A very Happy New Year to all! 2016 was a challenging year for the watch industry, so let’s begin by sharing some of the things that we’d like to see more of and less of from the watch industry in 2017. Next, we take a look at what were some of the most notable and popular watches to be released in 2016.
We will also be taking a look at Cartier’s Drive De Cartier “Small Complication” watch, Citizen’s high-tech Eco-Drive Satellite Wave F900 watch, and Ball’s updated Engineer Master II Diver Worldtime watch.
1. 10 Things In Watches We Want To See More Of, And Less Of In 2017
It is the start of the new year, and we are beginning this round-up by sharing some of the things that we would love to see more and less of in 2017. The new year looks like it will be challenging for all watch brands and I, for one, would love to see more original models from brands, and also more sensible pricing. In keeping with these points, I also hope that brands stop offering complications just for complications’ sake. Do you really need a world-timer with a chronograph function and a moonphase display?
Source: aBlogtoWatch
2. Cartier Drive De Cartier ‘Small Complication’ Gold Watch Review
For 2016, Cartier released an entirely new collection called Drive. It has a cushion-shaped case with very soft features and is available in a variety of materials and with various complications. It is part of Cartier’s strategy to appeal to a new and younger target audience. One of the more high-end pieces in the Drive collection is the “Small Complication” watch in gold. It is so-called because it packs a number of complications, namely a big date display, a retrograde second time zone indicator, and a day/night indicator for the second time zone. Have a closer look at the watch here.
Source: aBlogtoWatch
3. Car & Watch Review: Mazda MX-5 ND, Citizen Eco-Drive Satellite Wave F900
Though the Mazda MX-5 and Citizen Eco-Drive Satellite Wave F900 watch are both high-end products made by Japanese companies, they are different in many other ways. The Citizen Eco-Drive Satellite Wave F900 watch is one of the most high-tech watches money can buy. It is crafted out of titanium, gets its energy from the sun, and it uses GPS signals to set the time. On the other hand, the Mazda MX-5 is loved all over the world because of its pure and simple roadster recipe. A small, revvy engine in front, two seats in the middle, and power sent to the rear wheels – always, always the rear wheels. So how did the two get along? Find out by hitting the link below.
Source: aBlogtoWatch
4. Ball Engineer Master II Diver Worldtime Watch Review
I don’t know many divers who wished that their dive watches could show them time across the world, but I always had a soft spot for Ball’s Engineer Master II Diver Worldtime watch. I guess it is because it is really practical. The world time complication is one of the most useful, in my books, and add that to the Engineer Master II’s solid construction and dive watch capabilities and you have a watch that is just highly functional. Earlier this year, Ball released an updated version of the Engineer Master II Dive Worldtime. Naturally, I was excited to see what has changed.
Source: aBlogtoWatch
5. Parmigiani Kalpa Hebdomadaire Anniversaire Watch Hands-On & ABTW Event Recap
As divers lived and worked at ever-greater depths, Omega started work on the famous “Ploprof” (PLOngeur PROFessionel, or “professional aide” in English) Seamaster 600, launched to the general public in 1970 after four decades of research and testing. During the R&D procedure, Omega tested the PloProf to 600 meters in the mill, and also to 1,000 meters off the shore of Marseilles. Cousteau’s anglers used the watches from the coast of Marseille during a pair of experiments to test the effects on sailors working in depths around 500 meters. To this very day, the Omega Seamaster name is synonymous with snorkeling. (For our evaluation of the modern Omega Ploprof, click here.) Omega manufactured its initial chronograph in 1898, and over a decade, the timepieces were used to measure time at more than 16 sporting contests. After winning 1st place in all six classes in the 1931 Geneva Observatory trials, Omega’s reputation for accuracy led the International Olympic Committee to appoint Omega as the official timekeeper of the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics. This was the first time in Olympic history that one brand had been given the responsibility to time all events. The newest supplied 30 high-precision chronographs effective at measuring 1/10th of another (an Olympics first), all of which were certified as chronometers from the Observatory at Neuchâtel as well as the National Physics Laboratory in the United States. (The timekeepers at the 1928 Olympic Games in Amsterdam used their personal stopwatches.)
Amongst independent watch brands, Parmigiani is possibly one of the most interesting. First of all, it is really made up of five different smaller and specialized manufactures that make everything from balance springs to gears and dials. Secondly, it is backed by the influential Sandoz family. This gives Parmigiani a lot of freedom and capacity to pursue interesting projects and watches. And one watch that I would like to highlight is the Parmigiani Kalpa Hebdomadaire Anniversaire watch. It might look like a simple tonneau case shape watch, but it has one of most beautiful engraved movements I have ever seen. Also unusual is that this watch has a stainless steel case, but a solid gold movement. Talk about being discreet.
Source: aBlogtoWatch
6. A. Lange & Söhne Richard Lange Jumping Seconds Watch Hands-On
The Richard Lange Jumping Seconds watch was one of A. Lange & Söhne’s most technically interesting watches of 2016. Its combination of complications and quirks lead me to believe that it was conceived with chronometric performance in mind. The regulator-style display makes it easy to precisely read time, while the jumping seconds complication ensures to-the-second accuracy. More importantly, the Richard Lange Jumping Seconds watch also has a zero reset mechanism, which instantly returns the seconds hand to zero when setting the time, allowing for the watch to be set accurately against a reference time. If you are a stickler for accuracy and punctuality, this is the A. Lange & Söhne watch to get.
Source: aBlogtoWatch
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