Gadgets
Although not as advanced as the last year's Garmin Forerunner 620 GPS running coach, the 2014Suunto Ambit2 R makes quite a strong impression featuring a well-balanced list of functions designed for beginners and intermediate-level runners that don't need all the extra functions usually requested by professional athletes.
Swiss
First revealed before the Baselworld 2012 trade show, the Heritage Pilot was reissued in an even more appealing version. Although, with a total production run of 1883 pieces (just like the older model), the Alpina Heritage Pilot Limited Edition (Ref. AL-435LB4SH6) shouldn't be touted as a "limited" edition (there will be just too many of them in circulation for the model to become a rarity in any reasonable time), it still deserves our attention for the sheer beauty of it.
Swiss
Here comes the big gun. Perrelet has offered its huge Turbine XL Ref. A3027/1 model more than two years ago and now the Swiss brand plans to reintroduce the watch using less expensive, albeit as flashy, materials. Still measuring outrageous 50 millimeters in diameter, the new Perrelet Special Edition XL Turbine Racing DLC (ref. A1051) now comes in a huge stainless steel case that sports an extremely scratch-resistant DLC (Diamond-like Carbon) coating that not only looks cool, but also keeps this expensive toy in mint, unworn-like condition. For YEARS.
Swiss
To be presented next March during the Baselworld 2012 event, the new Alpina Heritage Pilot (Ref. AL-435B4SH6) limited edition watch features the easily recognizable styling of their pilot's watches, but is now equipped with a nicely decorated hand-wound movement, which is protected from accidents with a solid hunter case cover.
Despite its somewhat toy-like appearance, the new Nautica NMX 650 (ref. N18633G) diver may be a nice choice for those looking for an inexpensive beater that can be used as a diving companion.
Quartz / Swiss
The new Marvin Malton M160 Rectangle Flying Hour (ref. M024.14.41.64) looks great. But why isn't it powered by a mechanical movement? Perhaps, the answer is that someone at Marvin wants to believe that two quartz calibers are actually better than just one self-winding movement. On the other hand, a pair of quartz calibers plus a mechanical movement (yes, I'm talking about the 2010 Dussert Tri-Zone DW400 GMT) could be even better.
Swiss
The 2011 Rodania Linius brings to the table the time-proven Swiss-made automatic movement, which is packed inside an interesting-looking stainless steel body. The movement in question is the good old ETA 2824-2 self-winding blank caliber: the usual suspect when it comes to choosing an engine to power a relatively inexpensive timekeeper when having a "Swiss Made" inscription on a dial is a must.
Swiss
It looks like with the new Cartier Rotonde de Cartier Astroregulateur (ref. W1556211) limited edition the Swiss watchmaker has found yet another, maybe even more effective, way of combating the problem of gravity affecting accuracy of mechanical watches. The solution is as simple as it is ingenious.
Swiss
Next week, during the upcoming SIHH 2011 event, the Swiss-based watchmaking brand Richard Mille is planning to present its new Richard Mille RM 030 automatic watch with so-called declutchable rotor: a complication that, unlike a tourbillon or a minute repeater, is not just nice to have, but is actually quite useful for a number of reasons. Designed to slow-down the process of wearing out of the self-winding mechanism, the declutchable rotor is what it is: a rotor that, colloquially speaking, disengages its "clutch" the same way an automatic gearbox declutches, um, automatically when you press on the brake pedal while stopping at a traffic light. In this particular instance, the winding system is physically disengaged from the winding barrel as soon as the estimated power reserve reaches the 50-hour mark.
Swiss
For this year, the Swiss watchmaker updates their RM 017 collection with an even more technologically advanced hand-wound Richard Mille RM 017 Tourbillon Extra Flat that now comes in an ultra-thin case crafted from 18-karat red gold measuring less than nine millimeters from top to bottom.