The Krayon Anywhere Universal Sunrise-Sunset Complication

The sunrise-sunset complication is a surprisingly straightforward one to implement mechanically, and yet it remains relatively rare in a wristwatch. While the complication has existed in clocks for centuries and in pocket watches for many decades (including, perhaps most famously, the Patek Philippe Luxury Replica Watches Star Caliber pocket watch, and the Caliber 89, as well as the earlier Graves Supercomplication), it was not introduced in wristwatches until the Jules Audemars Equation Of Time in 2000, which was followed a few months later by the Martin Braun EOS watch (two of the least deservedly forgotten watches of the last two decades, if you ask me).

The basic problem with a sunrise/sunset watch is that it necessarily can show the times of sunrise and sunset for only a single location. This is due to the fact that the time of both is affected by both latitude and longitude, as well as the time of year and civil time. Any watch with the complication must, therefore, be made for each client individually, as the two cams that control the sunrise and sunset cams are specific to a particular point on the Earth's surface. You can have the cams made for New York, for instance, but if you happen to travel to any other city, the complication will no longer be accurate.

If you are a confirmed homebody, or if the patek philippe replica  in question is one that you do not particularly travel with a great deal, the problem is academic. However, those affluent enough and with eccentric enough tastes to want such a watch in the first place, would undoubtedly want to be able to enjoy traveling with the watch without having to explain to every Tom, Dick, and Harry (or Harriet) who asks, first, what it is, and secondly, why it is not working properly in Mallorca when it works just fine in Cincinnati (to pick two locations at random). Additionally, the problem is not just one of owner's ego; while there is something intrinsically deeply satisfying about the sunrise-sunset complication, there is something deeply unsatisfying about its being inextricably functionally bound to a single point on the Earth's surface.

Now, the problem of making a sunrise-sunset complication which can be used anywhere on Earth was finally solved quite recently, by a constructor named Rémi Maillat who is the founder of Krayon. The first Krayon watch was the Everywhere watch, which was a kind of descendant of the medieval universal astrolabe (and with which we went hands-on in 2018). The astrolabe is an astronomical device used to observe, among other things, the altitude of celestial objects, and also to indicate which stars are above or below the horizon at any given time. But, like the sunrise-sunset complication, these were, as a rule, restricted to use in a single location. Eventually, however, universal astrolabes were developed that could account for differences in latitude. The Krayon Everywhere watch did the universal astrolabe one better, however. The Everywhere is essentially a wrist-mounted astronomical computer. You input the necessary data – UTC, latitude and longitude at the desired location – and the watch (also taking into account the equation of time) will show you the correct sunrise/sunset times anywhere in the world.
In addition to its many technical innovations, the Everywhere watch is also quite wearable – just 42mm x 11.70mm which, for a timepiece of this complexity, is a phenomenal accomplishment. The dial layout is also logical, very legible, and aesthetically harmonious. The only disadvantages to the watch are its extreme complexity (over 600 components) and high cost: The Everywhere is quite expensive, with a starting price around CHF 600,000 and going up rather sharply from there depending on desired modifications. With a view to making a watch perhaps more suitable to being worn on a regular basis, while still retaining many of the advantages of the Everywhere watch, Krayon has now introduced the Anywhere watch, priced at CHF 96,000 and CHF 116,000. It is a timepiece which can still show the time of sunrise and sunset anywhere on earth without the troublesome and expensive process of making new cams for every desired location and having them switched out by a watchmaker, although the owner can no longer directly control the necessary inputs.

A comparison between the two watches shows some immediate and obvious differences. The Everywhere watch wears its complexity lightly, relatively speaking but there is still no doubt that the dial delivers a considerable amount of information, albeit in about as economical and concise a fashion as I can imagine. After all, the Everywhere watch is not merely an instrument which passively displays information. It is rather a mechanical computer, which must show information input as well as the information output by the complex mechanism; in this sense, it is as much an astronomical calculator as it is a watch. The Anywhere watch offers a much clearer dial, which still displays the signature data of both the Anywhere and Everywhere watches – that is to say, the time of sunrise and sunset – but which omits the program input indicator, as well as the latitude indicator (the original Everywhere watch could be set to any latitude from 60º north to 60º south, which are the highest and lowest latitudes where "white nights" can be observed and which therefore mark the practical limits of a sunrise-sunset complication).

