We like to feature Touch of Modern sales here on WWR, for good reasons. They often have interesting timepieces at pretty decent discounts. The site does require you to sign up in order to buy, so if you have not done so already, you can join here. Right now on the site, they are featuring two interesting watch sales, one on a range of divers from Deep Blue, and the other on high end automatics from Azimuth.
The Szanto 4000 series chronograph, specifically the bronze 4002, is the third of the Szanto military themed watches loaned to me for hands-on reviews. Like the two previous watches, the 1100 series and the 2250 series, Szanto is trying to recreate a vintage look with modern proportions and materials, at a value price.
In an interesting (OK, maybe not that interesting) coincidence, I happened to be wearing my Zelos Helmsman when I received an update from company on the Zelos Chroma, their second watch project, which was going live that afternoon on Kickstarter. The Zelos Chroma is being billed as a minimalist automatic, which may actually sell the project a little short.
Welcome back to our weekly installment, Watching the Web, where we have a quick look at some interesting watches and articles that have popped up over the last week (or so), as well as taking a second look at what some of our more popular articles this week were. Today, I will point you toward an open letter from Ariel at ABTW to the watch industry, and a review of a very cool bullhead pilot’s watch.
Were you aware that we run contests here at WWR? And we actually give away watches? Well, we love to hear back from our winners, and Seth, the winner of the James McCabe Lurgan was nice enough to shoot us a note saying that the watch is beautiful, and even better, he sent over a wrist shot.
What are the key features you would like in a basic dive watch, beyond the requirements for lume, pressure and a bezel? Sapphire crystal? A reliable automatic movement? A little flair? The Borealis Sea Diver is their entry level diver which offers a lot of value at a price point below $250, plus a clean, modern design.
OK, we have already established that cars and watches go together hand in hand, but even more than cars, aviation pairs with watches in a big way. My favorite type of aviation watch is an instrument style, and I want to highlight a new company’s second crowdfunded cockpit instrument watch. The Rhynofit Rubicon is styled after the artificial horizon used to give an indication of level flight in the absence of other cues, say at night or in the fog. As a visual style, I think this inspiration works well as something that is instantly recognizable, but not distracting to the actual reading of the watch.
As the old saying goes “there is more than one way to skin a cat.” With watches there is more than one way to display the time. There is, of course, the circular display, with lots of variations, and then there are text displays, be they digital or printed, like the Devon Tread. Division Furtive Type 50 watch is not content with these options, and uses a linear display, two rows of LEDs for time, date, moon phase and chronograph functions.
A new watch sale popped up on Touch of Modern for Azimuth Watches. The site has three distinct and different designs for this Swiss watchmaker that does things… a little differently. Touch of Modern is a member-only sales site, so if you are not already a member, you can sign up through this link.
The rise of crowdfunding has really opened up watchmaking to new entrepreneurs and enthusiasts wishing to make their mark on the industry, and put their product on your wrist. The first product out of the gate is interesting, but for me, the real test comes with the follow up watches. The Rossling & Company Automatic is the firm’s sophomore effort, back on Kickstarter, that builds on their first watch offering, keeping a similar aesthetic, but adding a mechanical movement.
