Baselworld 2017 has already given us some truly exciting and innovative timepieces, and Day 2 has not failed on that front. With further exploration of deep-sea timepieces, to clear respects to the watches of yesteryear, these are the best and the brightest that Day 2 of Baselworld has to offer.
You may also like:
Baselworld 2017 Watch Round-Up – Part 1
The Wind Up – Watch News #39
Watches to Die For – SIHH 2017 (Part 1)
Bell & Ross BR03-92 Diver – Bell & Ross Conquer the Deep
Diving watches seem to be a common theme across this year’s Baselworld, and Bell & Ross have made sure they’re in on the action as well. The BR03-92 Diver is the brand’s first ever square diving bell ross br 123 gmt and reaches 42mm in length, featuring a subtle date aperture and bi-directional bezel. It runs on an automatic movement and, most importantly, boasts a waterproofness of 300m, making it perfect for any deep sea adventure.
Bell & Ross BR V1-92 Black Steel – For Those with Classical Tastes
While Bell & Ross are known for their trademark square cases, this new line of “vintage” watches is a classically refined take on a traditional luxury timepiece. With a modest case of only 38.5mm and a curved sapphire crystal, this bell ross ww1 96 – which operates an automatic movement – features a chronograph and subtle date aperture on the black dial. Top that all off with the counterweighted second hand that resembles a plane, and this timeless watch will send its wearer to new heights.
Bell & Ross BR-X2 Tourbillon Micro-Rotor – It’s Your Sci-Fi Fantasy
The BR-X2 Tourbillon Micro-Rotor looks like something straight out of a sci-fi movie, it is something that is not of this time. The skeletal dial, finished in satin-polished steel and featuring a flying tourbillon at 6 o’clock, contrasts vividly with the grey alligator strap. The hands and indices are all filled with Superluminova and are fitted within a 42.5mm case. Running on an automatic mechanical calibre BR-CAL.380 movement, this angular beauty is as futuristic as it gets.
Both watches use the greatly redesigned Vintage cases, introduced at Baselworld 2017. Slimmer, extra elegantly shaped thanks to shorter lugs and much more curved lines, and additional toolish too in the decoration and mainly smaller than the previous VIntage collection, these new iterations were welcomed by collectors. The primary in the two watches, the Bell & Ross Vintage BR V1-92 Bellytanker is a simple, inconspicuous bell ross br 126 aeronavale with a restrained 38.5mm situation, a smooth and fixed bezel (no rotatable bezel or any form of scale) as well as the essential functions: hours, minutes, seconds and date (a discreet date placed at 4:30 in a small circular window and with a disc matching the dial).
Blancpain Fifty Fathoms MIL-SPEC – Paying Homage to the Past but Looking to the Future
Blancpain have beautifully reinterpreted the Fifty Fathoms timepiece from the 1950s and given it a classic makeover that fits this diver’s bell ross br03 92 ceramic heritage perfectly in the modern era. Sporting an in-house automatic winding calibre 1151 with a four day power reserve, this 40mm timepiece possesses a water-tightness indicator – another hark back to the Fifty Fathoms of the 50s – as well as Superluminova filled indexes covered by scratch-resistant sapphire. Overall, this watch is deceptively simple and impresses far beyond its minimal, yet stunning, exterior.
Citizen Eco-Drive*3 Professional Diver 1000m – Mastering Uncharted Territory
We’ve spoken a lot about diving to new depths, but this bad boy is truly reaching uncharted territory. This watch performs even in the most saturated of diving environments, with an escape hatch set at 10 o’clock that releases helium gas, which enters the watch upon diving, to prevent any damage on the calibre J.210 movement. Taking design inspiration from a turban shell, this colossal 52.5mm watch is light powered which means fewer battery changes are necessary. Furthermore, this watch will operate up to 1000m deep, meaning this is truly the Mariana’s Trench of timepieces.