Hublot Big Bang Unico GMT Carbon

When we think of Hublot, we tend to picture ruggedly stylish chronographs, avant-garde materials in eye-catching color combos, and sporty design influences ranging from soccer to motor racing. Rarely do we think of classical dual-time functionality, and that’s a shame because Hublot’s Big Bang Unico GMT models Replica Watch UK — introduced in 2017 in titanium and carbon fiber-cased editions, and joined by King Gold and ceramic versions this year — represent a distinctly masculine, eminently legible, and user-friendly take on this classical “practical” complication. Here’s a hands-on look at the Big Bang Unico GMT Carbon model, on which I tracked my overflowing appointment calendar at Baselworld 2019 while keeping track of the time back home.

Even without the flagship chronograph model’s busy, tricompax face, the watch is immediately recognizable as a Big Bang, sporting an unapologetically large 45-mm case, constructed of carbon fiber, a material long associated with Hublot and its “art of fusion” design ethos. The material makes the thick case (15.85 mm) quite sturdy and yet pleasantly lightweight. The round, stationary carbon fiber bezel is anchored firmly to the octagonal case middle by the Nyon- rolex replica watches based brand’s signature H-shaped screws — six of them, to be exact, representing the hour points at 12, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 o’clock. The other hour markers on the bezel, on which a central arrow-tipped hand indicates a traveler’s home or reference time, are stencil-style Arabic numerals and half-hour indices filled with white lacquer for an excellent contrast with the dark checkerboard pattern of the carbon fiber base. The flange of the bezel, with a white printed minutes scale, is made of blue composite resin, another favorite material of Hublot and one that lends an attractive blue highlight to the ensemble, matching the thick rubber strap, the “Night” sector on the dial’s central day-night indicator, and the protruding, blue-resin lateral inserts, sandwiched between the bezel and case middle and held by titanium screws.
The chrono-type pushers control the hour hand, which moves forward or backward in one-hour increments.

The Arabic hour numerals missing on the bezel are used as the principal markers on the dial, which is openworked in the now-recognizable style of other Unico-equipped watches. Big, bold, eminently legible and filled with Super-LumiNova, these numerals alternate with thick bar indices for the main time display i.e., the current time in one’s location away from home, which is displayed by thick, partly skeletonized and luminous-filled pentagon-shaped hands. The running seconds tick away via a very thin, blue-lacquered central hand, whose counterweight is shaped like a Hublot “H” and whose tip elegantly glides past the indices on the blue inner scale.

Following the very intuitive design codes, the pusher at 2 o’clock moves the hand forward an hour, while the one at 4 o’clock moves it backward a hour. In a matter of moments, the triangle-tipped, luminous GMT hand will continue to point to the home time on the 12-hour bezel, while the main hour and minute hand will be set to the local time. If in a few days you are flying from, say, Basel to Tokyo, just click the pusher again until the hour hand moves to that city’s local time. Best of all for jetlagged wearers who may not want to do the math required of a more standard 24-hour GMT timekeeper, the dial’s day-night indicator allows one to see at a glance whether your home time is in AM or PM time. Divided into blue for night (matching the strap and the flange) and light gray for day (playing off the colors of the exposed Unico movement and the case’s carbon fiber pattern) — and, to make it even more idiot-proof, labeled as such also — this disk moves along with the hands, allowing a quick “day or night” reference for the home time.
Hublot Big Bang Unico GMT Carbon - Dial - Day-Night

The in-house-manufactured engine for all this ease of use is Hublot’s Caliber HUB1251 Unico, self-winding by means of a skeletonized rotor and amassing a power reserve of 72 hours. It is ensconced behind a carbon fiber caseback held fast by titanium screws and fitted with a sapphire window. The movement’s base, of course, is Hublot’s original Unico caliber, which has had its integrated chronograph components, including the column wheel, stripped out (as well as the typical skeletonized date disk, another addition by subtraction to keep the watch’s two time zone displays as simple as possible) and a patented, proprietary GMT module added. Perusing its micromechanical expanses with a loupe, one notes the matte finishing on the skeletonized, micro-blasted bridges, the balance oscillating at a speedy 28,800 vph, and the bidirectionally swinging, blade-edged rotor, running on ceramic ball bearings, which can be not only seen but heard while doing its work: hold the watch up to your ear, gently shake your wrist, and listen to the metallic rasps of the movement’s mechanical pulse.
Hublot Big Bang Unico GMT Carbon - Back

A Hands-On Review of the Breitling Superocean Héritage II

Breitling and Tudor made the decision to bundle their expertise in the design and production of mechanical watches even before changes came to the Breitling company. This became clear, not only in interviews with CEO Georges Kern, but as it is expressed by the timepieces themselves. A modified Breitling movement B01 powers Tudor chronographs as its MT5813, and Breitling is now using the in-house Tudor movement MT5612. Replica Watch

The Breitling Superocean Héritage II is powered by the automatic B20 caliber that came from a collaboration with Tudor. It’s found in the 42-mm stainless-steel and rose-gold three-hand version we tested here.

