Ball has been segmenting their collection in two main directions. Rugged sports watches, and attractive, though sensible men’s watches with a more classy twist. I would say that this Ball Engineer II Arabic COSC II falls in the latter category. Though I have no idea why “II” needs to be in the name twice. While the Engineer collection is usually part of their sporty line, this one feels a bit more dressy. The polished bezel and center link on the bracelet help with that look.

Available in a textured white or black dial, the faces have horizontal line patterns and a combo of Arabic and baton hour markers. Each is filled with tritium gas tubes for exceptional darkness viewing. The Dauphine hands also have tritium hour markers in them. Sized at 40mm wide, the case is sensible in size. Inside the watch is a Swiss ETA 2836 automatic movement with a day and date complication. The two indicators are separated – so the day of the week indicator is at 3 o’clock, while the date is moved to 4:30. As the name of the watch implies, the movement has been COSC Chronometer certified. A good looking watch overall, this timepiece is a highly functional watch for the crowd that doesn’t always want to wear a sporty looking timepiece (though they are still interested in something masculine looking). Look for this new watch out from Ball soon.

Boldly original, the new Certina DS Master chronograph is a powerful statement of superb timepiece design that leaves no one unmoved. At the forefront of extreme-sport ideology and styling, it enchants the eye, telling as much about the wearer as the cutting-edge technology that brings together both, chronograph functions and the advantages of a chronometer, inside its generous steel PVD black case. Unstintingly strong in every detail, it blends high-tech innovation and brilliant design in perfect proportions, in a definitive statement of confidence and authority. Sporty and exciting outside and equally precise and reliable inside, it comes with COSC certification, for the most demanding timekeeping in a modern man’s rigorously busy life.Certina has long shown expert equilibrium between exquisite design and flawless technical mastery. Setting the bar yet higher, Certina now introduces the new DS Master, a superlative chronometer chronograph of tremendous visual and technological impact. Fashionably oversized, the new watch first impresses by its solid feel, uncompromisingly sporty character and high technical detail.

Then, slowly—as the expert studies its many delightful angles—it charms with great finesse and originality. A gorgeous PVD black stainless steel case carries a fixed bezel with an outer ring whose circumference is helix machined at a smart 45-degree angle. A pleasure for the eye, which continues on behind the non-reflective sapphire crystal onto a black dial which is a feast of complexity and function. Chrono counters for 12-hour and 10th-second indications are neatly complemented by a lower small-second counter which features the historic Certina logo in relief.Timekeeping carries on at the centre of the dial, adding chrono minutes and seconds to the standard HM hands, for a total of seven hands on one exceptional, multi-level dial of great visual innovation. Central chrono hands are read against time scales on two raised inner steps at the outer diameter of the main dial surface, with white markings on black for effective, precise reading. Current date is shown through a white-rimmed window at the four-o’clock position, in horizontal format for best legibility, and main HM hands are see-through white skeletal outlines that give the necessary indications while allowing maximum visibility of underlying elements such as the chrono counters or the date window.

The uncompromisingly sporty feel of the DS Master is undeniable, and it is equipped with Certina’s famous DS Double Security protection system and scratch-resistant sapphire crystal, ensuring its water resistance to 100 m. The toothed, large and DS monogrammed crown and two adjacent pushbuttons wear a brightly polished finish, and the three elements are protected by a hefty screwed-on guard in contrasting PVD black, a stunning visual touch. For comfort, the case back is gently rounded to follow the wrist and gives this trendy 45mm diameter timepiece a perfect sense of balance, complemented by a highly tactile user-friendly rubber strap, which blends perfectly into the exquisitely masculine, geometric case and is equipped with a folding safety buckle and diving extension, all finished in PVD black.A bicolour model is also available, with selected contrasting stainless steel and PVD black surfaces for an exquisite design effect. All models come with their own COSC certificate and special packaging.Reliability, precision and innovation have underlined the Certina philosophy since 1888, year of the foundation of the company by the Kurth Brothers. In 1959, Certina developed its famous Double Security DS Concept, to bring to its watches exceptional sturdiness and outstanding water resistance. Certina has a long-standing commitment to sport, and motor racing in particular.It has stood next to an ever-growing list of great sport stars such as Mike Doohan, Alex Crivillé, Petter Solberg, Sete Gibernau, Thomas Lüthi, Timo Glock, Robert Kubica and also boxing legend Muhammad Ali. Since 2005, Certina has been Official Partner of the BMW Sauber F1 Team. A subsidiary of the world’s largest international watchmaking organisation Swatch Group, Certina is currently world leader in the sport watch segment priced between CHF 300.- and CHF 2,000.-, and is represented in more than 60 countries.

