When I saw these watches, I got pretty excited. Romain Jerome has licensed the Space Invaders name from Taito Corporation in order to produce two 78-piece limited edition watches – 78 is a tribute to the year the game was introduced.

Absolutely stunning and awesome at the same time. This definately calls out to the kid in me.

Specs:
Case: PVD Coated Stainless Steel
Diameter: 46mm
Strap: Rubber
Crystal: Sapphire
Water Resistance: 30m
Movement: Romain Jerome Caliber RJ001-A, 23 jewels, 28,800 vph, 42 hour Power Reserve

My favourite Dress Watch company has just released yet another Grail watch that I wish I could afford! One of these days I will get my hands on a 43mm+ Jaquet Droz, and if I’m lucky, a Ceramic one! While these Ceramic Models are on Rubber straps and are less dressy than their Stainless and Gold brethren, they still fit the bill.

Specs:
Case Material: Black Ceramic
Case Diameter: 44mm
Movement: Jaquet Droz Caliber 2663, 28,000 v.p.h, 30 Jewels
Strap: Rubber

From Jaquet Droz:
“Contemporary in spirit, this timepiece displays an elegance that is intended to last: the 44 mm watchcase is made of resistant ceramic, whose color and radiance will never fade. The Manufacture has now complemented this exceptionally strong material, the hands in black gold with a touch of red on the tip of the seconds hand and the six markers it indicates. This new chromatic signature, which suggests an authentic, highly refined luxury that is entirely contemporary, brings a new dynamism to the two interlinked circles and it strengthens the compelling power of the number 8, the Manufacture’s symbol of good fortune. The same quest for perfection yielded the opaline black dial, and by the contrast between the matt face and the gleaming ring, carefully integrated.”

“A COMBINATION OF A TOURBILLON AND A CHRONOGRAPH MADE TO WITHSTAND EXTREME CONDITIONS WHILE WEARING A DINNER JACKET”

If the Silverstone Tourbillograph Full black were a character, no doubt it would be wearing a dinner jacket. A bespoke solid black one. Not so much that it would want to have a manicured life and sit in the best receptions, drinking champagne and smoking a cigar. Maybe partly because of its British heritage and tendency to always look smart. But most probably it would be wearing a dinner jacket to live an adventurous life, driving fast cars on and off the track. Breathing a special mixture of adrenaline and pure oxygen. Bringing body and mind to a state of hyper-consciousness. Enjoying every bit of life! Because here at GRAHAM, we think life would not be worth living without spice. Loads of it. We are risk-takers, and so are our watches.

The Silverstone Tourbillograph Full black is an automatic column-wheel chronographtourbillon. A Tourbillon. Not any Tourbillon. It is an automatic one minute Tourbillon developed in the vein of the GRAHAM DNA, with a powerful design and a rich technological content. The domed sapphire crystal offers unique full size dimensions (42 mm opening) and a see-through view on the beauty of the mechanism. The 48 components of its skeleton cage interlace in layers and has been reduced to an extreme weight of only 0.485 grams. This construction, called cintré integrates the Tourbillon into the complex chronograph movement while using a large diameter balance wheel. Made exclusively for GRAHAM by our partners Manufacture La Joux-Perret, it is the result of a 4 year R&D program leading to two patents. Altogether, the engineering knowhow has lead to doing away with the intrinsic weaknesses of tourbillons. First its fragility. The reduced number of components, lightness and double-bridge construction guarantee stability and perfect rigidity. We call it a shockproof Tourbillon. Second, the sensitiveness to magnetism is also reduced through the systematic use of iron free components in the Tourbillon cage. The Tourbillograph calibre is equipped with a high quality chronometric escapement beating at 28’800 A.

A Tourbillon. Not any Tourbillon. The Tourbillograph combines a Tourbillon and a chronograph. Not any chronograph. A column-wheel chronograph.

This movement offers at the same time the beauty of one of the best see-through Tourbillon cage
and the resistance of a military watch. How do we know? We have put it to the test. Not any test.
This movement has successfully passed the Chronofiable test, the gold standard in the watch industry. And it is to date the only automatic Tourbillon that has passed.