The Superocean Héritage II is the first watch to use the three-hand movement since 2017, and bears the name B20 in its modified version. Breitling first issued the 42- and 46- mm models in 2017, followed by the launch of a third size at Baselworld 2018 that measures 44 mm, as well as our test replica hublot watches – the unusual two-tone 42-mm version in stainless steel and rose gold. Black elements on the watch, like the bezel, dial and the Aero Classics rubber strap with its Milanese-style mesh pattern, lend both presence and elegance.

The unidirectional rotating dive bezel is one of the most striking changes Breitling made to the Superocean Héritage II, while taking care to preserve the character of the watch that made its debut in 1957. The rotating bezel contains an ultra-hard high-tech ceramic inlay that resists both scratches and impacts. The gold rim has a finer look than that of its predecessor, though it is still easy to grasp and turn with half-minute ratchets. It seems a bit loose for use as a professional dive watch.

The bezel lacks a precise minutes track despite the one printed directly next to it on the dial. This would allow for exact setting of the dive time, to the minute. But this shouldn’t be a problem at all for fans of recreational diving, who just happen to be the main target audience of the Superocean Héritage II. And although the gold seconds hand cannot be seen in the dark for a function check (due to a lack of luminous material), the hour and minutes hands are both clearly visible.

A design featuring unusual shapes – a triangle on the hour hand, a diamond-shaped minutes hand, and slightly conical hour markers – relies heavily on the original Héritage from 1957. The all-important minute hand for diving extends precisely out to touch the dedicated track around the dial circumference. Unfortunately, only eight points are visible under limited lighting conditions – insufficient for professional divers, in any case. The luminous dot on the ceramic bezel stands out alongside the slightly brighter hands, but this alone cannot help determine a precise, to-the-minute calculation of dive time. In daylight conditions the combination of black, white and rose gold creates an easily legible ensemble.

The old Breitling logo – a curvy “B” – in place of the winged letter and stylized anchor, has returned to the dial. (The earlier logo was introduced in 1979 to show equal kinship to flying and diving.) Proof of its status as an officially certified chronometer stands below the brand name.

The lower portion of the dial features the Superocean name in its characteristic font and references its water resistance and “Automatic” watch movement – which, unfortunately, cannot be seen beneath Breitling’s solid threaded caseback.

And it would be a sight to see. In contrast to the original Tudor design, the Breitling B20 is more finely decorated – with Geneva stripes and satin finishes, and two additional jewels. Otherwise, both versions have the same design and features. The balance wheel is stable and supported beneath a bridge, vibrating at a rate of 4 Hz with variable inertia and a silicon hairspring. Fine regulation is adjusted via screws, to a chronometer-certified level, just like the Tudor.

In actual practice, the Superocean Héritage II can do what the COSC certificate promises. It runs smoothly with a gain of about 3 seconds per day with minimal positional differences. At the end of the 70-hour power reserve, the amplitude falls to slightly below 200°, but the rate remains stable at +2 seconds.

The watch is not difficult to rewind if it winds down completely. The large, deeply fluted crown is easy to grasp and release from its screw-down position. Hand winding is smooth. Clear stops indicate the positions for quick-date adjustment and setting the time. The hands can be adjusted without play, and the date advances at midnight. Only slight pressure is needed to screw down the crown into its locked position.
OK Photography
The folding clasp opens with two deployment buttons. The upper part contains a strap extension.

It’s no simple thing to fit the Aero Classic rubber strap to the wrist. It must be cut to measure and then can no longer be altered. Only the single-sided folding clasp provides an additional 9 mm of variability; a sliding element offers seven different positions for adjusting the strap length, and is simple to use. The polished clasp has two deployant buttons on the side for opening, with a winged “B” making reference to an earlier Breitling era.

