Quick Look: Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Control Date

One of the most underrated watch in the current Jaeger-LeCoultre range is also one of its finest in my humble opinion. It is the basic Master Control Date, powered by the Caliber 899 movement. This is the entry level piece to the Master range and it is also the entry level piece to the Men's automatic range for Jaeger-LeCoultre. Competitively priced at $8,400. So competitive in fact that these pieces are quietly flying out the doors. A quick ring-around the AD network in Australia uncovers a not-surprising fact: the watch is back ordered and there is a waiting list! This is usually reserved for over-hyped sought after limited editions in other brands but something quite unheard of in a core range product. You know they have a winner on their hands when this is the sort of problem they have. I would've added my name to the waiting list had I the money to spend on such a classic.

I won't bang on about the movement. There are enough information on the interwebs about it. Suffice to say that it is a tough and reliable workhorse and it is the movement upon which many complication modules are built. This movement is also one of the thinnest around at only 3.3mm high, contributing to a svelte watch with a total case height of 8.5mm, and a very versatile 39mm diameter.

The watch is elegant in its simplicity. Everything you need to tell the time and date and nothing else. No superfluous writing on the dial. No, not even "automatic". The see through case back shows the finely decorated movement. It's not to the level of say, a Patek movement, but you're also looking at a price point that is two-thirds lower. It is however, miles ahead of other similarly priced watches. The case quality is sublime, and the sunburst dial exudes an understated elegance. I probably wouldn't have bothered with the tiny lume dots at the hours and tiny lume inserts in the hands. It's a dressy watch. I can go without the lume. Dressy watch it may be, but it can be easily dressed down by fitting a brown strap or gasp.. a NATO strap.

This is also a watch with a strong history within JLC. It is on this range, the Master Control, that the 1000 hour test began back in 1992. The watches are subjected to a rigorous testing regime over, yep- you guessed it- 1000 hours, or equivalent to 6 weeks, fully cased up. They go through a variety of tests including timing, shock resistance, water resistance, etc, and only by passing all tests will the watch be allowed to leave the factory. This test is now performed on all JLC watches, excluding Atmos clocks and Calibre 101 watches.

So, a classic versatile watch that probably won't date and will only get better with age, a watch that played a part in the history of JLC at a relatively affordable price point, I guess a waiting list for is isn't all that difficult to fathom. Now I just need someone to spot me the odd 8 grand...

On The Wrist: Stowa Flieger Black Forest Edition 1 Australian Review

We love black watches

Oh, yes we do

We love black watches

And we will be true.

When the watch isn't black

We're blue.

Oh, Black watches we love you. **

End flash back to my high school musical days. (Yes I was in high school musicals. What? I enjoy the performance arts...chicks dig guys who can bust a move and hold a tune... Really...)

But there is SOMETHING about an all-black stealthy sinister looking matte black anything isn't there? Matte black cars turns heads. Matte black sneakers are always on trend. Coco Chanel also said something about the colour black. Black will always be the new black no matter what the advertising execs tries to tell you. 

Especially a black watch named after one of the most delicious black-themed desserts- the Black Forest cake. Stowa will tell you a different "official" story about some forest close to their home but we know the truth .

It's the first time a DLC coated watch is offered by Stowa (we talked about this process here) and it's a limited edition of only 200 pieces worldwide. It is based on an existing model but modernized and made "better" by being all black (with the movement given the same treatment) and a splash of bright orange to give it that extra pizzazz (and to make time telling easier). Tongue-in-cheek aside we really do like the black/orange colorway (to steal a sneaker term). 

Stowa watches are produced under the guidance of watchmaker Jorg Schauer, and the case work is flawless. Really. At this price point (around 800 Euro. less VAT if you're outside Europe) there is no better case. Shame I can't say the same about the movement. The original plan was to make the eta 2801-2, essentially a 2824 minus the rotor, to be fully black with bright orange branding on it, but technical difficulties put that idea to bed. Personally I felt that if an all-black movement wasn't going to happen, I'd much rather they covered it up and offered a special case back. 

Having said that, the movement minus rotor meant less height and I was pleasantly surprised at just how thin the whole watch is. Dress watch thin. Not stupidly thin like a Piaget Altiplano but thin enough for everyday wear. It won't intrude and won't present itself to being caught on door frames and cuffs. 

