Watches inspired by history can sometimes take things a bit too seriously, staying a little on the conservative side with design, and especially with color. Breaking with this deadpan tendency comes Zodiac, with colorful new releases that evoke the whimsical joviality of a horological ice cream truck.

With their latest release, Zodiac has brought a whole new degree of playfulness and joy to their Super Sea Wolf collection with the addition of a trio of new white ceramic timepieces. The Super Sea Wolf Ceramic is offered in 3 different color variations with sunburst dials – a deep, ocean blue, a vibrant green with orange accents, and a sparkling white with orange accents, which reminds us fondly of a creamsicle. All three pieces are accompanied with matching tropic-style rubber straps. 

The white ceramic case has an almost candy coated polish to it, which is reinforced by a steel core within, creating the optimal balance of functionality and finish. Within that steel reinforcement beats the COSC certified STP-11, the Swiss made workhorse which has become a favorite among watchmakers who wish to offer not only reliability and function in their timepieces, but also extreme value. Fully anticipating the beach vacations that these will likely embark upon, the watches feature uni-directional ceramic bezels and are chronometer certified to 200m. 

There’s simply no other way to put it – these watches are so much fun. They are bright, lively, and evocative, embodying all of the carefree elation of a pool party. Of the three colors on offer, we were fortunate enough to receive the green variant for a closer look and it is somehow even more striking in person than the pictures might suggest. Like all of the other watches in the Super Sea Wolf line, ceramic or otherwise, it is a pleasure to wear, sitting at a perfect 41mm case size. There’s a slight abrasiveness along the edges of the bezel, which is perhaps to be expected with deep-cut notches in ceramic, but it’s not particularly bothersome and doesn’t take away from the enjoyment of the watch. 

This Jolly-Rancher-esque release, as splashy and eye catching as it is, does not come as a particular shock when you look at the recent trajectory that Zodiac has been on – take, for example, their recent Super Sea Wolf Skeleton 6-15 with its ombre rainbow bezel. It feels like Zodiac is doing something which other watch brands should frankly prioritize far more than they do: Zodiac is having fun. Not only that, they are making that fun accessible for the aspirational watch collector, who would normally rule out a ceramic summer watch based solely on price alone. It is clear when you strap on any one of the Super Sea Wolf Ceramics that the bright, child-like giggle you will experience is the same that the designers at Zodiac likely had when they designed these watches. And at the end of the day, if your watch doesn’t make you smile, then what’s the point?

Written by Troy Barmore

Photos by Jack Koto (except where noted)

Edited by Kathleen McGivney

Smith had set out to create something that would reflect the ideals of the Daniels Method – the philosophy set out in Watchmaking, and the idea of making a watch entirely by hand – and after five years of determination, dead ends, multiple revisions and hard work, he deemed Pocket Watch No. 2 to be complete. “It was all-consuming,” he says, looking slightly pained, “I had nobody to talk to, or bounce ideas off. It was a very lonely experience.”

The result is, arguably, the most important watch Smith has made to date; a Sliding Doors moment, when, having presented his first, rejected, pocket watch to Daniels in 1992, he decided to go home and work on something better. “I really wanted to challenge myself, to go further and make an even more complicated watch,” he says, turning it over in his hands; something that would show Daniels that he could be a watchmaker.

Famously (and perhaps apocryphally), Daniels said that a watch should simply appear from thin air, and not have any sign of the watchmaker, with the exception of the realization of their aesthetic. (Ed. note: in a subsequent conversation with Smith, he said that he thought Daniels was referring to evidence of the watchmaker’s tooling or processes.) “I really thought that there was only one way to build watches,” Smith continues, “and Watchmaking was my guide.”

The final watch differed from Smith’s first attempt, and included a one-minute tourbillon with spring detent escapement, a four-year perpetual calendar, and a moonphase. The 18 karat gold from the first watch was melted down and reused to house this new movement inside a larger 66.5mm case. The silver dial, with its polished off-set hour ring and minute track, large sub-seconds, and multiple guilloché patterns looks somewhat timeless, evoking the backline illustrations in Watchmaking, as well as the dials of Breguet (or, perhaps, Jump). Smith’s signature, sculptured hands adorn the dial, balanced against the black-inked roman numerals, and a small cartouche sits below the moon phase, displaying the maker’s name.

The movement, with its two-thirds plate and large, straight tourbillon bridge, evokes a period of English watchmaking at the end of the nineteenth century, when Nicole, Nelson & Co were making high-class, complicated pocket watches. This is, perhaps, unsurprising, given Smith was working for antiquarian horologist David Penney during some of this period. The tourbillon bridge and screws are black polished, while the plates are frosted in the classic English style.

Two raised barrels sit above the spring detent escapement and four-armed balance wheel, a configuration now seen in Smith’s wristwatches as the Quadrajust. One of the barrels is highly decorated in a traditional scroll pattern, which is reminiscent of watches sold by Charles Frodsham and other English makers, while the second barrel bears the maker’s name: R. W. Smith, Bolton. As a whole, it’s a remarkably restrained design, and reflects Smith’s later aesthetic, a personal style that Daniels was keen that he develop.

As noted previously, it’s a large watch: 65.5mm in diameter. Interestingly, the case has a five-piece hinge, rather than the three-piece hinges described by Daniels in Watchmaking. “I wanted to go one better,” Smith says, with a smile. The pushers to adjust the four-year perpetual calendar, date, and moonphase are also visible on the side of the case.

This watch has, rather unusually, led three lives. First, and most importantly, it was the watch that persuaded Daniels to apprentice Roger Smith in early 1998, and to ask him to assist with the first series of Omega watch movements that had been produced with Daniels’ co-axial escapement. Smith was to be Daniels’ only apprentice, and worked with him until his death in October 2011.

The watch’s second life was to provide a springboard for Smith’s personal watchmaking career. The watch was sold to a private collector in 2004 to fund the development of the Series 2 wristwatches: “I wanted to build a completely different wristwatch, designed in-house.” Given the time between the watch’s making and its sale, I asked Smith what happened to it during the intervening years. “I didn’t even think about it,” he says. “It just sat in a kitchen drawer.”

Smith’s watchmaking workshop on the Isle of Man has grown since then, and now employs ten watchmakers at the bench and two further engineers. The same principles he employed in making Pocket Watch No. 2 continue to be applied today; Smith uses the same approach to development, refinement, and passion for watchmaking. It’s this passion that he says he tries to instill in each of his watchmakers, as well as fostering an environment where they can share ideas, which is something that was lacking while Smith was making Pocket Watch No. 2.

And now the watch is being sold again, by Phillips, at their New York Watch Auction: EIGHT, on June 10, 2023. Their press release estimates the watch’s sale price at in excess of $1m. When asked what he might change or alter about the watch, given the chance, he smiles. “I wouldn’t change anything,” he says. “It’s served its purpose.”

“There’s nothing more attractive than a good watch: it’s historic; intellectual; technical; aesthetic; amusing; useful. You couldn’t beat it.”

George Daniels, 2011

Written by Mat Craddock aka The WatchNerd

Edited by Kathleen McGivney

Photos by Atom Moore, Troy Barmore, Kathleen McGivney, Mat Craddock, and Phillips

The collaboration came about during a meeting between myself (RedBar CEO Kathleen McGivney) and Bamford Watch Department founder George Bamford in March 2022. I had stopped in London for a day on my way to Watches & Wonders and headed to the Bamford office to see the piece unique that they’d created for the WatchFam for Ukraine auction that I co-organized. We were chatting about all things watches when I said, “George, we should do a watch together.” He quickly agreed, and we set about designing the piece.