Once the rubber strap has been tailor-fit, the Superocean Héritage II sits snugly on the wrist where, despite its case thickness, it doesn’t seem overly heavy, thanks to its contrasting design features – a truly stunning piece for Breitling fans who go diving for fun.
Specs:

Functions: Hours, minutes, central sweep seconds, date, unidirectional rotating dive bezel with ratchet feature, screw-down crown

Movement: Breitling B20, automatic, 28,800 vph, 28 jewels, balance ring with variable inertia, silicon hairspring, screw-type fine adjustment, Incabloc shock absorption, 70-hour power reserve, diameter = 30.8 mm, height = 6.50 mm

Case: Stainless steel and 18k rose gold, domed sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment on both sides, water resistant to 200 m

Batman on Tour: Testing the Rolex GMT-Master II

Rolex has updated its popular travel watch, the GMT-Master II, in steel with its blue-and-black “Batman” bezel. We tested one of the first pieces available with a Jubilee bracelet and a new movement in this feature from the WatchTime archives (original photos by Marcus Krüger).

The blue-and-black color combination on the bezel of this Rolex GMT-Master II led its fans to call it “Batman.” Best Replica Watches The current version with a Jubilee bracelet and a new movement was introduced in 2019. Its predecessor with these same colors appeared in 2013, and was the first Rolex model with a two-tone ceramic bezel. This particular color combination did not exist previously. The first GMT-Master II of 1954 sported the blue-and-red 24-hour scale and was later called “Pepsi” because of this color combination. These colors were first selected to more clearly distinguish between the day and night hours in the second time zone. These and other specifications originated from Pan Am Airways, who requested the model. audemars piguet replica New jet airplanes were making intercontinental flights shorter and more popular, and with the increasing number of flights came a rise in the desire for watches with a dual time zone. The popularity of the GMT-Master grew from its pilots’-watch flair and its colorful and immediately recognizable bezel. Later, there were more reserved versions like the black-and-red “Coke” model.

Today the GMT-Master II in steel is offered in two versions that differ only in the color of their bezels: the Pepsi and the Batman, our test watch. Both feature a new movement and the five-row Jubilee bracelet that was once reserved for Datejust models only. Rolex previously equipped the GMT-Master II with the sportier three-row Oyster bracelet on the gold and Rolesor (steel and gold) GMT-Master II models. Rolex designed the Jubilee bracelet in 1945 for the Datejust; but as early as 1959, the GMT-Master was also available with an optional Jubilee bracelet. Like the Oyster bracelet for the GMT-Master II, the inner links are polished and the outer links have a brushed finish.

Batman or Pepsi? The color combination on the Batman is somewhat more reserved; the Pepsi more closely adheres to the original.

The Jubilee bracelet is very comfortable to wear. Its small links lie snugly and do not pull delicate wrist hair. The Oyster bracelet is also comfortable thanks to its curved links. The bracelet and the case are still made of non-corrosive 904L stainless steel, which Rolex has recently begun calling “Oystersteel.”

Rolex does not pair an Oyster clasp with the Jubilee bracelet here as it does with the Datejust watches but instead uses the Oysterlock folding clasp like it does on its sport models. It has an additional safety bar but looks very similar – both have the Easylink extension that can lengthen the bracelet by up to 5 mm. This practical mechanism is helpful when higher temperatures or physical activity may cause wrist size to increase. A half link can be folded out from the clasp to make the bracelet longer with no obvious difference in its appearance.

The high-quality clasp on the Jubilee bracelet is nearly perfect, both in its workmanship and in its ease of operation. The fold-out safety bar blends in when shut. Opening the safety bar by lifting the Rolex crown reveals a lever that is also easy to lift for opening the clasp fully.
Rolex GMT-Master II "Batman" - buckle
The elegant Jubilee bracelet has a practical Oysterlock folding clasp and safety bar. The Easylink extension gives it some air to breathe.

The winding crown is also simple to use to wind the watch after unscrewing it from its locked position. In the first pulled position, the normal hour hand can be advanced forward or back in hourly increments to set a new zone time. The date will also follow in either direction. In the second pulled position, the minutes hand can be adjusted (and with it, the 24-hour and the normal hour hand). Thus, the 24-hour hand is best used for the home time and/or for the GMT for pilots, while the normal hour hand shows the local time. The GMT-Master II is well known for this practical travel watch function. Many other watch manufacturers offer only a quick adjustment of the 24-hour hand, which is inconvenient when traveling.

In addition, with the GMT-Master II, it is possible to set another time zone temporarily using the bezel. For example, if you are in the U.S. and are working with a company in Europe, simply turn the bezel so that the GMT-Master II shows the time in the desired time zone to know the availability of your business contact at a glance. All in all, the GMT-Master II offers extremely useful time zone functions.

