The Breitling Watch Blog

Among the Swiss Watch companies developing their own watch movements is Alpina. This Alpina Nightlife Club Regulator is pretty cool, and looks better than most Alpinas I’ve seen in the past, while still preserving their trademark look.

Their new Nightlife Club Regulator features the Alpina AL950 movement which features:

25 rubies
Glucydur Balance
Alternances 28,800 /h
Nivarox A Spiral
Regulateur Hour Hand decentered at 10:30
Date-by-Hand at 6 O’Clock
Bridges decorated with Côtes de Genève
Platine and bridges Rhodium plated
Blue screws
42-hour power reserve

The unique rotor resembles the bumper winds of yore, and has a very nice asthetic. The Alpina Nightlife Club features a 44mm stainless steel case, sapphire crystal and 100m water resistance. A very pleasing and wearable watch from Alpina. In my opinion, a nicer overall design than many of their past efforts.

Also known as the “Nicolas Cage Watch”, the Mont Blanc Timewalker Chronograph Automatic is a very noticable watch when on the wrist. It never fails to catch someones eye, and garners a compliment quite often. It is probably one of Mont Blanc’s most striking case designs, with immaculate attention to detail.

This particular specimen features beautifully polished rose gold hands with a thin slit of lume, and matching rose gold arabics and indices on a semi-gloss black dial. Mounted on the strong, yet lightweight hollow chain-style bracelet, the watch really has a unique style to it that is 100% Mont Blanc.

As you can see, the sapphire crystal is not AR coated on the Timewalker Chronograph, but it is domed and mounted in a very thin bezel giving the 43mm diameter watch a larger wrist presence than similar sized watches. The watch features a very high quality three-piece case construction that I was not expecting initially. The quality of the case is very impressive to me – Mont Blanc did a great job with that.

As you can see, Mont Blanc did not miss any opportunities to insert their logo on every piece of the watch that they could – even the lug ends have a bead-blasted Mont Blanc star on them! A very nice touch and done very tastefully in my opinion. The machined-out lugs look great as well, with the interior surfaces all bead blasted as well.

Any of course no Mont Blanc watch would be complete without the signed Mont Blanc crown. While I’m not a big collector of Mont Blanc products, I do have to admit that the signed crown adds level of prestige and pedigree to the watch that is desirable. The watch overall achieves a unique and pleasant identity which is often rare in the watch world.

The Sapphire exhibition back shows off the decorated Valjoux 7753 movement modified by Montblanc. It is pretty standard with the date change mechanism mounted at 10 o’clock via a recessed pusher.

And finally the wrist shot! Shown on my 6.75″ wrist, the watch really does “pop” out and demand your attention. The lugs are short on this model compared to other similarly sized watches, making the watch fit well on even smaller wrists. After wearing this watch for a while I don’t think that it is for me. The watch has a style that is perhaps a bit shiny without being entirely dressy yet without being “tool” enough for me, like Breitling. Beautiful watch, but it won’t be a keeper for me.

If you’re one of the people in the world that can prove your certification of recieving a Black Belt, you are eligible to purchase a Black Belt Watch. The website states that you need to provide authorized certification of having received a black belt, but it does not explicitly state which disciplines you must have one in. I wonder if a Black Belt in eating Pizza counts? If so, I think I am eligible!

At any rate, these are very cool watches. They currently have two models, with only the automatic available from the website currently. A quartz Chronograph will be available soon. Black Belt watches is a Swiss-based company, and the Automatic model sells for 3000CHF.

Given to me by a well-meaning relative, this fake Rolex from Asia does come scary close to the real thing, especially for the majority of people out there. Its no wonder so many regular non-WIS are so captured by this fake rip-offs. It kind of pisses me off a bit, but what can you do. They are affordable enough that people just buy a new one every month. This Rolex Turn-o-Graph Datejust looks to be the lower-end of the high-level fakes. Probably has an Asian movement in it, and possibly Sapphire Crystal, but true collectors will be able to tell the difference quite quickly upon handling it. I don’t condone the purchase of fake watches, and have only posted this video to help warn collectors of how well the fakes can be made.

Graham and Mercedes team up again! This time launching the new Graham Mercedes GP Silverstone watch, which celebrates the spirit of Formula 1 Racing.

Functions: Chronograph (seconds, 30 minutes and 12 hours counter). Date at 9 o’clock Hours, minutes, seconds Tachymeter
Calibre: Calibre G1735, automatic tri-compax chronograph, 28’800 A/h (4Hz), Incabloc shock absorber 25 jewels
Power reserve : 48 hours
Case: 48 mm steel case
Steel right hand start / stop and reset pushers with “Clous de Paris” high grip pattern
Steel bezel with tachymeter scale
Domed sapphire crystal, anti-reflective coating on both faces
See-through sapphire crystal case back with Mercedes GP Petronas logo, secured by 6 screws

Download the Graham Press Release PDF

A limited edition Platinum version of the Glashutte Original Senator Chronometer Marine Chronometer has been released, in a limited edition production of 13 units. These sets include 13 limited production refurbished Marine Chronometer Clocks from the 1970′s that were discovered during preparations for opening the German Watch Museum in Glashutte.

Since this is one of my Grail Watches, a limited edition of 13 pieces in Platinum presented with a beautiful Marine Chronometer such as this was something I couldn’t mention. While all Glashutte watches are built to Chronometer specs and perform extremely accurately, the Senator Chronometer is the first Glashutte watch to actually be Chronometer certified.

Now that I have recently sold my GO Senator Sixties, I must seek to add a new Glashutte Original watch to my collection – which will it be? Not this one – as I doubt I can even come close to affording it!

Most watch aficionados have heard of UTS Watches, and have seen them pop up now and then in discussion forums and sale forums. What many may not know is that every watch is hand machined and fabricated by Nicolaus Spinner in Germany, one of the Principals of UTS Watches. Along with Stephen Newman, the President and CEO who is based in California, USA, the team fabricates entirely in Germany and is able to market and sell their watches in the USA. They are celebrating 12 years in the business!

The company is primarily famous for their 1000M, 2000M and 3000M Divers, which all use progressively more advanced machining processes and features to allow the depth rating to increase. The 3000M Diver in particular uses a ceramic ball-bearing bezel system with a unique locking system invented by Spinner.

If you’ve never handled UTS watch cases in person, then you should know that they are some of the most well-made cases in the industry with incredible attention to detail and precision fit and finish.

I am planning to add the UTS 1000m v2 GMT as pictured above to my collection sometime, but as with most of these specialty brands, resale is often difficult so may hold off until I can find a good deal on a used one.

After the initial release of 88 Limited edition pieces of the XXL Aqua Terra Small Seconds in June, Omega Terra has released a similar regular edition of this 49.2mm beast. This is the second watch from Omega to features this 2211 movement, which appears to be the replacement for their 2201 movement that is used in the 49mm Aqua Terra Railmaster. That movement is a Unitas 6498 base, but this one is an automatic as far as I can tell, and some sources quote it as being an in-house caliber. I am interested to see what it is.

Really like this one as it has similar styling on the dial as the regular 8500 movements Aqua Terra line. I have one of the full-sized ones and very much enjoy the watch.