I quickly chose the forged carbon case and chronograph movement options, and then asked if the subdials could be done as “mystery” dials. A mystery dial is a complication that makes it look like the hands or indicators are floating above the dial with no visible connection to the center post. I’ve collected mystery dial watches for quite some time but had never seen this type of complication done on a subdial vs. a full dial. George quickly agreed, and the RedBar x Bamford B347 was born.

This limited edition B347 features a cutting edge forged carbon fiber case, single monopusher button at 2 o’clock, red and white accents throughout reflecting RedBar’s signature colorways, and a first-of-its-kind 30 minute counter mystery sub-dial at the 3 o’clock position.

The fourth limited edition watch collaboration for RedBar Group, the RedBar x Bamford B347 Special Limited Edition is the result of the passion of the watch collecting community and the unique people and friendships that have shaped it. Limited to 100 pieces.

The watch is available for purchase on the Bamford London website.

Every watch collaboration from RedBar has a charitable component, and for this release, we are supporting Maggie’s Centres in memory of our friend Simon Cudd and all those whose lives have been affected by cancer. We’ve donated £2,000 and encourage those who wish to support this essential charity to donate at our JustGiving page.

Photos by Jack Koto.

Hobbies have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember.  The trajectory of joy driven by discovery and novel experience has always been good for my neurodivergent tendencies. Hobbies have been my primary conduit for integrating memorable experiences, knowledge, and skills into my life. 

I started to develop a curiosity with scuba diving after seeing a few friends get into it and watching a few Cousteau docs on Youtube. From there my wife and I ended up getting certified prior to our honeymoon in French Polynesia. I was immediately hooked once I witnessed that alien, yet familiar, world below sea level.

While the initial excitement of a new hobby can be a whirlwind romance, I’ve come to temper my expectations of how deep I should dive into the rabbit hole. At the end of the day, it’s not a competition to see how quickly you can assume a monk-like devotion to a hobby. While I used to approach hobbies in that way, I now embrace being a filthy casual and finding that point of equilibrium in a hobby where I can derive as much joy out of it without starting to resent it. There’s love behind every hobby, because they bring us joy when we engage in them, think about them, or talk about them. 

Which brings me to dive watches. What a splendid marriage of two hobbies. I’ve been a low-grade, casual watch collector for the last few years, thanks to a few close friendships with RedBar members. They’ve been a great, if sometimes expensive, influence on my life, and dive watches tend to be the focus of my interest in the space. 

While a good dive watch deftly marries form and function, they’ve become rather vestigial from a practical perspective for most divers. Even with my advanced PADI license with an open circuit on regular air, I’m never going past 130 feet. And yet I delight in wearing a timepiece that is a-ok at 2 or 300 meters. (I joke that you’ll be able to tell the time off of my corpse if I ever end up that far down.)  

The unidirectional bezel, once a practical and necessary means of tracking one’s dive time, is now essentially an ASMR fidget device for me, as dive computers have become the de facto wrist wear. My current dive computer is an Atmos Mission One, which I love and would be happy to review in the future. Even though I’ll never do a saturation dive and I don’t “need” a dive watch, I wear one every time I go down, putting my dive computer on my right wrist and my dive watch du jour on the left. If the watch isn’t necessary, one might ask, then what’s the point of wearing one? 

The dive watch has become a sentimental and cultural artifact – a delightful reminder of the spirit of the hobby many of us love. The design, invention, and innovation that went into designing watches that can handle 29 atmospheres of pressure and still tell the time clearly is a marvel we take for granted. When I wear one on land, it’s a sweet little reminder of where I’d rather be: below the surface, in 80 degree water, ogling at a living world that is alien yet innately connected to our collective existence. Every time I check to see what time it is, I experience a little flashback of these sublime experiences: photographing a spotted moray eel with its jaw agape; holding a mooring line while a pregnant bull shark oscillates by, or witnessing an oceanic manta that soaring past me with fluidity and grace. All moments in time where I was witnessing a world we humans generally weren’t meant to see.

As someone who enjoys bringing dive watches on actual dives, I’ve had the pleasure of diving with three very different watches on my last few trips to Curacao, each of which I love for different reasons:  The Seiko PADI anniversary edition, the DOXA SUB 300 Carbon, and my current favorite, the Zodiac Super Sea Wolf.

All three are automatic divers, but aside from that I would say the similarities end there. I’ve owned the Seiko for the longest- it’s my lovable workhorse, gifted to me as a wedding present by my wife. It is a classic, heavy, tough diver that can withstand all of my bullshit as well as 200m of submersion. For the money, (<$500) it’s hard to beat considering its features: a 28 hr reserve, 200m depth rating, and a satisfying rotating bezel click. It luminesces well at night and looks great at depth.

Then there’s the DOXA SUB 300 Carbon. To me, it’s the opposite of the Seiko: sleek, super light, smaller, and pretty revolutionary. The forged carbon case says it all- it’s ultra lightweight and the carbon pattern looks great against the orange dial. Those of you who actually dive with a dive watch are in for a treat, because the forged carbon pattern really pops visually when it’s underwater. My only gripes with this watch are that I worry about the case’s durability (especially around the spring bar holes) and it’s not the easiest to read in the dark. But if you’re a lume head, then you’ll definitely be the most interested in the next watch in my review.

The Zodiac Super Sea Wolf was graciously lent to me by Kathleen at RedBar, via the folks at Zodiac. I brought it along on my most recent trip to Curaçao in late September, and have honestly been in love with it ever since. The titanium case is the perfect mix of durability and weight – it’s as solid as the Seiko but approximately 50% lighter. (Ed. note: we know this because we measured both watches on the coffee scale in our office.) The dial is large, in a 42mm case, and extremely legible, something very important in a dive watch.

If you’re into watches that glow, let me tell you: This watch is lumey AF. The entire bezel is lumed and it carries some big “light of Eärendil” energy with it. The fabric strap, with its strong Velcro closure, is functional and secure. It’s also got a super clicky bezel which is intensely satisfying to rotate and has minimal play (for the cyclists in the house, it reminds me of a Chris King freewheel hub). My only gripe here is that the watch is missing a date window. (Ed. note: boy, is that a loaded statement.) A nice feature to have, and one I didn’t realize how much I’d miss it until it wasn’t there. Aside from that, the design is killer, with sharp, crisp lines all wrapped up in a package that’s the perfect size and weight.

One surprising observation: I assumed the DOXA SUB 300 Carbon would have been the lightest watch, but as configured, with the rubber strap and steel clasp, it was actually 21% heavier than the Sea Wolf with the fabric strap (97.5 grams for the DOXA vs. 78.8 for the Sea Wolf.) The Seiko PADI Turtle is an absolute chonker of a unit weighing in at 149 grams, but that’s what we love about it. It’s solid and built to be knocked around. Purists may shudder, but I’ve actually had to replace the entire case on mine due to all the fun times I’ve put it through.

So there we have it, three watches that I absolutely love for different reasons. They’re all fun to have on your wrist while you’re drifting along a coral wall, hoping to spot a frogfish or a little blenny. They’re also a delightful yet subtle reminder of a hobby you love when you’re on dry land, lamenting the drudgery of zoom meetings, commuting, and societal nonsense. 