At its beginning, in 1954, the bezel of the GMT-Master II was made of Plexiglas and the color and the white scale were printed on the underside. From 1959 to 2007, Rolex produced the bezel in aluminum, with the colors applied via an anodizing process. This was followed by a track made of zirconium oxide ceramic and with it, problems with the color. Monochromatic bezels were standard since two-tone tracks appeared to be a technical impossibility. But Rolex persisted in its research and found a solution for the first Batman by 2013. It developed and patented a process for the monobloc bezel that added a metallic salt on one half of the bezel prior to heat treatment in a kiln. The final colors were produced by sintering in a kiln at 1,600 degrees Celsius for more than 24 hours.
Rolex GMT-Master II "Batman" - bezel CU
Even close examination reveals the superior finishing, like the color transition on the bezel.

A second problem was achieving the desired red color for the blue-and-red Pepsi bezel, since there is no mineral-based pigment that produces a rich red. After years of research, Rolex came to rely on a ceramic based on aluminum oxide and added chromium oxide, magnesium oxide and a rare-earth oxide to produce the red half of the ceramic bezel. For the blue color, one half of the bezel was saturated again with a metallic salt solution prior to sintering.

The bezels of the Batman and the Pepsi are based on different ceramic substances, zirconium oxide and aluminum oxide, which explains why the blue colors on the two bezels look so different. On our test watch, the blue appears much brighter than on the new Pepsi model. However, the incident light plays a major role on our perception of color and as always, there are slight differences among the Pepsi bezels.

Both materials forming the track condense and shrink during the sintering process and must be machined with diamond tools to the exact measurements. To ensure that the numerals remain perfectly legible, the entire ring is coated with platinum using a PVD process and then carefully polished to leave the precious metal behind in the recessed dots and numerals. Both processes have been patented by Rolex. In addition to its scratch resistance, the ceramic bezels have the additional advantage of being UV resistant and do not fade.
Rolex GMT-Master II "Batman" & "Pepsi" watches - flat
The blue hues on the bezel rings of the Batman and the Pepsi are clearly different. No wonder: they are based on different ceramics.

As with the Pepsi, the new time-zone Caliber 3285 is used in the updated Batman. With the exception of the chronograph, all Rolex self-winding watches are powered by the Caliber 31xx (the old version) or the new Caliber 32xx with a power reserve of 70 hours rather than 48. Unlike the Caliber 3186, the new movement has a ball bearing for the rotor. The proprietary Paraflex shock absorber is designed for improved performance in the case of impacts. But the greatest benefit for the wearer is the increased power reserve – instead of two days the watch now provides almost three full days of power, due primarily to the more efficient Chronergy escapement. The geometry of the pallet fork and escape wheel were optimized and, with the LIGA galvanic process, Rolex could create much lighter-weight cut-out components. The escapement mechanism is made of a nickel-phosphorous alloy to be impervious to magnetic fields.

Unchanged are the well-known features of Rolex movements: an extremely sturdy balance bridge (instead of a one-sided balance cock), the free-sprung hairspring with overcoil made of a paramagnetic niobium-zirconium alloy, and its fine regulator with its Microstella weights on the balance wheel. The movement can be regulated using a special tool without removing the movement from the case.

Rolex improved the caliber in the core virtues of accuracy, longevity and robustness. Decorations include a sunburst finish. Hand engraving is not present nor was it expected. The new movement can be easily identified by a small detail on the dial: a tiny Rolex crown is inserted between the two words “Swiss Made.”

Reviewing the Revamped Rolex Sea-Dweller

Rolex premiered its first divers’ watch, the Submariner, in 1953. The Sea-Dweller, which followed in 1967, had a nearly identical design. But since it was made for professional divers, it had an even more pressure-resistant case and a helium valve developed by Rolex. Rolex released a new model in 2017 to celebrate the Sea-Dweller’s 50th anniversary. It replaces the previous version, which debuted in 2014.

The changes are unusually numerous and extensive for Rolex. The red letters that spell out the name “Sea-Dweller” recall their counterparts on the original model. Rolex’s improved manufacture Caliber 3235 Swiss Replica Watches is used here for the first time in a sporty model. The most noticeable changes are the larger diameter of the case, which has grown from 40 mm to 43 mm, and the “Cyclops” magnifier in the crystal above the date. This lens had never been included on any previous Sea-Dweller.