Technical Data

Movement/functions:

Quartz chronometer with chronograph (thermo-compensated)
ETA 251.233, with COSC certificate,
Central H, M with skeletal see-through hands
Date, and Small-second counter with Certina logo in relief
Chrono 12-hour, 10th-sec counters, central 60-min. and 60-sec.

Case:

Stainless steel 316L with black PVD coating
Water resistance:
100 meters

Crystal:            Sapphire crystal with anti-reflecting coating
Crown:           Protected crown and two pushbuttons
Watch strap:           Black rubber strap, with folding safety buckle and diving extension
Specificity:           DS (Double Security)
References:           C015.434.17.050.00, Black
Variations:           Bicolour version with stainless steel/PVD black finish

Retail price:

All black chronograph, CHF 1’295.-
Bicolour chronograph, CHF 1’195.-

Source: Certina, Worltempus

The Grönefeld One Hertz is the second complicated mechanical timepiece created by Swiss trained, Netherland based watchmaking brothers, Bart and Tim Grönefeld. The movement for this new timepiece, was created completely in-house. The dial indicates hours and minutes on a sub-dial at 2 o’clock.

Power reserve is indicated at 12 o’clock. But what really makes this timepiece standout, is the deadbeat seconds, which is indicated by the large off-centre sub-dial. Independent deadbeat seconds, rotate the dial (independent means the seconds are displayed in the sub-dial) by ticking forward, much like on a traditional quartz movement. Except that this is, of course, a mechanical movement, which really makes it complicated to produce. In fact, this is the world’s first and only mechanical timepiece with independent deadbeat seconds.

Press Release

With the One Hertz’s unique secondary gear train, Tim and Bart Grönefeld have re-positioned the deadbeat seconds complication where it originated, i.e. on the pedestal of high precision.

The quartz-like movement of the large second hand of the One Hertz subtly signals its unique mechanism, invisible to most, but obvious to haute horlogerie aficionados who will appreciate the flawless fine-finishing of the in-house developed calibre G-02.

The One Hertz launches with a subscription-only limited edition of 12 pieces in steel called the “One Hertz 1912″ – 1912 was the year Tim and Bart’s grandfather qualified as a watchmaker.

This summer Reactor will be introducing a new line of Never Dark dive watches, the Poseidon series. There are three versions within the series, two quartz and a self-charging (kinetic) auto-quartz limited edition model (pictured). I have never had a chance to see these watches in-person, however, I have heard many good things, especially that they are very rugged and well built. Here is a link to there page which explains their different technologies.

The limited edition Poseidon will feature an exhibition caseback which shows off the black plated rotor, that charges the quartz movement. I’ve never heard of a quartz watch with an exhibition caseback, but it definitely sounds cool.

The watch features the Never Dark® dial illumination system that combines bright Superluminova with long-lasting tritium for perfect visibility in under any lighting condition. The case is stainless steel and is depth tested to an impressive 1,000 meters (3,300 ft). It meets or exceeds the ISO 6425 Professional Dive Watch standard. Case diameter is 48 mm by 17 mm thick. It features external and internal rotating bezels, for calculating dive time. The limited-edition version comes with a 2-tone stainless bracelet and a rubber strap, plus tools and extra screw bars to swap bands.