Aesthetically, the Silverstone Tourbillograph Full Black is a sophisticated and classy racing instrument. The 48mm thin steel case is PVD-coated with black titanium carbide. So is the bezel. Its black dial and polished rhodiated numerals play with the light. Sometime visible, sometimes invisible. One minute Dr Jekyll, Mr Hyde the next. All is a question of perspective. Like wearing a
dinner jacket to live a risky life.

Features:
Case: 48 mm steel with black PVD
Movement: Calibre G1780, automatic see-though Tourbillon column-wheel chronograph
Jewels: 34 jewels
Vph: 28’800 A/h (4Hz)
Power Reserve: 48 hours power reserve
Tourbillon cage with 48 components, 13.78 mm cage opening, weighing 0-485 grams
Crystal: Domed sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on both faces, 42 mm opening, see-through sapphire case back
Strap: Black Crocodile

Certainly not a new watch, the Manometro, designed and released by Giuliano Mazzuoli in 2004, is a uniquely designed sport watch, modelled after the Manometro Tire Pressure Guage. The watches are handcrafted in with Swiss automatic ETA movements.

The Mazzuoli Manometro measures a healthy 45.2mm in Diameter, and 14.8mm thick. The round, cylindrical case really stands out and is completely recognizable on the wrist. The model I picked up is the white dial on black rubber bracelet and right hand crown. A pretty standard and very wearable color combination.

The gloss white dial is easy on the eyes and relatively easy to read. If the hands were a touch thicker it would be even easier to read. The second hand is a red arrow pointer, that reminds one of the tire pressure guages that the watch is modelled after. The rounded bezel is brushed stainless steel and looks fantastic.

As you can see, the dial is very shallow mounted, giving the watch sort of a top-heavy look. This works for the style and the only complaint I have with the design is the narrow straps. They look a bit disproportioned from the rest of the watch, and mounting and switching them is not that easy.

The crown is placed at 2 o’clock and cut with the Guiliano Mazzuoli logo and also very oversized, which works really well with the overall design. Kudos on the crown design and placement. One of my favourite parts of the design, in fact.

Finally a wrist shot to round of the quick shot mini-review here. The watch does measure an imposing 45.2mm, but since there are no lugs at all and a very narrow strap, the watch actually wears a bit smaller than you’d think, even with the cylindrical case. But, it does wear chunky also, so its a bit of an odd fit overall. A chunky, yet underwhelming strap makes the watch feel a bit unbalanced on the wrist, but it has a charm to it that harkens to its Italian design and heritage making it a great character piece for those who prefer the road less travelled.

I’ve always liked a few of Baume & Mercier’s designs, but never thought I would end up with one of the Flagship Magnum XXL’s with the Rose Gold and PVD Case. While its not a brand that commands the respect of some of the others, its still a luxury watch company that has quite a bit of brand penetration and awareness.

The Magnum XXL 8825 in 18K & PVD is one of their most expensive watches, and features some nice combination of Rose gold and PVD, which is a popular color combination these days.

The watch is a generous 48 x 37.4mm, and wears like a 44mm round-cased watch. This is an imposing watch with some serious color combinations that really makes an impact. Beautiful crafted case and Rose Gold inset pieces are really impressive.

As you can see there is a 18K Rose Gold insert on the side that is screwed in. Nice extra touch on an already beautifully crafted watch. This watch certainly isn’t everyone’s taste, but there is a certain charm to it that I really find compelling. When I strap it on I do find that it is a bit harder to match than other watches I have due to the PVD and Rose Gold.

The Deployant Clasp is PVD and blends right in with the Alligator pattern strap – both of which suit the watch wonderfully. The strap construction is quite well done on this watch, and has a nubuck finish to the leather, which I cannot seem to find a concensus on whether it is Leather or Alligator. If I had to guess, I would say Leather.

Movement is a modified ETA/Valjoux 7750 with a signed Baume & Mercier Rotor. I would have liked to see at least a DLC’d rotor in this watch. The half-moon window is a nice touch, however. The movement works well and is an established work horse that just about any competent watchmaker can fix blindfolded.

The watch is well made and I am quite happy with mine. I received it in a trade and it is fun to wear. The Rose Gold portions are generous with the large crown and the full Rose Gold bezel that goes past the dial as evidenced by the inside of the watch under the crystal. The weight of the watch also does not let you forget it! A nice piece by a company that I don’t usually consider.