Purists may criticize the fact that the Sea- Dweller now comes with a magnifying lens because this model never had one in the past. Along with the significantly enlarged case, this results in a change that clearly exceeds the cautious modifications that Rolex customarily undertakes in its models and that are the reason for the constant value of vintage Rolex watches. On the other hand, changes have never harmed the Sea-Dweller. Both the new model and its predecessor, rolex daytona replica which had not been a bestseller, are now eagerly coveted and are trading at prices far above the manufacturer’s retail price.

The new model’s design is successful, too. It now looks more like a larger version of the 40- mm-diameter Submariner, which is actually not a drawback. In fact, this newcomer is even more convincing with a full set of minutes strokes along the divers’ bezel and its name printed in red letters below the dial’s center. Rolex lavished greater attention on the proportions here than on the Deepsea and the Submariner. The lugs are narrower, which makes the case look more elegant and less angular. This is also true for the bracelet, which appears somewhat narrow on the Deepsea, but is comparatively broader and, therefore, has a more harmonious look on the new Sea-Dweller.

The height (15 mm) is a good match for the diameter. The Deepsea looks bulky by comparison and the Submariner seems almost too slim for a sports watch. All in all, the new Sea-Dweller is a contemporary and handsome interpretation of a Rolex divers’ watch.

Functionally, the new Sea-Dweller stays loyal to itself. The watertightness remains 1,220 meters. Needless to say, the case is equipped with a helium valve, although this feature is really necessary only for professional divers who decompress inside a pressurized chamber when engaging in saturation diving. In these conditions, a divers’ watch is surrounded by the gaseous breathing mixture, which contains helium. Under pressure, helium atoms can diffuse through a watch’s insulators and penetrate into its case, from which they cannot escape afterwards. This problem affected watches worn by divers in the U.S. Navy’s Sealab program, which was designed to research the effects that high pressure and various breathing gases have on humans. When the pressure was reduced in the decompression chamber, the crystals of these watches flew off. One of the Sealab divers told Rolex about this problem and suggested including a valve to release excess pressure by allowing helium that had penetrated into the case to escape without causing any damage. Rolex accordingly developed the helium valve, which many brands later included in their own watches.

Rolex has collaborated with Comex, the French diving specialists, since the early 1970s. Rolex supplied the watches for all Comex divers, who shared their professional experiences and helped further evolve Rolex’s watches. Comex lays undersea cables, performs underwater work on oil platforms, and can raise sunken ships. In the course of these adventurous tasks, Comex developed the necessary tools and experimented with various blends of breathing gases. Comex set numerous records for diving depth – and Rolex’s Sea-Dweller shared the ordeals because it was always strapped on the divers’ wrists.

Some of Rolex’s advertisements for the Sea-Dweller called attention to these record-setting achievements. For example, two divers spent 50 hours inside a pressurized chamber at a depth of 610 meters in 1972. Comex deep-sea divers subsequently plunged to beyond 500 meters’ depth. And a Comex diver descended to a depth of 701 meters inside a pressurized chamber in 1992. Comex really needed the Sea-Dweller’s helium valve and its greater pressure resistance (to a depth of 610 meters at the time) compared to the Submariner.
Rolex Dive Watches
Rolex’s three divers’ watches (from left): Submariner, Sea-Dweller and Deepsea. The new Sea-Dweller’s narrower lugs are clearly discernible in this comparative view.

Like the Submariner, which had been enlarged shortly before, the Sea-Dweller still measured 40 mm in diameter in 1976. The Submariner was equipped with a magnifying lens above the date in 1966, but the Sea-Dweller made do without this lens. Rolex replaced the Plexiglas with a sapphire crystal in 1978 and doubled the pressure resistance to 1,220 meters.

The Sea-Dweller Deepsea, with a diameter of 44 mm and pressure resistance to 3,900 meters, replaced its little sister in 2008. Not until 2014 would Rolex launch the new Sea-Dweller 4000 in a 40-mm case that remains watertight to 1,220 meters and bears a new ceramic dive-time scale on its bezel. This model didn’t sell very well, partly because it was significantly more expensive than the Submariner. After just three years on the market, it is bowing out and is supplanted by the larger Sea-Dweller.

Rolex not only optimized the proportions of the Sea-Dweller, it also improved other small details. For example, the luminous dot on the bezel is once again inset into the surface. This flush positioning makes the dot less likely to be knocked off if it comes into hard contact with a door frame or other object.