The dial is very clean, the logo is only really visible at certain angles under certain lighting. Everything you need to tell the time and nothing you don't. Like, oh I dunno... Say... a paragraph on the dial saying how officially accurate this watch is... The strap is thick, soft and comfortable. Nuff said. Overall the watch feels great, sits well on the wrist and it is very light.

I do feel that a classic pilot watch is a must in every collection. And because so many brands make this style of watches, you really are spoilt for choice at every price point. You could go authentic and buy one from the original manufactures of the pilot watch or if you're less picky, even fossil makes one. 

So what about this Stowa Black Forest? It's not my first pick for a pilot watch. I'd go for something more historically correct in terms of aesthetics (for example, below right). But as a second? Most definitely. Problem is that this Black Forest edition 1 IS a limited edition of only 200 pieces and they're all sold out. (I was lucky enough to see and review this piece, thanks to the generosity of its owner). This piece COULD be the only one in Australia. But luckily, Stowa makes a wide range of flieger watches and they're quite reasonably priced. You can see the range HERE.

Here's the Black Forest next to its OG cousin. Photo courtesy of the owner

**By the way I plagiarised and butchered the lyrics to "Bye Bye Birdie" at the beginning of the post.

8 Months In: An Australian Impression of Swatch Sistem 51 Ownership

People who know me know that I really didn't get the hype surrounding the Sistem51. I didn't see the point of a throw-away mechanical watch. But I admitted that it was a revolutionary step in watch history. Not for the so-called technological advances. But for what it stands for. That perhaps we're ushering in a new era of getting used to tossing away something that was once associated with craftsmanship and engineering and art.

But then I saw the more positive side of it. This watch (if and when regulated properly and assuming all the initial issues have all been troubleshot) will last you the better part of 20 years and it's supposed to always keep reasonable time over this period (since a watchmaker will not have access to the movement to regulate it). This means the one thing that bugged me about quartz watches - running out of battery when you actually want to wear it - is relegated to the history bin. And let's face it, the Sistem51 was never going to be haute horlogerie. I think it's designed to replace quartz watches, and even though it will never keep as good a time as a quartz, it is a small inconvenience for 20 odd years of "Shake it, set and go" and no more "Argh it's out of battery! What am I going to do without a watch for 2 weeks???"

Ok. That preceding scenario has never occurred to me. No, not because I'm a movement snob but a) my quartz powered watches seems to last forever on one battery (thank YOU G-Shock) and b) why the heck would you only have one watch???

Anyways, I did give in to the hype (like I did with those damn Jordans) and when the opportunity arose I acquired a piece of this watchmaking history. So, what's it like living with a Swatch sistem51 in Australia? Well, disclaimer first. I do rotate through other watches so it's not constantly on my wrist. As I have alluded to, there have been documented quality issues with the watch and although I've been lucky, I know first hand from collectors here in Australia the issues they've had with theirs. But mine does what is says on the box. Massively long power reserve and keeps relatively reasonable time. Mine was about an average of about plus 5 seconds a day. This is within cosc accuracy specs. And to be honest, at this price point for a mechanical watch, I would've accepted anywhere from 0 to plus 15 seconds a day. I cannot stand a watch losing time though.

My particular example is white plastic case on white silicon strap. It gives a very bright and summery feel but perhaps for Australian climate with hindsight, not the best colour as it gets dirty very quickly. Nothing a little wipe down won't cure though. The ticks very loudly. I suppose this is a trademark Swatch characteristic? But I think it's less annoying than one loud TICK every second for the quartz Swatch watches. The power reserve will come in handy even for those who swap watches regularly as the watch will still be ticking when you pick it up again after 3-4 days. As it is plastic, the watch is very light and comfortable. It won't be an everyday watch if you suit up during the week, but a perfect weekend watch.

So, after 8 months have I been converted? Well, let's just say it's not a massive outlay (AU$185) and it's nice to have a piece of watch history. I still don't know what all the hype is (aside from being caught up in it), but I'd expect some lines forming outside Swatch boutiques for the Australian launch come Friday. Let's just say that in terms of hyped products, it will have the longevity advantage over a similarly priced retro Jordan sneakers. But other than that...

Quick Look: Breitling Blackbird

If you think Breitlings are oversized blinged up watches, you'll be happy to know that they're not all like that. They do make some very sensibly sized watches and this is one of them. In fact it almost seems small, at least, that was my first impression. Till I measured the case size. It couldn't be that small given it runs the Valjoux 7750 movement. The measurements came to be 40mm in diameter and about 13mm thick. 100m water resistant.

