While I will admit that not every single release from Ball Watch lights up my tritium tubes, there have been a number of them as of late that really have caught my eye. I’m not sure if anyone in the design team over there reads what I write, but they seem to be honing in on my personal preferences. The latest to take a shot at me? The Ball Engineer M Skindiver III.
So, why do I like the Ball Engineer M Skindiver III? Let me count the ways. First off, this latest version, is all blue – blue dial and blue domed bezel (shame there’s no blue tubes, though). Secondly, it’s got a cyclops over the date disc, which my eyes these days appreciate more and more. Thirdly, it uses the wider tubes on the dial, which give things more presence in the day, and really help with the legibility at night. Fourth, while the tubs on the handset aren’t quite as wide as the dial, they’re looking a touch wider than they used to be, which is good. It bugged me to no end to see ultra-wide tubes on the dial and then have this little slivers like a third of the size on the handset.
Finally, what I dig about the Ball Engineer M Skindiver III is the fact that it incorporates tritium backlighting under the bezel as well. It gives you the look of a traditional luminous bezel, but without needing to charge it under a lamp. Which, sure, you can do that, but it never quite matches the intensity and hue of a tritium tube. Well, that’s sorted here, then, you know?
So, in my book, there’s an awful lot to like here on the Ball Engineer M Skindiver III. That’s not to say I wouldn’t have minded seeing blue tubes on the dial (to match the dial and bezel), or even the option for a full rainbow array like some previous models have had. Still, it seems those designers at Ball are edging closer and closer to making the perfect watch for little old me.
The Ball Engineer M Skindiver III is available in three different configurations. The prior releases (black dial and bezel, or blue dial and black bezel) are $3,499, while this latest releases is at a pre-order discount of $2,999 until September 29. Check out the trio over at ballwatch.ch
Tech Specs from Ball
- LIMITED EDITION: 1000
- WEIGHT: Approx. 180g
- MOVEMENT
- Automatic BALL Manufacture caliber 7309-C
- Chronometer certified COSC
- 80 hours Power Reserve, 28,800vph
- SIZE (CASE): Ø 41.5mm, height 14 mm
- WATER RESISTANCE: 300m/1000ft
- ANTI-MAGNETISM: 4,800A/m
- MICRO GAS TUBES: 35 micro gas tubes on bezel, hour, minute and second hands and dial for night reading capability
- FUNCTIONS
- Hours, minutes, sweep seconds and magnified date
- 5,000Gs shock resistance
- CASE MATERIAL
- Stainless steel
- Uni-directional rotating sapphire bezel with micro gas tubes for night reading capability
- Amortiser® patented anti-shock system
- CROWN: Screwed-in crown
- CRYSTAL: Dome shaped anti-reflective sapphire crystal
- DIAL COLOR: Blue
- BRACELET: Stainless steel bracelet with folding buckle
- LUG WIDTH: 22mm
- LUG TO LUG: 52mm
