In the scope of the various watches that Ball offers, my tastes there have changed over time. First, I was drawn to their dials with numerals made up of tritium segments; lately, I’ve gone to their more restrained (read: simple indices) looks, albeit with rainbow tritium tubes. Then I ran across the Ball Engineer III Dreamer that managed to mash together the old me and the current me, in terms of preferences.
Obviously, the dial of the Ball Engineer III Dreamer has those segmented numerals at 6, 9, and 12. In between those, you’ve got single tubes marking out the hours. Well, these aren’t tubes, per se. You see that more in the angled view (which we’ve placed above) showing that you’ve got squared edges (more like their flat tubes) that are projecting up from the dial surface. This is a very cool look in my estimation, particularly with the smaller tubes set in as minute markers as well. The mix of colors is solid here as well; I just wish we saw wider tubes on the hour and minute hands.
Zooming back out, the Ball Engineer III Dreamer ends up popping a cyclops on the crystal, something we’re used to seeing in their more traditional/conservative designs. For me, I just like the practicality, as I appreciate the magnification it provides. Paired as it is with the glossy dial and polished case and bracelet, it shows the watch can be that dressier/formal look should you want it, even with the handset that looks maybe more for a pilot watch, and those oversized numerals.
Why is it called the Dreamer? Because it’s helping to support a project that was started by someone with a dream. For decades now, Dr. Geoffrey Tabin and Dr. Sanduk Ruit have been running the Himalayan Cataract Project. With a relatively simple 10 minute surgery (that only costs $25) they’re restoring vision and changing lives. So, this watch helps to fund that dream, and restore the dream of good vision to those impacted by cataracts. The watch goes for $1,799 directly from Ball, with a portion of the sale going to the Himalayan Cataract Project, funding 3 cataract surgeries per watch sold. ballwatch.ch
Tech Specs from Ball
- MOVEMENT: Automatic caliber BALL RR1103
- SIZE (CASE):
- Ø 40mm, height 13.6mm
- Ø 43mm, height 13.6mm
- WATER RESISTANCE: 100m/330ft
- ANTI-MAGNETISM: 80,000A/m
- MICRO GAS TUBES: 28 micro gas tubes on hour, minute and second hands and dial for night reading capability
- FUNCTIONS
- Hours, minutes, sweep seconds, magnified date
- 5,000Gs shock resistance
- CASE MATERIAL: Stainless steel
- CROWN: Screwed-in crown
- CRYSTAL: Anti-reflective sapphire crystal
- DIAL COLOR: Black, blue, or green
- BRACELET: Stainless steel bracelet with folding buckle; nylon or rubber strap as option as well
- LUG WIDTH: 20mm (21mm on the 43mm case)
- LUG TO LUG: 46.6mm (50mm on the 43mm case)