The Blackbird has always been one of my favorite planes. It's designed to be a stealth recon aircraft flying "below the radar" so to speak. It's sleek , elegant and subdued. It also looks mean and aggressive. And not to mention pointy. It conveys a sense of discreet power. Funnily enough pretty much all of these adjectives can be used to describe its namesake in watches. The Breitling Blackbird. No, not the Breitlings of today, (and they're not alone in this) but one from the age of sensibility (relatively speaking) in terms of watch design. The early 2000s.  This was before bling and oversizedness took hold and watches became ostentatious for the sake of "just cuz".

Good thing about Breitling watches is that they all look pretty much the same from generation to generation and only a truly hardcore B-fan will be able to tell to a degree of certainty which year the model is from. And even then, older models are much more desirable, aren't they? I refer you to a classic exchange from the movie "Gone In 60 Seconds" - the newer one with Nicolas Cage - where an exchange about vintage Ferraris compared to brand spankers and what they say about their owners. Ahem.

As mentioned earlier this model is powered by the Valjoux 7750. A tough, reliable workhorse of a movement and one of the most popular if you want a chronograph. The movement is quite tall, meaning the watch will be relatively thick regardless to begin with. But the Blackbird wears well on the wrist and is easy to pull off. High contrast white hands on black dial makes it quite legible and the dial is also balanced if not symmetrical. Anti - reflective coating on the sapphire crystal adds to the legibility in all conditions. Finally, it comes with the signature 7750 rotor wobble that is so endearing to some and an annoyance to others.

They certainly don't make watches like they used to and this particular model is long discontinued. Meaning the number of this style will not increase and for the time being they're reasonably easy to find on the secondary market. However, be quick if you want a reasonably priced Breitling that's neither Jeremy Clarkson nor Kanye. And as matte finishing and discreetness makes a return to popularity, the demand and price for these examples will rise quickly and discreetly.

Quick Look: Baume & Mercier Clifton Retrograde Date

I remember my first retrograde experience. There is something so poetically unnatural in its movement that really captivates. On this particular piece it was a jumping hour with a retrograde minute hand, and i would wind the time forward, advancing the minute hand quickly to close to "60 minutes" and then slow down and watch the hand bounce back to "0 minutes" and starts again. It's more fun than watching the windscreen wipers going through a similar motion (although I must admit as a child I do remember being fascinated by the wipers and I would mimic its function with my hands on a flat surface with water). Why is it more fun than wipers as an adult though? Simply because of the sheer force with which it bounces back and the speed it does it with. This must put quite a bit of strain on the movement, and thus producing a reliable one is no mean feat.

This could be the reason why the retrograde function is not offered en masse, and the ones who can should be applauded for their defiance against natural motion (ie, hands going around in circles).

The Baume & Mercier Clifton Retrograde is a very fine looking timepiece. In fact, the whole of the Clifton range boasts classic styles, if a little reserved, and I think this is where the retrograde balances the range. The oversized arc of the retrograde date screams out for attention like the middle child. It's the watch for those who wants a classic dress watch but doesn't want to be bound by classic proportions and styling. It's for those who needs to confirm due to societal pressures but still wants flashes of personality, like drab grey suits with bright orange socks and pink pocket square. Yes proportions may be a bit out of whack, but it retains a certain balance, with the day sub dial at 9:00 and the power reserve at 6:00.

It is not a small watch with a diameter of 43mm, and I know there are people out there who swears anything bigger than 38mm is too big for a dress watch. Given the national average weight has been on the rise for decades I think 43mm suits just fine. The watch sits well on the wrist, and the lugs do curve down which adds to the fit. The alligator strap is soft and supple and I'm sure will be even more comfortable after the initial wearing-in period. The watch is powered by a ETA2892 movement with the calendar module from Soprod.

Granted it's not for everybody, and the price point (AUD7200) I feel is a little on the high side for a stainless steel watch from Baume & Mercier and it doesn't quite fit into the whole "Affordable Luxury" ethos. However, it is a stand out piece and speaks volumes about who you are, choosing it over a  safe and boring choice of a Datejust.