Writing and photography by Christophe Jammet

Edited by Kathleen McGivney

Greg’s picks

Akrivia / Rexhep Rexhepi Chronomètre Contemporain II (Reference Number: RRCCII)

You can’t ask for much more out of a dress watch. The original Chronomètre Contemporain featured one of the most beautiful movements ever created. Not content to rest on their laurels, the movement was completely reworked to add a dead-beat seconds complication while retaining the signature visual balance. Now, take that new movement and combine it with an interesting dial, and one of the best cases I’ve ever had the pleasure to handle, and you’ve got a clear winner. Absolutely top-tier finishing rounds out a great combination of aesthetics, engineering, and horology. Now, if only Rexhep would return my calls!

Zenith x Voutilainen x Phillips 135-O (Unique Piece)

Here’s a watch I didn’t see coming. Zenith teamed up with indie watchmaker Kari Voutilainen and auction powerhouse Phillips to put out a unique piece benefitting the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. (In addition to the unique piece, there was also a ‘regular’ run of 10 pieces.) Kari and his team refurbished and finished each of the new old stock Zenith 135-O competition grade movements and provided wonderful dials. I loved the interplay between the pre-quartz era watchmaking of the 1950s and a modern take on classic watchmaking. It all came together in a stylish and very special watch that gives a new meaning to the phrase “neo vintage” (argue with me about that term at a future RedBar meeting.)

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar (Reference Number: 26579CS.OO.1225CS.01)

If we’ve met, you may know my affinity for blue watches. Over the years as Audemars Piguet released more and more ceramic models, I silently hoped for something a bit more… azure. Boy did they deliver with this bright blue ceramic perpetual calendar for 2022. The idea of a modern ceramic with a classic QP complication is just the right amount of crazy. Does it look a bit plasticky at first glance? Sure. Does it feature a new movement? No. Would I happily rock one? Hell yes.

Troy’s picks

Zodiac Super Sea Wolf(s)

This might be cheating, but rather than picking just one watch to start, I can’t help but be impressed by several of the Super Sea Wolf models that Zodiac has released this year. Whether it be the brightly colored and jovial variations, the STP-11 with its ceramic case and deep denim dial, or the Meteorite dial which seemed to have sold out faster than you can say “wait seriously, that watch cost less than $2k?” Seeing these sorts of materials, usually reserved for high price point, often inaccessible watches, available to a broader market can only be a good thing for the industry and the watch enthusiast community at large.

Grand Seiko 44GS 55 th Anniversary LTD (SBGW289)

Few watches gave me more heartache than the GS 44GS ‘Sakura-Kakashi’. This watch represents everything, and I mean everything, that Grand Seiko is and should be. It is understated, elegant, subtle, and resplendent. Its frosty pink dial is delicately adorned with finely polished indices and thin, sharp sword hands. The dial is inspired by the cherry blossom, as it might be seen on a chilly morning, gently dusted with morning frost. The flower is a symbol of nature and Japanese identity more significant than I would ever be able to properly articulate, so I won’t try. (Editor’s note: Kathleen can articulate it. Just ask her next time you see her.) And at 36.5mm wide and just 11.6 mm thick, this reimagined classic had just about the finest wrist presence of any watch I put on in 2022.

H. Moser & Cie Streamliner Vantablack

Moser’s use of Vantablack continues to be one of the downright coolest material applications in watchmaking today. What could be more bonkers than harnessing the inky depths of the void itself and encasing it in 40mm of sumptuous 5N red gold? I mean, you could always pierce the dark-of-the-night-dial with a magnificently decorated flying tourbillon and top it all off by adorning this postmodern masterpiece with the achievement of metallic origami that is the Streamliner’s bracelet… Unrelated, can I borrow like 120 grand?

Adam’s picks

Parmigiani Tonda PF GMT Rattrapante

My first pick for my favorite watch of 2022 is the Parmigiani Tonda PF GMT Rattrapante. We all know that this business is predicated on continually reinventing the wheel, year after year, and I don’t mind saying that it’s getting hard to surprise me at this point. Well, Parmigiani surprised me, and not because they went completely nuts, but because they didn’t. They took a time honored, if relatively dull complication – the GMT – and then implemented it in a way that is as novel as it is obvious. And as for the watch itself, the PF has been a favorite of mine since its debut, but this neat trick pushes it over the edge and makes it a must-have for me. Alas, if only my wallet agreed with me.

Arcanaut Arc II Fordite

My second pick is the Arcanaut Arc II Fordite, which, I’m pleased to say my wallet did say yes to. The brainchild of Anders Brandt, a Danish entrepreneur with a creative streak, the Arc and Arc II are exemplars of the clean, sleek design that Danes are known for. Toss in partner James Thompson of Black Badger fame and you wind up with a watch that is both understated and outré. Thompson brings his mad scientist ethos to the fore with meticulously chosen, cut, and finished dials created from Fordite, a material salvaged from, appropriately enough, an old Ford factory floor’s paint shop, where layers upon layers of paint have collected over the years.  And yes, he does apply some nuclear grade Badgerite – his proprietary lume material, developed with Tritec in Switzerland – to the tips of the hands. The end result is everything I love about this hobby rolled into a single stainless steel, sapphire, and rubber wrist-borne piece of art.

M.A.D.Editions M.A.D.1 RED

My third pick, unlike the subtly executed Parmigiani, is as unapologetically apeshit as the mind behind it. I am, of course, referring to the M.A.D.Editions M.A.D.1 RED, which is MB&F’s love letter to the watch community at large. Inspired directly by the “friends” watch, which they released last year to much acclaim, but only sold to those who had contributed to the brand or had purchased one of their megabux horological creations, the RED was meant for any and all. And who could resist? Here was a watch devised by none other than Max Busser, replete with a top mounted tungsten “battle-axe” rotor, a cylindrical “dial”, and a metric shit ton of lume, all for a biscuit over $3K USD. Of course there was no way that supply could ever meet demand, hence the novel lottery system they devised. But even though most would-be owners went home empty-handed, Max & Friends have assured us that the watch isn’t a limited edition and that more are on the way. Gotta love that guy!

Kathleen’s picks

It was quite difficult for me to narrow this down to three watches, because there were a number of really fantastic releases this year. Once I did narrow them down, though, Adam went ahead and stole one of my picks, the Parmigiani Tonda PF GMT Rattrapante, and due to his blatant appropriation of my clearly brilliant (and let’s face it, popular) opinion, I landed on the following three watches.

Grönefeld 1941 Grönograaf

It will likely come as no surprise to anyone who knows me or who has read my treatise on the Grönefeld 1941 Remontoire OnlyWatch that I have a deep appreciation for the watches produced by the Grönefeld brothers. Therefore, it should also come as no surprise that the Grönefeld Grönograaf is one of my favorite watches of 2022. The first chronograph produced by the brand, it takes on this seemingly ubiquitous complication with a new twist: a regulator that controls the speed of the reset function, allowing for a “soft” reset instead of the somewhat aggressive amount of force a typical chronograph’s hammers have to apply to the cams in order to do the quick reset of the chronograph hand to the zero position. They also utilize ruby rollers in the reset hammers instead of typical steel hammers, which provides the appropriate amount of force without the friction of metal-on-metal. All in all, it’s an innovative application of both materials and design that addresses a mechanical problem that most chronograph wearers would never notice – the friction and force required to perform a typical reset – and, in my opinion, will quite possibly make this movement a more durable one in the long term.