Legibility was already very good, so there wasn’t much room for improvement. Rolex’s “Chromalight” luminous material glows very brightly, so the displays are also clearly legible in twilight. The bluish color looks cool and doesn’t cause eyestrain. The triangle at 12 o’clock and the rectangular indexes at 6 and 9 assure instantaneous orientation. The zero index on the bezel also glows brightly. A luminous dot on the quickly moving seconds hand confirms in the dark that the watch is still running.
Rolex Dive Watches - buckles
Rolex has adjusted the width of the bracelet to the new size of the Sea- Dweller (near right). The bracelet of the smaller Submariner (far right) is much narrower.

Wearing comfort is good, too. Credit for this is primarily due to the case’s smooth back, the smooth underside of the folding clasp, and the supple steel bracelet. The individual links in this bracelet are curved so they can comfortably conform to the contours of the wrist. The spaces between the individual links remain unchanged in width even when the bracelet is bent sharply, thus assuring that they never pinch or tug at the hairs on the back of the wrist. The Glidelock clasp is solidly built and lets the wearer finely adjust the bracelet’s length. This ensures a quick and welcome dose of fresh air when the wrist expands on a hot day or after athletic exertion. Furthermore, the Fliplock extension lets the wearer add up to an additional 26 mm to the bracelet’s length. This means that the watch can be worn over the sleeve of a diving suit – a feature that the Sea-Dweller shares with the Deepsea, but which is lacking on the Submariner. The extension is visible on the Sea- Dweller because it protrudes from the clasp, being longer than an ordinary link in the bracelet. If the owner isn’t a diver and doesn’t like this feature, he can simply have the extension removed.

Opening the clasp accidentally is prevented by the safety bracket and its underlying rocker, which is easy to lift. But the clasp is still easy to operate, as is the readily grasped crown and the bezel, which clicks into each of its notches with smoothness and authority. The craftsmanship is impressive here, as it is throughout this well-made watch. The sides of the bracelet and the clasp are polished; the upper surfaces are satin finished. This combination of polishing and satin finishing likewise distinguishes the case.

Most potential purchasers opt for the Sea-Dweller because of its external characteristics, but Rolex nonetheless made some improvements inside the case. The Sea-Dweller is the first Rolex sports model to encase new Caliber 3235, which replaces Caliber 3135. Rolex initially deployed the new generation of calibers in precious-metal models (the Day-Date 40 and the Datejust Pearlmaster 39) in 2015, followed by the bicolor Datejust 41 in 2016. In 2017, Rolex encased this movement in the steel Datejust 41 and thus in models without any gold components in their cases.

Tools for the Depths: The Dive Watches of Rolex

Dive watches from Rolex are highly sought after. And it’s no wonder with such an exciting history, a number of noteworthy collaborations, unique designs and robust, accurate in-house movements. We explore the various models in this feature from the WatchTime archives.

Rolex currently produces four different dive watch models: the Submariner and Submariner Date, Fake Watches the Sea-Dweller and the Deepsea (listed here in order from lowest to highest in both size and price). The Submariner and Submariner Date share the same case size. Almost all watches in this collection offer versions with different materials, dial and bezel colors. The Submariner without a date indication is the entry-level piece and is priced at $7,500. Introduced in 1953, it was the first dive watch from Rolex. At that time, it had a bidirectional rotating bezel for measuring dive time. Initially, the Submariner was water resistant to 100 meters, but by 1954 Rolex had already increased this level to 200 meters. In 1955, the English Royal Navy began using the Submariner as its official dive watch and the Royal Canadian Navy followed suit the following year.

Rolex first became famous in 1927 for its water-resistant watches with their patented screw-down crown, and the ingenious Oyster name was an effective marketing tool. During her more than 15-hour attempt to swim the English Channel, Mercedes Gleitze wore a water-resistant Rolex that withstood the ordeal. Rolex took out a front-page ad in the London Daily Mail to publicize the event that won the omega replica watches great acclaim.

Rolex also developed the Deep-Sea Special watch to explore the ocean depths. Between 1953 and 1960 it participated in several maritime expeditions, attached to the outer hull of submarines. The high point (or low point) was reached in 1960 when Jacques Piccard and Don Walsh maneuvered their Trieste submersible vessel down into the Mariana Trench to a depth of 10,916 meters, just a few meters short of the deepest point in the sea. The Deep-Sea Special survived unscathed. Although several pieces of this model were built, it never went into serial production. With a semi-spherical crystal and an overall height of 35 mm, it would still be too large to be considered wearable.
Submariner
Today’s Submariner measures 40 mm in diameter and 12.5 mm in height, which is slim for a dive watch. The watch without a date indication is powered by the self-winding in-house 3130 movement and with a date, by the 3135. Both calibers boast a power reserve of 48 hours. Chronometer certification from the independent testing agency COSC guarantees accuracy, alongside the company’s own stricter standards, which specify that every Rolex watch may not gain or lose more than 2 seconds per day. The Glidelock system can extend the bracelet for a precise fit and allows the Submariner to be worn over a wet suit. Like all Rolex dive watches, it has a metal bracelet and a unidirectional rotating bezel with a ceramic inlay.