On The Wrist: TW Steel Slimline

Tw steel were very kind to loan me a watch from their latest slimline collection to wear and review. I chose the gold because people are always telling me that rose gold watches suit my skin tone and I chose the silver dial because the date window doesn't stick out like Ryugyong hotel. (Google it. Personally I quite like it. The building that is. Very sci-fi.)

The first impressions are good. The watch is still very solid as I've come to expect AND a lot thinner than I'd expected. I do wish the hands were thinner and perhaps to match the elegant elongated indices in shape. The croco grain strap is a nice dressy touch but should lose the rivets as it's more of a pilot watch styling cue. But I guess it's to reiterate the TW Steel logo? Also the croco grain is a thin pattern stitched and glued onto the calf strap and I feel that over time it'll start to fray and come apart on the edges especially if it's put on and taken off daily, as the edge will continue to rub against the buckle.

Speaking of the buckle I like it. Looks like someone put a little effort into designing it. Some pricier brands should take note. Even the pin for the buckle is really well made. There is really no excuse for anyone else to still make them on the cheap. I'm sure the price difference is negligible.

I know a lot of watch enthusiasts turn their noses up at TW Steel but these watches are genuinely well made. Apart from the aesthetics which is a very subjective matter, construction wise truly impressive, especially for the price. I'd even go as far and say they're better built than some of the bigger names in fashion watches. Granted if you're dropping 5 figures on watches without blinking this is obviously not the watch for you, but for less than the price of an alligator strap from one of the major Swiss brands it's actually a really good watch! You need something to wear whilst waiting for that 5 figure watch to return from the 6 month long service in Switzerland right? Plus the watch is made from 316L grade stainless steel. This is the same sort of steel as used by the majority of the luxury watch industry. Not Rolex of course they use a different grade called 904L. Whether or not it's better or just different depends on who you ask and what you believe.

Now I don't think people generally go this sort of detail  for a quartz watch but I noticed the case back is screwed in rather than a snap-on. I prefer screwed in and personally I think this is a sign of quality. I'm tempted to open it up to see what makes it tick. Let's see if I can manage it...

(5 minutes later...)

Were you expecting something more interesting? 99.9% of the clientele isn't going to do what I did. And quite frankly this is not unexpected. Open up any quartz watch and you'll likely see something similar. The shape and size of the movement might vary but that is it. And of course, 99.9% of the clientele won't care what the movement looks like as long as the watch keeps time. And it will. And it looks good. And it gets a lot of compliments  And the price ain't bad. (Just over $400 for the gold plated or just under for the steel version) And that's all it matters.

There is also a bracelet version and that would be the one to get. The bracelet looks great and you have the option and versatility to swap it onto the strap for a more formal look. It's like having two watches for the price of one. Overall count me impressed. TW Steel in their Slim line collection has managed to move away from a me-too style to something of their own. It's an evolutionary step in the right direction and still in keeping with the TW Steel identity.

Quick Look: Jaeger-LeCoultre Grande Reverso Ultra Thin Duoface

One of the more popular pieces released in SIHH 2013, The Grande Reverso Ultra Thin Duoface has started to trickle into the Australian market and we were fortunate enough to get a close look at a piece.

From a design point of view, there is very little to fault. You have a vintage looking dial on the front, and a more contemporary black dial on the back, with a pusher on the side of the case to quickly adjust the hour hand on the second face for a second timezone. However, you could just leave both dials on the same time and have two watches for the price of one, as both dials have very distinctive characters. If anything the watch is possibly a little too monochromatic, but that can be easily fixed with a dark brown strap.

This model is part of the new Reverso "Ultra Thin" range, which begain with the Tribute to 1931 in 2011. Jaeger-LeCoultre has managed to shave off as much unnecessary millimetres as they can from the height of the case of the Reverso. Of course, there will always be a certain minimum height to it, due to the extra carrier case to support the swivelling watch case. Having said that, the whole watch is proportioned just right and seems to be a good fit for a vast majority of wrists (as long as you're not Ahhhnold on whose wrist a 60mm watch looks normal).

The watch is powered by a well-proven manual wind movement (yes, one movement powering both sides). The movement has been in service since the introduction of the Reverso Duo, way back in 1994.

Personally, the Reverso is an iconic watch, so much so that it really deserves a place in everyone's collection, just like the Speedmaster and the Submariner. A Reverso with two dials and a two timezone function really is the best of the range, unless you really want to engrave something on the solid case back of the regular one-sided Reversos.