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Besides all of that technical innovation and the absolutely stunning movement finishing that is a hallmark of the Grönefelds’ work, it’s just absolutely mesmerizing to watch the governor spin to do its job in softly returning the chronograph hand to its neutral position. 

Hermès Arceau Le Temps Voyageur

Another favorite of mine this year is the Hermès Arceau Le Temps Voyageur, and I am in good company, as this watch won an award in two categories at the GPHG. I love many things about this watch, not least being that Hermès continually brings really interesting expressions of complications to life in technically interesting but also delightfully whimsical ways. In this case, they’re taking a frequently used complication – a dual time zone – and executing it in a novel way, displaying the home time in an aperture at the 12 o’clock position, while the local time zone is displayed on a subdial that travels around the main dial. It’s pretty simple to operate, with a pusher that moves the satellite dial around to point to the city where you are and correspondingly adjusts the hour hand to match the correct time zone, but quite a technical feat to accomplish. And in true Hermès style, the main dial takes inspiration from another maison within the company, specifically a scarf design called “Planisphère d’un monde équestre”, or “Planisphere of an equestrian world”, in which the continents on the map are named after equestrian themes. (It will also likely come as no surprise that I own this scarf in more than one colorway.)

Fears Brunswick 40 Pink Dial

In my third paragraph of not surprising anyone at all with my choices, the Fears Brunswick 40, specifically the pink dial version, is one of my favorite releases of the year. It’s a slightly larger version of the original Fears Brunswick, keeping the elegant cushion case shape but adding a sportier element with the brushed and polished 5-link bracelet. The bracelet itself, like everything Fears does, shows astonishing attention to detail, with a Bristol flower (a nod to the brand’s origins in Bristol) enameled inside the clasp. And like all Fears watches, the dial itself is just gorgeous, in a soft pink matte enamel that draws the eye, and the numerals executed in their signature typeface with a striking coating of black gold. It strikes the perfect balance between elegant and sporty, looking equally at home under a crisp shirt cuff as it would with more casual attire.

Contributors: Greg Wirtz, Troy Barmore, Adam Craniotes, Kathleen McGivney. Images provided by the respective watch brands or taken by the authors.

Accessories

Every collector needs a place to store their watches, and it’s better when the watch storage is as good-looking as its contents. Analog:Shift carries an array of watch boxes and trays that would look great on any shelf or dresser, including the WOLF x Analog:Shift 1976 Collection 8-piece Watch Box in an unusual and very cool cork material. Shop the whole storage collection at Analog:Shift.

You can never have too many watch straps, as the adage goes. But sometimes you want something a little outside of the typical range of blue, brown, and black straps. Molequin stocks straps in a wide range of leathers and colors, including this sunny yellow alligator strap with square scales, sure to bring some brightness to the dreariest of winter days.

When traveling or attending a watch collector meetup, it’s best to secure multiple watches inside a watch roll. There are many fantastic choices, but The Watch Roll 2 from Discommon is a standout that combines quality materials, streamlined impact protection, and a cool alternating position design that fits watches of all sizes without making the roll bulky on one side. It’s been my go-to watch roll for years.

Books

Noted author and avid watch collector Gary Shteyngart often incorporates his fascination with watches and watch collecting into his storytelling. His books are also great reads, with a combination of humor and sadness that get to the heart of what good literature can do: take you on an emotional journey. Lake Success, which chronicles the journey of an outwardly successful hedge fund manager on a quest to find himself, and Our Country Friends, about a group of friends who come together in the Hudson Valley during the pandemic, are two such novels, as likely to make you guffaw out loud as they are to bring tears to your eyes.

Those watch and clock aficionados who also happen to be history buffs would be the perfect recipient of David Rooney’s About Time: A History of Civilization in Twelve Clocks. The book, as they say, does what it says on the tin, revisiting pivotal moments in history through the stories of twelve clocks. As Rooney says, a history of clocks is a history of civilization, and this book takes you on a journey through that history.

Other Interests

Because we’re RedBar and bar is, in fact, half the name, we’d be remiss if we didn’t have some alcohol recommendations for the watch aficionado on your holiday shopping list. For the cocktail fan who’d like to get a little more into at-home mixology, our friend Sother Teague has you covered, with a collection of personalized signed books, limited edition bitters, and even a puzzle in his online store. Start your evening with a cocktail called the Waterproof Watch in his book I’m Just Here for the Drinks, get your holiday cocktail party sorted with Let’s Get Blitzen, and stock up your home bar with his Garden Party and Driftwood bitters.

For the collector who prefers to sip a glass of fine wine while admiring their watch collection, we suggest the fantastic COTE Gift Boxes from Convive Wine & Spirits. Curated by Master Sommeliers Victoria James and Mia Van de Water of COTE, the gift boxes will impress both novice wine drinkers and experienced wine aficionados. If you’re feeling particularly generous, you can also purchase a gift subscription to the COTE Wine Club, a monthly delivery of three hand-selected wines.

Take a look at the amazing event below, and be sure to view the full discussion on our YouTube channel here.

We may have gotten a sneak peek at a new drop too – watch the IG Live for some more details!

I am in the UK often, so I get the pleasure of seeing a lot of smaller British brands up close. I first learned about Fears at SalonQP when the brand was relaunched, and later saw more models as collectors brought them to RedBar London meetups when I was visiting. I really enjoyed the aesthetics and approach. What really sent me down the rabbit hole was getting hands-on with the whole line at the Watchmakers Club in London in late 2019, when I very nearly bought a Brunswick Blue.

I’m glad I waited, however, because I ended up purchasing the Brunswick Salmon not long after it was released. Due to the pandemic, I wasn’t able to see it in person before I purchased it, but having seen the craftsmanship and attention to detail up close during previous visits to the UK, I knew I would get a beautiful watch.

The Brunswick Salmon has a gorgeous dial that is coated with both copper and 18 carat rose gold to achieve the perfect salmon tone, which can seem to the eye like it changes ever so slightly in color depending on the way the light hits it. The hand-brushing on the dial gives it a mesmerizing texture. Adding to the charm of this model are the numerals, with a typeface designed by Lee Yuen-Rapati of @onehourwatch. The raised applied numerals lend a depth to the surface of the dial that captures the eye. The thermally blued, skeletonized hands add additional character to the dial.

Fears’ 4th Managing Director, Nicholas Bowman-Scargill, restarted the brand in 2016 after its 40 year dormancy. His great-great-great grandfather founded Fears in 1846, and the brand continually operated in Bristol, producing timepieces continually through 1976. Fast forward to 2016, and after years as a watchmaker for Rolex, Nicholas decided to resurrect the family brand and relaunched it at SalonQP with the Fears Redcliff. Nicholas has since continued to expand the brand, launching the Brunswick in 2017, making beautiful watches with amazing attention to detail. Nicholas himself does a final QC check on every watch that goes out the door.

This attention to detail carries through to the movement, an ETA 7001 manual-winding movement that is rhodium plated and finished with Côtes de Genève striping, all visible through the sapphire case back. The “golden pipette” you see at the bottom of the movement is an indicator that the movement has been thoroughly tested before ending up on your wrist. (Note: the current version of the salmon dial Brunswick on the Fears website has a closed case back, but you can request a sapphire case back upon placing an order.)

