WWR

40 mm

A Fifty Fathoms for the Rest of Us: the MK II Stingray Keroman

Always wanted a vintage Fifty Fathoms, but didn’t have a platinum credit card? There are dozens of micro-brands that get you covered, but you should probably wait until MK II restarts the production of its Stingray Keroman collection.

Hamilton Khaki Navy Scuba Automatic (ref. H82305931)

With this gorgeous Khaki Navy Scuba Automatic H82305931, Hamilton not simply expands its line of diving companions. It finally offers a model that is not just “different” from the rest of the crowd, but -unlike their last year’s Navy Frogman- can be worn by a casual person without attracting weird glances from persons who “just don’t get it.”

Frederique Constant Peking to Paris Automatic Limited Edition (ref. FC-303WBRP5B6)

The 2016 limited-edition Frederique Constant Peking to Paris (ref. FC-303WBRP5B6) may not be revolutionary or groundbreaking in any meaning of the words, but it is still an interesting (albeit a tad overpriced) timekeeper for a person interested in a nice three-hander with a just a grain of sportiness to it. While the “limited edition” part may be a bit gimmicky (in a sense that you can’t seriously expect a piece limited to almost 2900 units to become a rarity in any foreseeable future,) all the rest is legit: it is an expertly designed, solidly built piece that is powered by a robust mechanism.

Longines Heritage Military COSD L2.832.4.53/73.x

War never changes. Watches, however, do. It is nice when reputable brands introduce all sorts of homages to the legendary WWII-time models issued for armies and navies of all parties involved. For obvious reasons, I can’t call this 2015 Longines Heritage Military COSD (ref. L2.832.4.53/73.x) a true “reissue”. However, it is still a nice choice for a person who wants to buy a military-style timekeeper that doesn’t look like it came straight from the Call of Duty: Black Ops. This one was designed with an officer and a gentleman in mind.

Chr. Ward C9 Moonphase Automatic Caliber JJ04

Once a maker of all sorts of “homages”, Christopher Ward puts a lot of effort into becoming a serious brand. This new, dressy Chr. Ward C9 Moonphase is a step in the right direction for the relatively young watchmaker.

TAG Heuer Aquaracer 300M Ceramic Automatic Diver

The iconic TAG Heuer Aquaracer family finally gets a handful of new members that have their stainless steel bezels replaced with ceramic ones. Available in black and blue, with plain or blacked-out steel bodies, and featuring a nice choice of available straps, they are still relatively affordable if you take into account a nice combination of attractive styling, reliability and a bullet-proof automatic movement to finish the picture.

Fortis Terrestis Hedonist Automatic

The 2015 Fortis Terrestis Hedonist delivers a winning combination of elegant styling, and robust movement offered at a fairly affordable price. This can be the watch of choice for a person who always thought about adding a Fortis to his collection but wasn’t ready to get himself an “aviator” because of their massive cases, cluttered dials, and, often, just way too many colors for them to look good with business attire. Now, you finally have no excuses to backpedal on this purchase, have you?

Oris Divers Sixty-Five Automatic

First revealed at the Baselworld 2015 trade show, the 2015 Oris Divers Sixty-Five (ref. 01 733 7747 4055-07 4 17 18) automatic diver pays homage to a classic model from 1965. Although it is absolutely not a true reissue (even the choice of the movement makes it a different model), the Sixty-Five makes a strong impression and will be a wonderful choice for a person who wants to buy something “vintage”, but with brand new guts to power it.

Tudor North Flag with MT5621 Manufacture Caliber

If Tudor wants to get rid of its image of a ‘poor man’s Rolex’, this new flagship North Flag model is a step in the right direction. At least, the combination of an in-house mechanism, a cleverly designed case, an elegantly simple dial, and the famous Tudor Rose right below the Arabic numeral “12” make a strong impression. Whatever the next model be, the brand doesn’t plan to dwell on its past forever.

Oris Thelonious Monk Limited Edition Automatic (Ref. 733 7712 4085)

Known for its love for music (among others, their limited editions include homages to such legends as Frank Sinatra, John Coltrane, and Dexter Gordon) Oris has recently introduced its limited edition Thelonious Monk (ref. 733 7712 4085). Although in certain respects this new model may look unfamiliar to a person who usually associates the brand with their gorgeous chronographs and bulky divers, it is, in fact, deeply rooted into the manufacture’s philosophy of industrial design. As the legendary sculptor of the past, they took a piece of metal and removed everything that didn’t belong there leaving only the essential elements that make an ordinary accessory a masterpiece.

Chr.Ward C9 Jumping Hour MKIII 40mm

Already available for pre-order with the first bunch of them expected to be delivered mid-March 2015, the new Chr.Ward C9 Jumping Hour MKIII features a refreshingly new design, which is not just clean and easy to read, but is also extremely refined. It looks like the guys that designed this beautiful timekeeper were in the proverbial “zone”: they did everything right.

Bulova AccuSwiss Type A-15 Automatic

Inspired by a model that was commissioned by the US Air Force around 70 years ago, the Bulova AccuSwiss Type A-15 (ref. 63A119) can be a nice option for a person looking for a vintage-styled “aviator” but not willing to opt for a “standard” German Luftwaffe B-Uhr-style timekeeper. Some may find the combination of a black dial with bright orange luminous compound on hands with dirty lemon 24-hour numerals a bit, well, tasteless, but it is in fact how the original watch looked, so just get used to it.

Girard-Perregaux Dual Time Automatic in Rose Gold

The 2014 Girard-Perregaux Dual Time, which is delivered in a rose gold body with a choice of two dials in vintage ‘Off-White’ (ref. 49544-52-131-BBB0) and more modern ‘Anthracite Gray’ (ref. 49544-52-231-BB60) colors, offers that killer combination of great, well-designed exterior and reliable, time-proven automatic movement that only brands of this caliber can achieve. Although the complication itself is not rare (and I am putting it mildly), and its realization is not terribly innovative, the final product still makes a strong impression.