SPECS

Grande Reverso Ultra Thin Duoface 1931

Mechanical manual wind movement, Calibre 854/1
180 parts
45 hour power reserve
Water Resistant to 30m
Fitted alligator strap with pin buckle.
Case size  46.8mm x 27.4mm, 9.1mm thick
Available in stainless steel (RRP A$11,400) and pink gold (RRP A$20,600)

On The Wrist: Swatch Sistem51 First Australian Impressions

Yes I am a sceptic and as you have probably read here and here, I really did not see the point of these watches. And yet I still bought one. (Got caught up in the hype) And no, not to resale, but really just to see what all the fuss is about, to see if all the hype is warranted, and really, for 150CHF, it's not that much of an investment. If you think about it, this is less than a pair of general release Air Jordan Retros and will last just as long, if not longer. It's also cheaper than an alligator strap from many higher end Swiss watch brands, and the Swatch will most definitely last longer than the strap. Anyway, that's how I'm justifying the purchase. Of course, your mileage may vary.

The first release of the Sistem51 came in 4 colours, blue, red, white and black. I believe the initial batch sold out, and were quickly restocked. For some reason the ugliest of the lot (the blue) is the one that is still sold out. Red, black and white could still be had from the Swatch Boutique on Rue Mont Blanc in Geneva as of last week. For me personally the black and white were the lookers and white was the one I ended up with. (Friend was in Geneva and asked what I wanted, I said either black or white and he made the call). I'm happy with the white, since I have too many all-black watches already, and it's something different. A fun looking watch.

More details have emerged since my previous posts, and the Sistem51 is supposed to last about 20 years, and it is laser-regulated to about 5 seconds a day. I'm not really fussed about accuracy as it won't be on my wrist continuously enough for the accuracy to make an impact. The 90 hour power reserve will be interesting to observe (see how close it comes**) but again, nice to have, but not necessary. Having said that though, it is vastly longer than the usual 40-odd hours from a regular automatic movement, and still longer than some of the more recent higher-end longer power-reserve watches of up to 3 days (72 hours). Another feature is that the movement is meant to be anti-magnetic. I really don't know how to test this (and I'm not about to leave the watch between speakers and magnets) so I'll take their word for it. The specs of the movement is mightily impressive and may be some cause for concern, and I think this is also what they are trying to do- to shake up the industry a little bit.

The life expectancy of 20 years is very interesting. Current mechanical watches have a service recommendation every 4-5 years, depending on how the watch is worn. Given the Sistem51 is sealed, and the movement is not designed to be serviced, one can read this as a mechanical movement having the possibility of a 20 year service interval. Sure there are stories that some Rolex watches have run that long without servicing but that's not the norm. Of course, we can't really test this claim for another 19 years and 11 months and a couple of weeks, but if this Swatch continues to keep relatively accurate time for that long, hmmmm...

Now, the watch itself. It is a plastic watch with a silicon strap. Nothing fancy. Having said that, this particular watch has already been dropped... well, actually, flung against the wall then fell to the carpeted floor. Don't ask. But the watch survived, fully intact, no scratches, no dents/chips nothing. Still ticking away. So that's a plus. The watch itself is nicely sized - at 41mm in diametre, and not too tall at 11mm. The watch sits on the wrist quite comfortably and light enough that you don't notice it. I like the idea of a see-through rotor, and that the movement and rotor are/can be printed. This is a great idea as I'm sick of seeing movements that really should not be shown. At least with the printing it covers the movement and they might even offer personalisation printing down the line. You can wind the watch up, but it's in a back-to-front anti-clockwise direction. The winding is rough, but then again, this is a 150 CHF watch. Not sure how efficient the plastic rotor is in terms of winding the watch up though given it's uni-directional, and spins freely in the other direction (much like the Valjoux 7750).

Over all it's an interesting watch (I keep using the term interesting, simply because I can't think of better, more fitting way to describe it.) and I'm sure the movement will be fitted to other brands within the Swatchgroup in the medium term, in the entry level models within say, Tissot, Certina, Mido brands. Who knows this movement may even replace some quartz movements (no battery changes every 2 years!!! Just shake it and go!) as it is really vastly more convenient, and you never have to be without your watch for 20 years. And after 20 years, when the movement dies, you just go and buy another watch. (Although I'm sure many will be looking to change the watch after about 5 years anyway).