It’s worth noting here that Nicholas is truly one of the nicest people I have met in the watch business. He’s honest, straightforward, and kind, and not only does he champion his own brand, but he supports other small British watch brands as well. When the pandemic hit, he essentially fired himself from his own company so that he could continue to keep his staff employed. I am honored to call him a friend.

Fears continues its success with the launch of the Archival 1930 collection to coincide with the brand’s 175th anniversary. The Archival 1930 is a proportional recreation of a vintage art deco watch that Fears produced in 1930, with two versions, one with a small seconds display. They’ve also recently released a book on the history of the brand, Elegantly Understated: 175 Years of the Fears Watch Company. And most recently, the Brunswick Salmon was selected to compete for a GPHG Award in the Petite Aiguille category for 2021.

I can’t wait to see what the future holds for Fears.

Written by Kathleen McGivney

Photos by Jack Koto

The first Hölstein edition, released in 2020 and named for the Swiss village that Oris calls home, was a full bronze version of the very popular Divers Sixty-Five chronograph. This year’s version is an addition to their classic Big Crown Pointer Date line, with updates to the case design and crystal, a pretty fantastic color combination, and our pal Oris Bear smiling away on the back of the case.

The movement in this piece is Oris Calibear (not a typo) 403, a variant of the in-house Cal. 400 line they introduced last year. The antimagnetic automatic movement provides self-winding via a unidirectional rotor and features a 5-day power reserve that is achieved with the use of two mainsprings. All of the watches with the Cal. 400 line of movements have a recommended service interval of 10 years, which speaks to the brand’s confidence in the quality and durability of their movements.

(I dubbed the Cal. 400 the “Calibear” when I first saw it, because when the rotor is positioned below the twin mainsprings, the movement resembles a smiling Oris Bear. Go look at it in this excellent article about the Cal. 400 at Worn & Wound. You can’t unsee the bear.)

The date display is, arguably, the best part about this line of watches, as anyone who has ever had a wildly passionate debate with a watch nerd about date windows can attest. As the name of the watch indicates, a hand points to the current date at the edge of the dial, and in this version, the pop of red on the date indicator against the soft grey of the dial really highlights this feature.

I particularly like the design choices that Oris made with this watch, as they blend modern design language and movement technology with nods to their own history. The gray dial paired with a gray strap lends a modern monochromatic look, while the luminescent printed numerals on the dial use a typeface that is a nod to classic pilot’s watches from the brand’s archives. The choice to remove the fluted bezel that is present in other versions and use a polished flat bezel, along with the use of a flat sapphire crystal instead of a domed one, highlights the extremely legible dial, with pops of bright red at the small seconds and pointer hands. It’s a very aesthetically pleasing watch, and the 38mm case size makes it wearable on a wide variety of wrist sizes.

But let’s not forget our friend Oris Bear! He makes his appearance on the closed case back, which is also engraved with the limited edition number (xxx/250). It’s no secret that I love this bear, and seeing him on the case back makes me smile every time I put this watch on.

The Oris Big Crown Hölstein Edition 2021 is available for $3,900 USD from Oris.

Written by: Kathleen McGivney

Photos by: Jack Koto

On the ground floor, the flagship features a look into the brand’s dedication to artistry in watchmaking, with displays of various watchmaking and dial finishing techniques, as well as a large touchscreen that offers an immersive experience and a journey through the brand’s archives. You can travel back to the 1700s while standing in a modern boutique, demonstrating a great blending of historical knowledge and cutting-edge technology. A rotating exhibition of pieces from Vacheron Constantin’s archives, which will feature an ever-changing selection of the brand’s historical pieces, is also at home on the ground floor.

Vacheron Constantin’s commitment to the North American market is evident in their choice of collaboration with the Chris Burden Estate, which created a striking installation inspired by American artist Chris Burden’s work Metropolis II. The soaring cityscape in the two-story space with a whimsical working car and track installation makes it feel more like an art gallery than a typical boutique.

The second floor features a focus on watchmaking, with their in-house watchmaker’s bench front and center. There’s also a custom strap station that allows customers to personalize their straps, as well as a VIP lounge. It’s a welcoming and warm space in the middle of busy midtown Manhattan that makes it easy for a visitor to relax and focus on the fine watchmaking details that surround them.

Just after the opening of the new flagship, RedBar NYC members were invited to visit the new space for an exclusive evening with Vacheron Constantin’s incoming President of the Americas, Alexander Schmiedt. Members were able to tour the flagship boutique and, most importantly for watch aficionados, take a look at some of the boutique-exclusive pieces.

During the event, RedBar Founder and President, Adam Craniotes, sat down with Alexander for an informative talk about Vacheron Constantin, the new flagship, and what’s next for the brand.

The Vacheron Constantin Flagship is located at 28 East 57th Street in New York City. We’re happy that we were able to spend so much quality time in the flagship exploring the world of Vacheron Constantin, and we encourage you to visit whenever you’re in NYC.

Written by: Kathleen McGivney

Photography by: Jack Koto

The stories behind many of these small independent brands are fascinating. Following the journey of passion and craftsmanship that brought these people to where they are today is inspiring. And my favorite of these (shhh… don’t tell the others) is that of the Grönefeld brothers, whose story in watchmaking begins several generations before they were born, and continues on in their hometown of Oldenzaal in The Netherlands.

Bart and Tim Grönefeld’s grandfather, Johan Grönefeld, became a watchmaker in 1912, and was responsible for caring for the mechanisms in the Saint Plechelmus basilica clock tower in Oldenzaal. His son, Sjef, learned his father’s profession, and took over his watchmaking workshop and the maintenance of the clock when Johan died. And Sjef’s sons, the Grönefeld brothers, continue in the family passion and profession, creating beautiful timepieces with a focus on craftsmanship in their hometown of Oldenzaal. You can read more about the history of the brand and their outstanding mechanical creations in this excellent and comprehensive article A Brief History of Time: Grönefeld’s Complete Brand History at Fratello Watches.

Released in 2016, the 1941 Remontoire model is a technical achievement in and of itself. Inspired by the clock in the basilica in Oldenzaal, it sets out to supply constant force to the balance wheel despite the inherent inconstancy of force supplied by a mainspring. This is achieved by using a remontoire mechanism, which rotates every eight seconds and results in the force delivered to the balance wheel remaining constant whether it is fully wound or about to run out of power. This increases the accuracy of the timekeeping function throughout the entire power reserve of the watch. I was entranced by this watch the moment I saw its remontoire mechanism joyfully twirling through the opening in the dial.

The technical mastery involved with taking inspiration from a movement that is in a large clock and placing a similar function into something that fits on your wrist is extraordinary, and the family history behind the inspiration makes it even more special.

As with every Grönefeld timepiece, the attention to detail in the movement construction and finishing is exquisite. The bridges are reminiscent of the “bell gables” on the facades of Dutch houses, and the contrast of different materials and finishes make the movement, visible through the sapphire case back, a feast for the eyes.

In 2019, the Grönefelds created a piece unique for the biennial OnlyWatch auction. This was their first creation for this charity event, and they chose to create a one-of-a-kind version of the sold-out 1941 Remontoire. This piece features a steel case with a unique dial that is in a color that is somewhat difficult to put into words: a metallic hue that hovers somewhere between sand and stone, with a unique surface texture that emerged, as Bart puts it, as a result of a failure of trying to achieve something else. The resulting texture is entrancing. The center of the dial has a warmer tone, so the whole effect is reminiscent of a zen garden if it were made of a shimmering metallic sand.

