Recently bought by a Chinese investment holding company, Eterna keeps on churning out great (while a bit overpriced) time measuring devices that also happen to be elegant accessories. Far from being “groundbreaking,” their 2016 Super Kontiki Chronograph (refs. 7770.41.49.1382 & 7770.41.49.1718) collection is now available not only in the brand’s numerous stores around the world but also at some online retailers albeit at very small discounts.
Victorinox Swiss Army Airboss Mach 9 Edition 241732
Presented at Baselworld 2016, the new Victorinox Swiss Army Airboss Mach 9 Automatic Limited Edition (ref. 241732) somehow manages to combine more or less adequate pricing (especially after all the usual discounts that the Swiss-based brand is known for) with a fairly small lot of pieces destined to be manufactured and sent to select stores around the world.
Tissot Heritage 1936 Hand-Wound T104.405.16.012.00
During the last three or four years, Tissot has introduced several great classic-styled timekeepers in their Heritage line. For this year, the entry-luxury brand adds an even more impressive (although deceptively simple) hand-wound Heritage 1936 (ref. T104.405.16.012.00). Staying true to the collection’s concept, the model combines a deliciously vintage appearance with a time-proven hand-wound caliber and a more than attractive price. What else would you want for Christmas?
Panerai Radiomir 1940 3 Days GMT Acciaio PAM 627
During the 26th Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH 2016,) the Italian brand has presented several new collections. Among them was this gorgeous (but in a modest way) Panerai Radiomir 1940 3Days GMT Acciaio PAM 627 that features their brand new Caliber P.4001 movement with a micro-rotor design. Although the watchmaker didn’t dare to step too far away from the time-proven design of the Radiomir collection, the PAM 627 still looks fresh and attractive thanks to the waffle-style dial finish that they, unfortunately, use only on a limited number of models.
Vintage Vibes: Bell & Ross WW1-97 Heritage
The 2015 Bell & Ross WW1-97 Heritage (ref. BRWW197-HER-ST/SCR) delivers the familiar mix of a well-calculated design, which is both elegant and masculine, and a bullet-proof mechanism, which is both reliable and accurate. All of them are offered at a relatively affordable price which makes this new creation one of the best choices in the “Value for Money” category.
Chopard 24 Hours of Le Mans Superfast Chrono Jacky Ickx Edition
The Chopard 24 Hours of Le Mans 2015 Superfast Chrono Porsche 919 Jacky Ickx Edition (Ref. 168535-3003) (wow, that’s a long name) is, for all practical purposes, simply a new iteration of the last year’s Superfast Chrono Porsche 919. The only thing that makes it visually different is a set of new color accents on the dial and bezel flange. Now also proudly wearing Jacky Ickx‘s signature on its engraved case back cover, the watch celebrates the long-standing partnership between the two high-end brands, but, it so happened that it also praises Porsche’s decisive victory at 2015 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Oris Big Crown ProPilot Day Date Automatic
The Oris Big Crown ProPilot Day Date (ref. 01 752 7698 4164-07 5 22 17FC) combines a vintage-modern (I hope, Marshall Amps won’t mind me using the combination of words) design of its moderately oversized stainless steel body with an inexpensive self-winding movement with day/date display that they outsource from Sellita. Easily readable and comfortable thanks to its ergonomically shaped case and a nicely designed folding clasp, the watch is priced at just over €1300 but delivers a lot more value than most similarly priced timekeepers with the same functionality.
Hublot Classic Fusion Bol d’Or Mirabaud Chronograph
This Hublot Classic Fusion Bol d’Or Mirabaud (Ref. 521.NQ.1717.QR.BOM14) is a nice take on their iconic Classis Fusion collection. While the differences with other models in the range are only cosmetic, the choice of materials and the way they are put together make a strong impression. As usual, Hublot will severely limit its total production volume in order to make it a ‘real’ rarity.