Citizen Eco-Drive One – As Stunning as it is Efficient
Citizen’s Eco-Drive light-powered technology has been a staple for the brand for over 40 years, and now they’re truly embracing a less is more approach to watchmaking. This watch – coming in three different colour varieties – operates on a calibre 8826 movement that is a mere 1.00 mm thick and lasts for almost 12 months on full charge. This minimalist beauty is sleek and sophisticated but not once should one doubt its ability to impress.
Seiko Dive Watches – Flowing with Innovation
Seiko have released three absolutely magnificent divers’ watches that are perfect for any underwater endeavor. The movement inside the 39.9mm casing of the SLA017J1 is the impressive calibre 8L35 that was engineered specifically for dive watches, whilst the other two models are 42.5mm utilize a calibre 6R15. All three watches have a waterproofness of 200m and all three watches have large hands that carry Lumibrite to ensure that they’re readable even in the darkest of oceans.
Sinn 1736 St I 4N – The Epitome of Luxury
Elsewhere, we find the same traits for which the model won praise when launched: a smaller diameter of 41mm, a slimmer situation, and far more curves on the casebands and lugs, which feel like a a lot more compact situation once on the wrist. The Vintage V2-92 has clearly gained in comfort and elegance, compared to the older model. The bezel can rotate, and thanks to the 60-minute track, and it enables timing dive sessions (or all kinds of elapsed times). Inside is a robust automatic movement, the calibre BR-CAL.302 (based on a Sellita SW300-1). On top in the dial is an ultra-domed sapphire crystal that gives the Bell & Ross Vintage V2-92 Garde-Cotes nice reflections in addition to a slight old-school touch.
The key focus of this watch is its stunning deal, which was apparently quite a task to make – the rose gold plated appliques that grace the minimalist dial were attached by hand. The case, which is made of polished stainless steel, has a transparent back with sapphire crystal glass exposing the watch’s automatic movement. This baby absolutely screams opulence.
Sinn 240 St GZ on Bracelet – Ready to Brave the Seven Seas
This mighty tide watch is completely packed with features that any and every nautical sportsman would need. The rotating blue interior tide bezel, set beneath the sapphire crystal, is used to read relative water level of a place in regards to the current tide with the hour hand also being used to read the current water level. With a matte blue dial, bulky stainless steel case and an automatic mechanical movement, this watch is ready to tackle whatever the ocean has in store.
Breitling B03 Navitimer Rattrapante – Truly One in a Million
This architectural feat is a true rarity in almost every sense of the word. With a mechanical chronograph movement manufactured by Breitling themselves – the calibre B03 -, as well as a proprietary split-second movement also produced in-house, Breitling are really paving the way. With a 45mm diameter case in gorgeous rose gold or steel, the Navitimer Rattrapante is both impressive on the inside and the outside – it’s an incredibly well thought out watch through and through.
Casio G-Shock MRG-G2000HT – Let Casio Do the Work for You
This watch is truly inspired by the idea that the watch should do the work, not the wearer. A self-charging watch – i.e. it’s charged by sunlight – this quintessential Casio also has the ability to update its time to whatever the current time zone is. Thirdly, the watch adjusts its software automatically via Bluetooth technology with the most recent global timetables by using the Internet. The hefty watch stretches 49.8mm in titanium casing, all housing the ‘Casio Connected’ movement, two 12 hour dials, a 24-hour dial, a date window, time zone city window AND a day of the week hand. This watch really wants you to do none of the work and that’s completely fine with us.
Grand Seiko Hi-Beat 36000 Professional 600m – Meant for the Deep
With the signature dark blue colour on the dial and the strap of this bell ross airspeed representing Japanese craftsmanship, the Grand Seiko Hi-Beat 36000 Professional 600m boasts an automatic calibre 9S85 movement with a manual winding mechanism. Cased in titanium, the bracelet has a sliding extension that is thick and corrosion resistant which makes it perfect to explore the deepest depths.