Back to the OnlyWatch auction itself. Auctions as a whole tend to bring out lots of bidders with very deep bankrolls and even deeper enthusiasm, and the OnlyWatch charity auction is no exception. The Grönefeld piece was lot 1 in the auction, which can go either way – some people will come out of the gate and bid up a storm, while others will wait to see how the early lots fare before stepping into the fray. But there was one bidder who was determined to win this lot, a RedBar member from NYC who had been searching for the perfect version of the 1941 Remontoire to add to his collection, and his determination paid off – he won the lot. When I saw that the winning bidder was in NYC, I texted him to congratulate him… and to inform him that I would be frequently fawning over his latest acquisition.

The journey of the Grönefelds continues as they recently moved into their new building near the basilica. They now have triple the space, much more natural light, and the ability to hire more watchmakers. I can’t wait to see what they come up with next.

Written by Kathleen McGivney

Photos by Jack Koto (except where noted)

For those with smaller wrists, like myself, that poses a couple of problems. The traditional Big Pilot’s Watch actually covers the entire expanse of my wrist, which makes it seem like I’m almost wearing a desk clock (even though they do make an excellent desk clock). The whopping 15.5mm height doesn’t make matters easier on a smaller wrist.

My genetics are to blame here, and none shall be placed on IWC as they did what they do best, and that is making kick-ass watches that truly apply the less-is-more approach. Due to the great execution of a clean, straightforward design, the Big Pilot has been one of the longest running watches in all of IWC’s offerings, and it’s extremely likely that this collection will continue in perpetuity.

And now, those with smaller wrists can rejoice in the fact that 2021 brought a whole new chapter for the Big Pilot, with the release of the Big Pilot 43.  In the grand scheme of things, a change of 3mm is not very big at all, but in watch dimensions, it’s really significant.

Naturally, a reduction in diameter will usually lead to a shortening of the watch as well, and this new Big Pilot’s Watch is no exception. At a more modest 13.6mm in thickness, it sits rather comfortably on the wrist, making it much easier to wear for longer periods of time, and once its calf strap is nicely broken-in, it will probably feel like wearing nothing at all.  This model is actually slightly shorter than my IWC Portugieser, and I know that I can comfortably wear that piece all day with no issue.

However, it wasn’t only the watch wearability for the smaller-wristed that changed with this model. Most obvious is the lack of a power reserve indicator on the dial, which in truth isn’t really necessary, since the movement powering this version has a 60 hour power reserve vs. the larger Big Pilot’s 7-day reserve. To some, that might be considered a setback, but I would rather have the open case back and get an actual view of the movement, happily trading it for the soft iron case and power reserve indicator.

Powering this watch is the IWC Manufacture Cal. 82100, from the 82000 series, which includes some of the finer points generally found in the Cal. 52000 series movements that power the traditional Big Pilot. From a distance, both families of movements resemble each other a lot. The 3D architecture grants the eye a much deeper look into the movement. This is especially notable with the ceramic pawls that have been a recent inclusion in the already great Pellaton winding system, best known for its efficiency in automatic winding and buttery smooth feel with each manual turn of the crown.

The overall execution of the 43mm Big Pilot is solid, and is certainly a strong contender for the next watch to make it to my collection. My small wishlist that would make this watch a complete grand slam for me: a slightly smaller onion crown (although I get why they put it there), and a power reserve display on the dial. With those two items, this watch would have been a solid 10 of 10 in my book.

Overall, I enjoyed wearing this watch for the short time I spent with it, and it still brings out a lot of what I personally love about the Big Pilot, in a size that is more accommodating to smaller wrist sizes. I would personally score this watch at 8.6 of 10, which is near perfect.

Written by Alex Lee

Photography by Atom Moore (except where noted in photo captions)

Edited by Kathleen McGivney

Personally, as CEO of RedBar, I am committed to supporting nonprofits in my community. I serve as the Chair of the Board of Directors of Bailey House, which has provided housing and supportive services to people living with HIV, AIDS, and other chronic illnesses since 1983. RedBar has been a proud sponsor of Bailey House’s annual Gala & Auction every year since 2016, which raises money to provide essential services to Bailey House’s clients.

This month, we are very excited to announce that BLT Restaurant Group is serving a selection of specialty cocktails in honor of Pride Month, with 20% of sales benefiting Bailey House.

Naturally, we went to our closest (and favorite) BLT location, BLT Steak in midtown Manhattan, to sample the cocktails at a small RedBar meetup. And the cocktails were developed by our good friend, RedBar member Luis Nunez!

You can find BLT Restaurants locations here. All US properties will have the specialty cocktails, and we encourage you to drink up (responsibly, of course) for a great cause!

Written by Kathleen McGivney

Photos by Jack Koto

The Tondagraph GT is a striking watch. The black guilloche dial has a deep, sharp pyramid pattern which is framed by seven rows of thin circular ridges, which are themselves broken up by rhodium plated indices. The entirety is then further framed by a delicate outer track of white hash marks. The rhodium plated handset is partially skeletonized, with the outer tips filled with the same inky black as the indices. The date window, along with the month indicator and ‘annual calendar’ text punctuates the dial with a stark, sporty splash of orange, bringing a touch of fun to what might have otherwise been a cold, precise landscape.

It is a study in contrasting textures that is visually luxurious. But this luxury is very nearly derailed by the ARunic sapphire crystal, which is meant to provide a colorless anti-reflective coating to the crystal while being less obtrusive than the blue or green shimmer of a traditional antireflective coating. Unfortunately, the coating is less effective than I would have hoped, resulting in a crystal which is still susceptible to distracting glare.

The veritable festival of textures continues as the eye moves further out from the dial to the bezel, a smooth slope which is abruptly met by a finely coined edge. The 42mm stainless steel case is enveloped by teardrop lugs that are accompanied on the crown side by pushers of the same boteh, or paisley-esque, shape. It is a dynamic confluence of smooth, elegant lines that is sharp and modern. While the coined bezel is a frequent design element in many other Parmigiani watches, I feel like it is a bit at odds with the overall design of this watch; contrasting with the sweeping, polished modernity of the lugs and distracting slightly from the textured elegance of the dial. I understand the need for consistency in a collection’s design language, but it ends up feeling a bit like a picture frame trying to compete with the artwork that it is framing.

The movement in the Tondagraph GT is the calibre PF043 – a modular, automatic annual calendar chronograph with 56 jewels and a 45 hour power reserve, which can be seen through the sapphire crystal caseback. The movement is sufficiently finished to a level that one might expect, with radial Côtes des Genève and an engraved 22k gold rotor. In a way, this movement is the not-so-secret weapon of the Tondagraph GT. Because it is a modular movement, Parmigiani was able to offer, at a relatively more accessible price point, the annual calendar complication, which is a little bit uncommon in the watch world – it’s just not a complication you see all that often.

With just 400 black dial examples made in steel, 200 on a bracelet and 200 on the rubber strap, the Tondagraph GT is not likely to be a watch that you bump into every day. It is in this rarity that the watch finds perhaps its greatest strength – you really have to be deep into the high end watch world to come across this piece, let alone buy one. If you want to play in the realm of the luxury steel sport watch, you could buy a Royal Oak or an Offshore. If you wanted to engage in an expensive but potentially fruitless endeavor, you could try to track down a Nautilus or an Aquanaut. If the effort required to purchase those increasingly elusive pieces proves tiresome, you might have better luck with Hublot.