So, consider the industry shaken, but hopefully not so much that all the romantic notion once associates with watchmaking is all shook out.

**I took the watch off in the afternoon of the 27th, the watch was fully wound. it stopped late on the 31st. So the 90-hour power reserve checks out. There are also reports from people whose Sistem51 arrived DOA. I have a feeling that the first batch was rushed and some pieces didn't pass muster. Good thing the there is a 2-year international warranty. It's just a bit of a hassle. My particular piece, although ran fine, had some very minor cracks in the plastic rotor which I'll keep an eye on.

Quick Look: Seven Friday

The watches of SevenFriday caught our eyes early on and we decided to feature them in our guide to the top ten Swiss/German mechanical watches under $1000, even though the watches aren't made in Switzerland or Germany (although the company is based in Zurich). That's how much we liked the watches. And finally, just on a year later, we were able to get our dirt mitts on these beauties and finally confirm that yes they do look as good as they did on screen. Better, in fact.

This is a great case study in how to increase brand recognition with zero or near-zero marketing budget. Have a search for SevenFriday on Instagram and you'll know what I mean. It has a massive cult (oxymoron?) following and it does help that the watch design is very distinctive and lends itself well to photos. And although the watch runs a humble miyota movement, the watches speaks to an extremely broad audience, including high rollers who frequently showcase their SevenFridays on Instagram alongside watches easily ten times the price.

The growth and popularity of the brand took everyone by surprise. Even the people that created the brand. (Although I'm sure they had some inkling that they were onto a good thing, as the internet tells us the people behind the brand have plenty of experience in the watch industry.) So I think it's more the speed of the growth, given the brand only came about in May 2012. And they did it without throwing money at it. I really cannot emphasise this point enough!

Now onto the watch. The whole design philosophy is industrial. So the watch looks industrial, the case is an industrial packing crate, but the finishing of the watch is anything but industrial. Pick up the watch and you immediate notice the sort of heft usually associated with a Panerai and the matte/polished finish of the case is superb, easily comparible to the Swiss cases at higher price brackets. I did find it a little difficult to tell the time but no doubt that will come with familiarity. It's a big watch, but due to the lack of lugs (straps attached directly to the case) it wears smaller, meaning more people can pull it off. In fact, on the wrist it feels like a 44mm watch as opposed to the actual 47mm.

One thing I found disappointing is the quality of the straps, which looked and felt cheap. However, this is not a big issue, as you can now find custom made straps just for the SevenFriday! This goes to show how popular the brand has become. You know you've made it when someone makes custom straps to fit your watch!

No thanks to the exchange rate, they're now priced from $1195 for the P1/1 in Aussie Dollars (just above if you claim your tax back), but they're still a bargain and the fact that you can pick one up here locally makes it that much more desirable. The watch comes in a variety of finishing and colours, but my personal favourite is still the original P1 model. Mated to a dark brown distressed thick calf strap and it'll be perfect.

At the time of the quick viewing SevenFriday were looking to start distribution in Australia, and they are now in stores! Check out Gregory Jewellers to see where you can get your hands on one of these.

On The Wrist: TW Steel Cool Black Colour Red

As you probably all know, marketing doesn't come cheap. Building a brand up from nothing, now... I shudder to think what that would cost. And the cost is not only associated with dollar signs. It's also time, effort, manpower... it's a lot of things. Which is why it's all the more astonishing what TW Steel has managed to do with such a short space of time. How short, you ask? It's less than 10 years. There are older watch brands that does not have as much brand recognition and reach. Their watches are now available in over 100 countries and around 5000 points of sales. Those figures are darn impressive.

All that money must come from somewhere right? So they must be ripping everyone off with their watches, you say. Surprisingly, no. TW Steel watches are quite reasonably priced, with most of their range of watches in the low to mid 3 figures. And they're not skimping on quality either. Watches are made from 316L stainless steel and movement wise you're looking at either Japanese Miyota movements or Swiss Ronda movements. What they don't tell you is where the watches are made. And apart from their "Swiss Made" range, there's no prizes for guessing which country might be producing their watches.

Of course, the finger pointers will then point to the derivative style and accuse them of copying U-Boat, which produces overpriced (to some) canteen-style watches. But then again, perhaps they also, need to be accused of copying canteen-style watches from back in WWII? And besides, the canteen style is only one of the lines of watches TW Steel produces. Granted they're not breaking any new ground in design, but you have to admit that across their range of oversized watches they have taken on an identity of their own.