Longines Heritage 1945 – Nostalgia at its Finest
The Longines Heritage 1945 looks exactly how it is titled – combining the enduring strength of steel with the aged vintage coppery tones of the strap. Operating an automatic winding calibre L609 movement, this watch’s beauty lies in its simplicity – almost as if reminiscent of a simpler time. The dial is lacquered in a seldom seen brushed copper, and features a separate second-hand dial above 6 o’clock. This bell ross br 126 blackbird overflows with nostalgia at every corner, and is a perfect homage to the history of watchmaking.
Longines Lindbergh Hour Angle Watch 90th Anniversary – Soaring with History
This gorgeous watch is exploding with history and opulence, combining the two into a real masterpiece. Named after the famed aviator Charles Lindbergh and commemorating the 90th anniversary of his monumental non-stop solo flight from America to Europe, this watch aptly features a longitude indicator function. Using a calibre L699.2 movement with a 46 hour power reserve, this titanium-cased watch is meant to stand out with vast 47.5mm in length and a large, black steel bezel. Much like the time piece’s namesake, the wearer of this beauty will always be soaring.
Porsche Design Monobloc Actuator – Speeds Beyond The Rest
Sleekness and efficiency is very clearly the ethos Porsche as a company have strived to maintain since their inception, throughout all their endeavors, and this bell ross br01-94-s-00555 aviation type/military spec is no different. Transferring technology from motorsports, Porsche have been able to create a titanium chronograph which screams quality. Furthermore, engineers invented an integrated rocker switch – that’s linked to the modified Valjoux/ETA 7754 movement – that controls the chronograph completely from inside the watch’s 45.5mm titanium case. Complete with a checkered-flag design at 9 o’clock, this watch was simply meant for victory.
Have you subscribed to Man of Many? You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
The polished, stainless steel case has lugs that taper down steeply through the situation, making it easier for the bell ross flyback to sit on the wrist. The situation itself has an unusual construction. When viewed from the side, the bezel almost protrudes upwards from your middle case. You can’t help but think the watch could have done with a smaller case size, maybe a 40-mm or 41-mm. What works really well are the gold accents on the sunray-finish blue dial, with gilt hour markers and numerals. The dial also features gilt skeletonized hands that are filled with Super-Luminova. The anodized blue aluminum bezel has a 60-minute gradation scale. It’s a well-proportioned and legible dial, the only eyesore being the date window at 3:30. That date window throws the symmetry off on an otherwise striking dial. A petite seconds subdial sits at 6 o’clock. The dial clearly references the historic military watches produced in the 1930s and ’40s. The situation is topped by a curved sapphire crystal.
You may also like:
Baselworld 2017 Watch Round-Up – Part 1
The Wind Up – Watch News #39
Both watches use the greatly redesigned Vintage cases, introduced at Baselworld 2017. Slimmer, far more elegantly shaped thanks to shorter lugs and more curved lines, and more toolish too in the decoration and mainly smaller than the previous VIntage assortment, these new iterations were welcomed by collectors. The primary in the two watches, the Bell & Ross Vintage BR V1-92 Bellytanker is a simple, inconspicuous bell ross br01-92 limited edition with a restrained 38.5mm case, a smooth and fixed bezel (no rotatable bezel or any sort of scale) as well as essential functions: hours, minutes, seconds and date (a discreet date placed at 4:30 in a small circular window and with a disc matching the dial).
Watches to Die For – SIHH 2017 (Part 1)
Part on the French brand’s extensive Instrument assortment, the BR-X1 series made its debut three years ago with the intention of bringing the fight to the likes on the Hublot King Power and also the Audermars Piguet Royal Oak. Given the series now boasts 17 different models – including the exceptional BR-X1 Chronograph Tourbillon Monopusher – I think it’s safe to assume that it has performed this mission quite well. it is bold, it is very technical, it has a very striking movement and it is has a module architecture, allowing for several different versions. Plus a new one, in a very monochromatic style, is coming.
