test watch- ward if necessary, rather than having to TOTAL: 86 POINTS
es – is the crystal’s inability to compen- move it dozens of days forward. It jumps
sate for the peculiar way that light re- forward to tomorrow or back to yester-
day as necessary when you set the hour
hand forward or backward in hourly
increments.
The watch contains Omega’s own au-
tomatic Caliber 8500, which deserves
kudos for its distinctive embellishments
and modern construction, including a the wrist, which corresponded to the av-
balance bridge rather than a bal- erage results when tested on the timing
ance cock, a freely swinging hair- machine.
spring, and four regulating Another advantage of Caliber 8500 is
screws on the balance. The its two serially arranged barrels, which
balance spring is made of store enough energy to run for 60 hours,
silicon. an above-average length of time for a
We expected the com- power reserve. The blackened, S-shaped
bination of a freely arms of the balance are more of a visual
breathing hairspring highlight than a functional one. The visi-
and Omega’s co-axial ble screws are also blackened, as are the
escapement with its two barrels. Flat parts are decorated with
highly complex pallet the brand’s curving stripes. They join
and escape wheel to with the blackened components to create
result in an especially a distinctive look that puts Omega clear-
accurate rate. In- ly ahead of the other tested watches in
deed, our timing ma- the “movement” category.
chine confirmed the Even though it has a sapphire back,
findings of COSC, the Seamaster Planet Ocean 600M Co-
which certified the axial can withstand pressure to a depth
movement as a of 600 meters. The watch has a manual-
chronometer. The av- ly operated helium escape valve and a
erage daily gain was a screw-down crown.
low 2.3 seconds and All in all, the blue Seamaster is almost
the greatest deviation unbeatable in its construction, in the
among the various po- quality of its craftsmanship and in its de-
sitions was five seconds, sign. Its only flaw is less-than-ideal un-
which is within the ac- derwater legibility, so this watch makes
ceptable range. The watch its most impressive showing not during
gained between 1.7 and 3.3 the dive, but at an après-plunge party or
seconds when we tested it on in a harbor restaurant.
COMPARATIVE TEST
Divers’ Watches
PORSCHE DESIGN
P’6780 DIVER
divers’ watch needs a rotating
SPECS
P’6780 DIVER
COMPARATIVE TEST
Divers’ Watches
CITIZEN
Promaster 1000 M
Professional Diver
he Promaster 1000 M Profes-
Pros
+ Sturdy case
+ Good legibility, day and night
+ Small rate deviation
Cons
– The clasp is hard to open.
– It’s easy to confuse the date
and time-zone displays when
resetting one or the other.
152 WatchTime
Photo: OK-PHOTOGRAPHY Tests 2013
Background photo: FOTOLIA.COM/FOTOGRAFICHE.EU
WT_STI_2013_Muehle_02 23.08.13 12:35 Seite 153
T
he Mühle-Glashütte Marinus position relative to the red-tipped hand.
GMT is a rugged travel com- Although the Marinus GMT isn’t SCORES
panion that will tell you the primarily a divers’ watch, it is water re- MÜHLE-GLASHÜTTE MARINUS GMT
local time as well as the time sistant to 300 meters, making it ideal
Strap and clasp (max. 10 points): 7
back home. Marinus means “belonging for use in and around the water. Its
to the sea,” and Mühle-Glashütte is 44-mm, solid stainless-steel case with Operation (5): 4
known for its ships’ clocks, yacht screw back and 2.5-mm-thick domed Case (10): 8
chronometers and marine time systems sapphire crystal protects it from shocks, Design (15): 12
as well as its nautical wristwatches. But temperature changes and water. Crown Legibility (5): 4
for the GMT version of the Marinus, protectors guard the threaded winding
Wearing comfort (10): 8
Mühle has replaced the dive-time ring crown against sideways blows. The
found on its basic Marinus model with only criticism of the case we have is that Movement (20): 12
a 24-hour bezel. the rotating bezel does not click into Rate results (10): 9
In order to clearly separate the sec- place as neatly as we would wish. Overall value (15): 12
ond-time-zone display and the home- Adventurers will like both the rub- TOTAL: 76 POINTS
time display, Mühle added a red scale ber strap and the optional stainless-
around the dial and a slender black steel bracelet. Both end in a folding
GMT hand with a red tip. You can clasp with hefty sides from which you
move the 24-hour hand forward in one- can fold out a 2-cm-long extension
hour increments by turning the crown, piece. If you’re exploring a canyon and
setting it to the time in a second time decide to put on your wetsuit, you can
zone. Or you can show the time in the quickly adjust your watch strap or
second zone simply by turning the bi- bracelet to fit around your wetsuit
directional rotating bezel to the desired sleeve.
TEST
Mühle-Glashütte Marinus GMT
SPECS
MÜHLE-GLASHÜTTE MARINUS GMT
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