The design inspiration? U-Boat has the crown on the left so it doesn't dig into your wrist if you wear the watch on your left wrist...

Personally I feel that TW Steel has been very smart in making their marketing budget work smarter. One of which was picking up (presumably) cheap advertising space on the Renault Formula 1 cars after some unpleasantness with the team and then more recently, put their stickers on the Force India team (who also presumably were having a fire sale on their ad space since they need money). I think a good part of their success comes down to how well they have marketed the brand, and really pushed the brand into the general (hip) public's consciousness. If someone ever writes a book on TW Steel's rise to prominence, I want a copy.

Well, enough about the company. How about them watches, really? Well, they're known for their oversized watches and they are true to their words. What's normally a men's size is relegated to their women's range, and if you don't have the cohones (or the wrist) you'll most likely find it quite difficult to pull off wearing their watches. I really liked one of their tonneau shaped watches (looks like the result of a Richard Mille/AP Royal Oak Offshore Chrono... ahem.. rendez-vous)  but even with its curved back it just felt much too big, and no, I did not have the cohones to pull that one off. However, a 50mm round canteen style watch I could do, and this is the watch we're looking at today.

TW Steel Cool Black Colours - Red 50mm diametre

First, the negative. The massive crown kinda intrudes into the wrist (unless you're wearing this watch on the right wrist) and for your troubles, you get a tiny little crown with which to change the time and date. (That massive thing is just a cover. The actual crown is really, really tiny.) Good thing it's a quartz movement. I cannot imagine winding this thing up every day with that thing. This is only an issue with the Canteen line of watches. The rest of the range has a proper sized crown. The movement is also very small (well... the case is very big) so you have all the subdials of the chronograph kind of bunched in the middle. But the way the dial is designed, it's nicely balanced enough that you could forgive this little trespass.

Other than that, the case has a nice heft and feels like quality. All the markings on the subdials are symmetrical, and the dates disc is thankfully the same colour as the dial. The black leather strap it comes on is soft and comfortable on the wrist, but I'd opted for a NATO style strap just to give it a slightly different look. The watch did come with a spare colour matched red silicon strap, but it looked... let's just say it does the watch no favours. The movement in this watch is a Miyota chronograph OS20, which is accurate and robust enough. And should anything go wrong, they're also cheap enough to replace, so no issues there. Case is in 316L stainless steel and water resistant to 100m.

I find khaki coloured zulu strap with black PVD rings goes best with this watch

For the price, you do get literally a lot of watch for your money. It's a big, hefty piece and it's certainly not for everyone. But if you like the look and like big watches you could do a lot worse than a hockey puck of a watch on your wrist from the brand that's big in oversized watches.

On The Wrist: Panerai PAM 106 Luminor Submersible

It's not everyday we come across this piece - the PAM106, which just might be one of the more elusive regular models in the Panerai range (as in, it wasn't designated a special edition). Why is it elusive? Officially, only 1000 pieces were ever made over two years, in 2002 and 2003 (D and E series). It appears to be the first Submersible to receive the bracelet, and it is also the series to receive the updated bezel with ratchet at one minute intervals, and minute indices between 12 and 3. The PAM106 also features a bi-metal case and bracelet. The case itself is in titanium with a stainless steel bezel, and the bracelet is a mix of brushed steel and titanium, making this watch quite subdued and low key. Another interesting facet about the 106 is the dial. The shade of anthracite actually changes from a light grey to almost back depending on lighting and angle.

Thanks to its stainless steel/titanium construction, the watch itself is not too heavy and not too light. It sits on the wrist just right. (Didn't mean to rhyme there). At 44mm in diameter it's not a small watch, but it's no longer the BIG watch it used to be. The bracelet tapers from the lugs to the clasp, reducing a bit of visual weight as well. What I don't understand is why Panerai produced the bracelet with only half the clasp!! I believe many of the original clasps broke quite easily and were replaced with what should have been, a proper full folding clasp. I'm guessing the owner of this particular example wears the watch more on strap than on bracelet, which might be the reason why the original half clasp appears to be quite sturdy still. Personally I'm a big fan of the older style bracelet, which was modelled upon the crown bridge. The bracelet design was simplified on newer models and I think this is a great shame, as it now just looks generic and dare I say it, cheap...

