It’s June and this means that we are halfway through the year. This month, we take a look at the first “nice” watch of the editors of this site. We also welcome a new record-breaker from Omega. I’m referring, of course, to the Seamaster Planet Ocean Ultra Deep Professional, the new holder of the title of world’s deepest diving watch. As for new watches, we have the Q from Timex and the Computron LED watches from Bulova.
From around the web, we have discussions on the current Rolex bubble and supply crunch. Is demand that strong and supply really that weak? What’s really going on? Next, we take a trip down memory lane with some high-quality scans of the promotional brochures of the Seiko Astron — the world’s first quartz watch. Finally, we’ll like to draw your attention to a very interesting and exquisite English pocket watch that is going to be up for auction soon.
1. THE OMEGA SEAMASTER PLANET OCEAN ULTRA DEEP PROFESSIONAL WATCH AT RECORD DEPTHS IN THE MARIANA TRENCH
There’s a new king of the deep. Omega has finally beaten Rolex for the record of the deepest diving watch ever. The previous record recorder was the Rolex Deepsea Special, which went to a depth of 10,916 meters. The new record holder, on the other hand, is Omega’s new Seamaster Planet Ocean Ultra Deep Professional, which went down to a depth of 10,928 meters. It’s an impressive achievement, especially when you consider Omega took just over six months to put together the watch. The watch itself is imposing, measuring 55mm wide and 28mm and crafted mostly out grade 5 titanium. It also features special construction techniques to ensure that it would survive the harsh environment in the trench. Learn more about this record-breaking watch here.
Source: aBlogtoWatch
2. MAT WATCHES ESCADRON WATCH REVIEW
Unless you are a dyed-in-the-wool tool watch nut, you would not have heard of MAT watches. Founded in 2007, MAT watches has been creating watches mainly for military, police, and security forces around the world. As a result, their collection is almost exclusively of tough, no-nonsense watches designed to survive whatever their owners may throw at them. The Escadron is the brand’s take on a pilot watch. The dial is clean and legible and the case features a PVD coating that gives it a deep gunmetal hue. And if you are a Francophile, you will be happy to know that MAT watches designs and manufacturers almost all components of the watch — except the movement — in France.
Source: aBlogtoWatch
3. INTRODUCING THE Q TIMEX WATCH DIVER-INSPIRED REISSUE OF A 1970S CLASSIC
Timex is on a vintage roll. This time, the brand has a reissue of a Seventies classic called the Q Timex. The original Q watch was produced in the late Seventies and was marketed as an affordable alternative to the Rolex GMT-Master. It drew design elements from the Rolex and was powered by a cheap quartz movement. The modern reissue is no different and features a Japanese quartz movement and a Pepsi-colored bezel. The bezel, however, doesn’t have a 24-hour scale and instead has a 12-hour scale, which can still be useful for tracking a second time zone. It also comes with a very hip-looking steel woven bracelet. The Q’s accessible price — just $179 — coupled with its good looks, has ensured another hit watch for Timex.
Source: aBlogtoWatch
4. GRAND SEIKO USA-EXCLUSIVE ‘SEASONS’ COLLECTION WATCHES HANDS-ON
Grand Seiko has its sights set on the US market. It makes sense because the US is one of the largest watch markets in the world. Following the success of the limited edition “Kira-Zuri” watches of last year, Grand Seiko is releasing a number of US-only watches. In other words, you can only buy these watches in the US. These new watches are part of the new “Seasons” collection. So-called because their beautifully textured dials are said to be inspired by the seasons. In addition, they feature a modern interpretation of the distinctive vintage Grand Seiko 62GS case. Finally, they come with Spring Drive and Hi-Beat mechanical movements. Have a closer look at them here.
Source: aBlogtoWatch
5. ABLOGTOWATCH EDITORS ON THEIR FIRST ‘NICE’ WATCH
Like our first serious relationships, we never forget our first “nice” watch. Admittedly, the word “nice” is vague and open to interpretation, but we all agreed that in this case it would be the first watch that we felt we spent serious money on and that we really liked. As you would expect, the responses were as varied as they were interesting. We have the usual divers, of course, but also a Flieger and a Speedmaster. And would you believe it, there’s even a fashion brand. You don’t want to miss this.
Source: aBlogtoWatch
6. BULOVA COMPUTRON LED WATCHES HANDS-ON
Bulova has been on a roll lately with its vintage-inspired pieces. I really dig the company’s Devil Diver watches and it seems like they have another surefire hit up their sleeves with their new Computron LED watches. Announced at Baselworld 2019 earlier this year, these feature distinctive trapezoid cases with finishes that immediately calls to my mind Gold Lightan — an anime robot character from the early Eighties. The typeface chosen for the digital time readout is spot on too and looks period correct. Furthermore, at just 31mm wide, 40mm in length, and 13.8mm thick, the size seems perfect. Best of all, it is affordable, with the gold model being the most expensive at $395.
Source: aBlogtoWatch