But as desirable, or hyped, as any of those watches are, there’s something that is starting to feel a bit ubiquitous about them, isn’t there? If you’ve reached a point in your watch collecting career where the expected watches no longer bring you excitement, then maybe it’s time to look elsewhere. The Tondagraph GT offers just such an opportunity. It isn’t the timepiece for the collector who wants the most recognizable watch. It’s for the collector who wants the off the beaten path choice – something that only those in the know might recognize on their wrist.

Written by Troy Barmore

Photographs by Jack Koto

Edited by Kathleen McGivney

Brew is owned and operated by designer and fellow RedBar member Jonathan Ferrer. The name and inspiration for the company is an almost philosophical appreciation for the coffee break, which Ferrer describes as an essential ritual in modern life. The coffee break allows, insists even, for us to slow down, reflect, and enjoy a moment apart from the rest of the day. It is with this mentality, focus, and enthusiasm, that Brew watches are created.

As the name suggests, the Retrograph’s case design is reminiscent of the retro TV case designs of the late 1960’s and early 1970’s. But that is not where the vintage reference ends. Taking its inspiration from the telephone timer chronographs of the 1930’s, the Retrograph’s outer track is designed to time the 25-35 seconds required for a perfect espresso pull.

The Retrograph is powered by a Seiko mecha-quartz movement, a hybrid where the primary timekeeping is regulated by a quartz crystal and battery with a mechanical chronograph mechanism built on top. The result is a very accurate, affordable movement, with the function and feel of a mechanical chronograph. The actuation of the chronograph is very smooth, soft even, and the reset is crisp and precise.

The dial is an even matte denim blue with recessed silver subdials, and provides a sturdy backdrop for the contrasting bright blue handset and red chronograph and subdial hands. The subdial on the right is a 24 hour counter and the subdial on the left provides the 60 minute counter for the chronograph function. If I have any criticism of the watch at all, it is with this second subdial. If you’re trying to time anything between 60 seconds and 15 minutes, it is virtually impossible to read and keep track of. But then again, the focus of this piece is really within that 35 second mark. It’s hard to blame something that is purpose built for not suiting other purposes.

Along the outer timing track, painted white hash marks and indices are punctuated by red painted plots on the outside and luminous plots on the inside which are not quite blue, not quite teal. The hash marks between 30 and 35 seconds are a dark yellow and provide a visual alert that your espresso should be just about perfect. With 7 different colors (among them 3 slightly different shades of blue) you would think that the Technicolor might be confusing, over the top, or at the very least clash with itself. But that is far from the actual result, which is both bright and somehow soft spoken at the same time. I shudder to think of how many design iterations and color samples Ferrer must have gone through to land on such a perfectly balanced palette.

Whether worn on a soft, dark blue calfskin strap or on the surprisingly hefty steel beads of rice bracelet, the overall presence of the watch is comfortable and fun, even on my 6.5 inch wrist. With its 38mm x 41.5mm rounded rectangular case and summery blue dial, the Technicolor will undoubtedly draw comparison to the Heuer Monaco. While yes, the Retrograph does look a bit like an Apple watch and a vintage Monaco had a cool metropolitan baby, I don’t get the sense that this was the intended result. That is to say, it doesn’t feel as though the end goal was to emulate either of those watches, or indeed any other watch at all. The Retrograph, its previous iterations much more monotone and reserved, wasn’t born with such vibrance; it grew into it. The result is a strong sense of individuality that feels mature yet still playful.

The Retrograph – Technicolor is a delightful, playful watch, but that does not mean that it is a frivolous watch. It is well built, with fine finishing details and high quality components found throughout. The packaging is lively and thoughtful, clear evidence of just how much Ferrer cares about the customer experience. At $350 dollars on a strap or $415 on bracelet, it’s a value proposition that honestly doesn’t even make sense. This watch should be at least twice the price. The design is vibrant yet considerate and shows a level of sophistication and maturity that makes me extremely excited to see what Brew will come up with next.   

Written by Troy Barmore

Photography by Jack Koto

Like the broader watch market in general, interest in micro watch brands has exploded in recent years, with each subsequent season and release drawing more attention than the last. With increasing frequency, the release of new, especially limited edition, watches creates such a tidal wave of hype and speculation surrounding the resale market, that the watches themselves start to become overshadowed. The latest and loudest example of this is the Ming x Massena LAB 17.09 collaboration.

With all of the hype and controversy surrounding the launch – we’ll get to that a bit later – it can be easy to forget what watch we’re even talking about in the first place. Ming watches have always had a very understated, futuristic cleanliness to them. For the uninitiated, including myself, the aesthetics of the 17.09 series might not enrapture you right away. It’s a slow burn. 

While there are plenty of curious details to enjoy, none of them leap off of the wrist at you. Like all of Ming’s designs, it’s a very distinct watch – modern without being austere, futuristic without being garish. Were it not for the modified Sellita SW330-2 mechanical movement inside, one might describe these watches as “high-tech”, like the dress watch of some cyberpunk dystopia. 

The hexagonal honeycomb dial, unique to this collaboration, is presented in either black or a metallic honey yellow, and is framed by a brushed circular ring that has a subtle three-dimensionality to it. The honeycomb pattern was not arbitrarily chosen, but rather is a modern interpretation of the vintage ‘honeycomb’ Rolex dials. The depth of the dial is further emphasized by the floating hours, a further distinction between the limited editions and the normal 17.09, which are laser etched on the sapphire crystal, with the logos of Ming and Massena LAB at 3 o’clock and 9 o’clock respectively. The luminous skeletonized handset is prominent but not out of place, and results in a highly legible dial. While the 17.09s in general are more understated than some of the other more Tron-esque designs in Ming’s archive, they are no less striking or elegant. These two honeycomb dial variants are no exception.

The case is beautifully finished with clean, modern lines and curiously flared lugs which don’t extend too far off the case. It is perhaps due to the shape and size of the lugs that the watch actually wears a bit smaller than one might expect, visually closer to 36mm rather than the actual 38mm case diameter. The signed crown is of a comfortable size and is easy to articulate, and the caseback is engraved with a rather elaborate facsimile of the dial pattern, and an intentionally nonspecific engraving of “One of 200”. If I have any real nitpick about this piece, it is with the caseback, as the texture is so prominent that I felt it against my wrist from time to time.

 This release from Ming, set to be the last in the 17 series, is also the first collaboration for the young independent brand. But before the collab was even available for purchase, the drama was already brewing online. Prior to this release, Ming announced that the 17.09 would be the last of the 17 series, and did so with the drop of blue and burgundy guilloche dial variants, which are absolutely beautiful watches in their own right. In order to make sure everyone who wanted one actually got one, they implemented a tiered ordering system, wherein priority was granted to existing customers, followed by new buyers. Orders were placed and calendars were marked for what looked to be a long production lead time – though some will arrive in 2021, orders that were placed later in the tiered system would likely not be fulfilled until 2022.

Following this decidedly egalitarian preorder, the Massena LAB collaboration was announced. Because the Ming x Massena LAB production run of 200 pieces had been decided in advance, those who purchased the honey or black Massena LAB dial variants will ultimately receive their watches before those who preordered a blue or burgundy 17.09, which frustrated some people who ordered those versions.