Sea-Dweller
Saturation diving was developed in the early 1960s. When working at deep-sea locations, professional diving companies took advantage of the fact that after 24 hours under pressure, the human body will not absorb additional nitrogen, thereby limiting the time required for decompression. So to prepare themselves for working for extended periods at deep locations, professional divers would spend several days inside a pressure chamber filled with a helium-nitrogen-oxygen mixture. Once their underwater task had been completed, the pressure in the chamber was gradually reduced to normal levels. During this process, crystals from the divers’ watches would often pop out of their cases due to the helium trapped inside the watches. Divers in the Sealab program experienced this problem while helping the U.S. Marines carry out research on the effects of high pressure and various breathing gases on the human body.

How to find Your Perfect Watch

Have you ever wondered “What’s the perfect watch for me?” Perhaps you framed the question like this: “Which watch should I buy?” Here’s a 10-step plan to help you find the one that’s perfect for you. Replica Watches UK

1. If you’re just starting out in the world of watches, visit online communities and ask questions. No, don’t ask “Which watch should I buy.” The forum participants don’t know you, so their advice is likely to be off the mark. Instead, ask specific questions about watches to build your knowledge. Ask questions based on the guidelines below. In any online community, keep in mind that the answers may reflect a built-in bias. Regular forum participants may have already formed strong brand allegiances. A site dedicated to a particular brand will be populated by devotees of that brand.

2. Make a list of the features and qualities you seek in a timepiece, prioritize them, and then look for watches that fit your list. panerai replica Really think about the features. Will you use the watch in the water? Do you need to be able read it in the dark? Do you need a particular complication? Do you need a large date for better legibility? If you like to swap straps, do you need standard lugs? Will you trade overall legibility for a cool look? Are service costs a concern? The list goes on.
Breitling

3. The more time you devote to the search, the happier you will be in the end. Avoid impulse purchases. Be methodical.

4. If at all possible, do not buy a given watch because you think it will please or impress other people. You can purchase any watch, and people will line up to tell you that you should have purchased their favorite watch instead. Putting your happiness in the hands of others is risky business. Learn to shrug off criticism. Be confident in your choices. The only opinion that counts is yours.

5. Every time you see an image of a watch you like, save it. Try to locate multiple images of the same watch. Don’t focus on professional beauty shots – try to find good live shots. Look at the saved images every day (or more often). Keep a list ranking your favorites. If a watch stays at the top for a while, it may be a winner. On the other hand, once you spot something that bothers you about a watch, you will notice it every time you look at the watch, so you should probably eliminate it from your list.
Omega

6. Do your best to pinpoint the two or three things about a watch that really make you like it. Don’t just say “It looks nice” – be specific. Once you do that, you can seek out other watches with those qualities.

7. Be as thorough as possible in your search. Nothing is worse than buying a watch, only to find one you like better the following week. (Though for some, that is a way of life. They are “flippers” or “catch-and- release” collectors who live for the hunt, and this article is not for them.) If you’ve found a watch you really like, visit the watch communities, tell the good people which watch that is, and ask them to recommend similar watches. In this regard, advice from others can prove useful.
Rolex
8. TRY BEFORE YOU BUY! Try on as many watches as possible. Watches can definitely surprise you once on your wrist. Watches that prove too big, too small, too thick, and/or too heavy generate much buyers’ remorse. If you see a watch you like online, find the same watch locally and try it on. If you can’t find that watch, find one that’s close in size and try it on. If you buy long distance without a test drive, make sure you can return the watch, no questions asked.

9. When you’re trying on watches, pay close attention to how they make you feel. Ideally, one watch will “call to you” from among the many you’re considering. That may be the one to buy, assuming it continues calling over a period of time. Don’t get married after (or during) the first date.

TAG Heuer Carrera

10. Once you’ve made a decision, try it on for a few days (the decision, not the watch). Act as though you’ve already purchased the watch, and your search has ended. Any other watch you were thinking of buying is now beyond reach. Are you still happy with your choice?

Finding the perfect watch can be a challenge, but the hunt is part of the fun, and the right choice can bring years of enjoyment.