Marketed as a sort of accessory for the 2016 Ducati XDiavel power cruiser that was presented at the 2015 EICMA international motorcycle show in Milan, Italy, the Tudor Fastrider Black Shield Ducati (ref. 42000CN) is as sporty and laconic as the Italian sports bike. While some may find its look a bit dated (while others may call it ‘classic’,) the choice of material for its chunky case easily compensates for its apparent lack of originality making it a nice choice for a person willing to spend close to $5000 for a Swiss-made chronograph that, while looking plain, offers you the same level of quality and functionality that we expect from a timekeeper in this price range.
150 m
Saint Honore Worldcode GMT Quartz
The Saint Honore Worldcode GMT (ref. 868507 76NIR) makes an impression of a well-designed watch with every bit of its surface carefully thought over by real professionals. Its shape is traditional, but not generic. Its textures are brutal, but not crude. It is functional, but won’t overwhelm you with unnecessary features. Its only drawback is the movement that powers it, but lots of people won’t even notice it.
Vacheron Constantin Overseas Blue Chronograph (Ref. 49150/000A-9745)
The stately Overseas collection has recently been updated with a version with a lacquered blue dial and a leather band of the same noble color. The Vacheron Constantin Overseas Blue Chronograph (Ref. 49150/000A-9745) is currently available exclusively in the United States and in VC boutiques.
Tudor Heritage Chrono Blue Automatic
Around 18 months ago, Rolex’s “cheaper” brand Tudorhas unveiled its Heritage Chronograph (Ref. 70330) that paid tribute to the legendary Tudor Oysterdate from the 1970s. The resemblance between the original and the reissue was, well, a little less than obvious, so, learning on past mistakes the brand decided to offer this new Tudor Heritage Chrono Blue featuring styling that makes it look almost like a faithful recreation of the old “Montecarlo” version of the same Oysterdate range.
Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra GMT Automatic (Ref. 231.13.43.22.01.001)
With its new Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra GMT (Ref. 231.13.43.22.01.001), the watchmaker has finally added a model with a second time-zone functionality to its dressy Aqua Terra line. Although the dial looks a bit more cluttered now than on the original three-hander, I must admit that the timepiece still passed its primary test of telling the time in two separate time zones with flying colors. We here can only hope that the brand will soon decide to expand the range with another similarly styled, but more compact models 38-40 (tops!) millimeters in diameter for those of us still preferring less conspicuous objects of luxury on their wrists.
Tudor Heritage Chronograph (Ref. 70330)
With its gorgeous Tudor Heritage Chronograph (Ref. 70330n), the Swiss-based watchmaking brand pays homage to the legendary Tudor Oysterdate Chronograph that was manufactured in the early 1970s.
(This is a sponsored article!)
Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra Golf (Ref. 231.10.42.21.01.001)
As you may have already guessed, the new Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra Golf (Ref. 231.10.42.21.01.001) celebrates the Swiss brand’s growing ties with the world of elite sport, which is usually associated with luxury sports cars, expensive wine, and Tiger Woods. Although the choice of the model looks less than obvious in this particular case (Seamaster Golf? Oh, come on!) the watch itself may be of interest to those who want a Seamaster, but search for a version with an unusual color scheme.
The New Tudor Grantour Family: An Instant Classic
The Swiss watchmaking brand Tudor has recently refreshed its model range by presenting a new family of sporty Tudor Grantour automatic watches.
(This is a sponsored article!)
Tudor Fastrider Chronograph Ducati (Ref. 42000)
With its new Tudor Fastrider Ducati (Ref. 42000) automatic chronograph, the recently resurrected Swiss watchmaking brand continues its trend of offering not particularly bright timekeepers for those considering the canonical Rolex design language too flashy for the price.
Tudor Grantour Chrono Fly-Back (Ref. 20550N)
Looking at the new Tudor Grantour Chrono Fly-Back that was officially presented last March during the annual Baselworld 2011 show, I can’t figure out whether Rolex is serious about its resurrected entry-luxury sub-brand or just amuses itself with an old toy.