Another known issue for the Submersible models of this age is the pitting of the hands, as can be plainly seen in this example. This is a bit of a mystery as it's actually not a case of moisture getting into the watch. The hands would be the only place with signs of pitting whereas the rest of the watch is fine. Online chatter suggests that these hands were replaced under warranty, but of course, as purists go, it's better to keep everything as original as possible, right?

Now, the dial. There were two versions available. Tritium dials and super-luminova dials. Again, the tritium is more highly sought after and now shows a warm patina. It is said that D series were produced with tritium and this changed to the super-luminova in the E series. But of course, if the tritium dial was replaced during service, the replacement would be the lume version.

The PAM106 is powered by the OPIII movement, which is just Panerai speak for a valjoux 7750 minus all the chrono functions. As such it's a reliable movement and everyone can service it. And because it is a 7750, you get the signature rotor wobble if you shake the watch the right (or wrong) way.

Granted, the Submersible is not as "iconic" as either the Luminor or the Radiomir. It is a bit of a hybrid design-wise (mix of Egiziano and Luminor WITH an automatic movement). However Panerai continued with this style and it's come into its own as a strong separate model line within Panerai, and although its style might be polarising to some, you could say it's found its niche and you can always take comfort in knowing there aren't as many Submersibles out there as Luminors or Radiomirs or Fiddys... If you manage to find a PAM106 in a good condition, geddit as they'll probably become harder and harder to find. Unless, of course, you settle for the more ubiquitous Pam 24 or Pam 25...

Thanks to the owner of this lovely timepiece for offering me the opportunity to review the watch.

On The Wrist: Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Grande Tradition Tourbillon Cylindrique a Quantieme Perpetuel Jubilee

(On the wrist with AUD pricing)

We have a real treat for you, our dear tarts readers, in this on-the-wrist post. Jaeger-LeCoultre Australia was kind enough to show us two watches from the Jubilee collection (Alas no Gyro 3... sigh) but even just having the opportunity to see these watches in the flesh is quite a treat in itself already. Let's have a look at the tourbillon first.

One thing we find is that sometimes Jaeger gives their watches really long names. I mean, the name for this watch will run the length of a page. It's almost as much as what Rolex puts on their dials. However, it was pointed out to me that although lengthy the name fully describes what the watch is. So if you break it down, it tells you the brand, the collection, the sub-collection and what sort of complication the watch has, and in this case, a perpetual calendar with a cylindrical tourbillon.

It is a stunning watch in person. The press images does it no justice at all. at around 42mm in diametre and about 13mm thick, it's really not that big a watch at all, and wears extremely comfortable on the wrist. How Jaeger manages to cram all those complications into such a relatively small space is beyond me. Perpetual calendar takes up room. cylindrical tourbillon takes up even more room. It's a full rotor automatic movement too, so that also, takes up room. I'm again reminded that this is exactly what is achievable due to the fully integrated design/engineering/manufacturing process. This watch I am told is 100% made in-house (apart from the strap - as alligators don't fare all that well in a frozen lake) and it is the first watch to combine a flying tourbillon with a cylindrical balance spring thus creating a timepiece of great precision. (not going to get into precision vs accuracy here. Perhaps another post)

The perpetual calendar is pre-programmed to the year 2100, and extremely easy to use. There is one recessed pusher at the side of the case at the 8:00 position that allows you to advance the calendar by one day per push. No need to figure out which part of the calendar to adjust first. However, if you do go past the actual day, you'll just have to wait till you catch up with the watch in real life, as you can turn the calendar backwards.

The watch design itself is inspired by 19th century pocket watches, and the dial features a grained finish which is quite unique but doesn't have applied indices. The layout is well balanced and symmetrical, as you'd expect from a true Manufacture. The layered dial may seem gimmicky but personally it gives the dial more depth and adds a bit more interest. I'd also prefer an actual rotating moonphase disc rather than a hand but that's really just nitpicking.

Overall it is a fantastic watch. And it is also extremely great value (relatively speaking). If you think about it, you are getting a double combo of cylindrical tourbillon with perpetual calendar, in a limited-to-180 pieces platinum case for only $170k AUD. Have a look at other comparable platinum cased complication watches from other Haute Horlogerie brands and you'll see just how much of a bargain this is. But be quick- at this price those 180 pieces aren't going to last.