New drops from Ming usually draw a fair amount of attention from the enthusiast community, regularly selling out within minutes of launching. For this release, the sale was set to go through Massena LAB’s website instead of Ming’s. When the moment finally arrived, Massena LAB’s site crashed. Apologies were made and the sale was rescheduled for the following day, but there was so much traffic and so many buyers (or bots) attempting to log on that it looked as though Massena LAB was the victim of a DDoS (distributed denial of service) attack. In order to navigate the unprecedented demand, a lottery was set up where email addresses would be collected, deduped, and assigned a sequential number that would be randomly selected by a number generator, and the email address associated with the winning numbers sent a purchase link.

With all of the hype surrounding its release, it can be easy to forget that Ming’s watches are intended to be accessible – these are not the six figure titans of haute-horology often associated with the independent watch world. Perhaps it is, at least in part, because these watches are accessible in price that they are so sought after. Perhaps it is because they are both unique and well executed. Perhaps it is because they simply don’t make that many. Likely, the reason for all of the hype is somewhere at the intersection of all of the above.

The furor surrounding the Ming x Massena LAB 17.09 launch caused some of the more level-headed among us to take a step back and ask just what hell is happening in this curious corner of our already nichey hobby. When new watches are announced and the conversation immediately becomes what it might be worth on the secondary market, even before a single case has been strapped to a wrist, what is it that we are actually excited about? While investment is certainly something to be considered when purchasing a watch, has it become our primary motive? Are we watch collectors or day traders?

The answer to that question will lie somewhere in between, and likely vary from watch to watch and from collector to collector. But for those more inclined to the former, we can only hope that the people who received links to purchase the final 17.09s were those whose motives were that of an enthusiast and not of a flipper.

Written by Troy Barmore

Photography by Jack Koto

Edited by Kathleen McGivney

This limited edition series was inspired by a chronograph that Bulova produced in 1941, but has been designed with larger proportions, which is more in line with modern tastes. The case is 42mm, which may at first glance seem a little large for a dress watch, but wears smaller due to the lug design. It’s still a bit chunky at 15.5mm thick, so might be more at home under a sweater than a shirt sleeve.

There are two versions: a silver dial with blue accents, and black dial with gilt accents. We chose to review the black dial due to the classic (and classy) combination of black with gilt, and it did not disappoint. The attention to detail on the dial of this watch makes it read as a much more expensive watch than its $2,495 price point.

Watch aficionados will assume that the dial configuration indicates a movement that is based on a Valjoux 7750, and they would be correct – the movement is the Sellita SW500. It’s a solid workhorse of a movement, with the added benefit that any watchmaker in the world could service it, making this a piece you could hand down to future generations. The movement is partially visible through the semi-open caseback, which is my only real nitpick here – I’d prefer to see all of the movement, or have a solid caseback on which I could engrave something of my own.

Each of the dial options are limited to 350 pieces. More info at Bulova.com.

Written by Kathleen McGivney

Photography by Jack Koto

The Bell & Ross Bellytanker Chronograph #SPRITZOCLOCK for Revolution does just that. It’s an uncharacteristically whimsical color for the Bellytanker line, with a bright orange dial and bezel. The orange theme is carried through to the rally-style strap. All of this orange is inspired by the spritz, a cocktail that is light, refreshing, and represents summer and camaraderie.

Fortunately for us here at RedBar HQ, our favorite cocktail bar in New York City, Amor y Amargo, just launched an outdoor cocktail program called Spritz by Amor y Amargo for the summer. Featuring eight unique spritz cocktails in an outdoor setting that was inspired by Italian piazzas, we felt it was the best place to take photos of this spritz-inspired timepiece.

The watch itself is a robust chronograph featuring the Bell & Ross caliber 301 automatic movement, with a 42 hour power reserve and water resistance to 100 meters, though we’re definitely going to change to a rubber strap before going in the water with this one. It’s in a 41mm case, but wears a bit smaller due to the short lugs, and is wearable on a variety of wrist sizes. The dial is the star of the show here, with a bright, glowing orange accented by darker orange subdials for legibility. The orange bezel with tachymeter scale complements the dial and rounds out what I think is the perfect summer watch.

For more info and pricing on the watch, head on over to Revolution here. And we’ll see you at Spritz by Amor y Amargo this summer!

Written by Kathleen McGivney

Photography by Jack Koto

It’s no secret that I’m a fan of Hermès as a brand. I started out with their leather goods, and once I found out that they had watch straps available, I quickly amassed a collection of straps and coined the hashtag #hermesstrapclub. With the latest H08 collection from Hermès, however, there’s nary a leather strap to be found – but it just works.

The H08 line marks a sporty departure from their typical watch styles, which tend to be on the dress side of the spectrum. The collection is not meant for extreme conditions like deep sea diving or mountaineering, but rather for a casual sporty lifestyle. They can easily go from the office to after-work drinks and into the weekend. And though they’re marketed as timepieces for men, they’d easily fit into a woman’s collection.

The design of the collection focuses on shapes – the case shape is a circle within a square, but the square has rounded corners that complement the circular shape of the sandwich dial. Perhaps the most striking (and controversial, if you ask the Internet) aspect of the watch is the typeface used for the numerals, which was created specifically for this line. According to Philippe Delhotal in Elizabeth Doerr’s excellent write-up of the collection, the shape of the 0 and the 8 echo and complement the shape of the bezel.

As someone very familiar with the brand, the 8 in this typeface reminds me very much of the iconic Chaine d’Ancre motif in their fashion jewelry line. Though Hermès does take inspiration from other métiers within the brand, such as when they created the exceptional C’est la Fete version of the Slim d’Hermès inspired by a scarf design of the same name, the resemblance here could be mere coincidence.

The two pieces I was able to spend time with were the titanium models, one in natural titanium and one in black DLC-coated titanium. It will surprise no one that I gravitated toward the DLC-coated version, partly due to my penchant for dark watches, but also because I really enjoyed the contrast between the coated and non-coated titanium on the case. This model also had an orange rubber strap, which made it feel like a fun summer watch, but the addition of the DLC lent it a bit more gravitas. The dial is extremely legible due to the contrast between the black gold-coated dial and the applied numerals, which are coated in a nickel alloy and have Super-Luminova for enhanced visibility. And while some watch enthusiasts hate a date window at 4:30, I think Hermès did an admirable job of including it here without detracting from the overall symmetry of the dial design.

On the wrist, the H08 is very comfortable – the titanium makes it lightweight and wearable, and the rounded corners on the square case make it easy to slip under a cuff. It’s also suitable for a variety of wrist sizes. It worked on my small wrist just as well as on a friend’s larger wrist, largely due to the integrated strap design and comfortable deployant buckle. However, if I had one small nitpick, I would choose the standard deployant that Hermès uses for its leather straps instead, because it is thinner than the version on the H08 and arguably a bit more comfortable. The H08 utilizes the in-house automatic Caliber H1837, which has a 50-hour power reserve, more than enough for a weekend of outdoor activity.

Overall, I thought the H08 collection was a great, sporty addition to an already stellar lineup of watches from Hermès, which is a brand that sometimes gets overlooked from a watchmaking perspective. Their high-quality movements and attention to detail in design and finishing are worth a second look.

Written by Kathleen McGivney

IG: @kmcgivney

Photos by Atom Moore (except where noted)

IG: @atommoore