Modeled after pocket watches used by officers aboard 19th century navy and merchant ships, the new Deckwatch by Archimede is a stunner. Not only is it a testament to visual clarity, but the watch hearkens back to a more romantic era of commercial  and military sea travel. The purpose of the deck style watch was to be used as an easy reference by the commanders of a vessel. Life aboard a ship very much revolves around regular scheduled duties. Navigation was also reliant on the time before modern navigational computers  and radar were available. The 42mm wide steel case is made in Germany by Ickler, and houses a Swiss ETA 6498 manually wound mechanical movement. Winding it replicates the experience naval officers had with their pocket watches like this well over 100 years ago. Early in the 20th century, such pocket watches eventually became wrist watches, but shared the same style dials.

The Deckwatch dial is a matte silver with sharp looking Arabic numerals and stylized blued steel hands. For clarity, the face has a subsidiary seconds dial, and an AR coated sapphire crystal. You can get the watch with a black or brown leather strap (matched with a deployment style clasp). It is hard to argue that this isn’t a great looking vintage style watch – that feels as fresh today, as it did back when such watch dials were much more common. This is due to a combination of slight decorative elements, mixed with functional minimalism. Price is $635 and available online at Archimede’s website.

New from Christopher Ward London is a great looking Swiss Made mechanical chronograph  watch that is surprisingly affordable. It is actually their first ever automatic chronograph  watch, and features the popular Swiss ETA Valjoux 7750 automatic movement. The watch is the C40 SpeedHawk Chronograph Automatic, and continues the brand’s collection of aviation themed sport watches. In an attractive 42mm wide steel case, the watch has a black dial with red and white trim that create an instrument like design motif on the face. It is a very good looking men’s watch in a Breitling sort of way. The red stems on the chronograph pushers are nice design touch. Note the small “hawk” character as the counterweight on the chronograph seconds hand.

The case also has a rotating diver’s style bezel and is water resistant to 50 meters. The rear of the watch is exposed with a view to the surprisingly attractive decoration on the 7750 movement. The dial sapphire crystal is AR coated for a reduced glare view of the dial making it easy to read, while the hands and hour markers are covered with luminant. The C40 SpeedHawk is available on a leather strap or a metal bracelet. For the price you get a ton of features, a good movement (one of the least expensive watches around with the movement), and a style you can’t complain about. Priced at $775 on the leather strap and $835 with the metal bracelet.

We see innovations in watchmaking all the time and most are all working on the same idea of cogs and gears. But the Tread 1 watch offers a new idea, and its execution is worth a second glance, to say the least. The brainchild of Scott Devon – the man behind the Devon GTX supercar – the Tread 1 is the first in a planned range of timepieces from the innovative California-based firm.

The Tread 1’s movement is inspired by motorcycles and developed with input from the aerospace industry. It’s driven by four microstep motors driving fiberglass/nylon composite belts only 2/1000ths of an inch thick. A rechargeable lithium polymer cell provides enough power for two weeks on a single charge. No telling how much the Devon Tread 1 will set you back when it reaches the market, but then you can hardly put a price on innovative design.

I was more or less expecting something like this from Romain Jerome. The brand that brought you the Titanic DNA and Moon Dust DNA watches has been struggling to “find what is next’ after they lost Yvan Arpa, their charismatic former CEO. He invented the “DNA” watch concept and this Volcano DNA watches doesn’t really fit into that concept. I will get to that below.

In a nutshell, Romain Jerome was able to collect some of the volcanic ash from the now popular recent eruption from the Eyjafjallajokull Volcano. This ash was used in making this one-of-a-kind watch. The case and dial are mostly adapted from the Moon Dust DNA collection, but instead of a moon surface, the dial is meant to look like molten lava – red hot on the inside and black carbon colored on the surface. The look is carried over in segments on the bezel. Hands on the watch are meant to look like little airplanes, a reminder of what effect the volcanic eruption had on our society for that limited amount of time. As a “right now” novelty, the watch is fun. The piece unique will have just one piece made. I am sure someone will buy it. But they better get it soon, because in the coming weeks, and of course years, the memory of airport nightmares will fade. Unlike previous RJ DNA watches, this material and name has no real lasting quality or commemorative value. Pretty much everyone around the world knows about the Titanic (thanks in big part to James Cameron), and the moon? Well that is pretty self evident in its popularity.

Which allows me to return to the topic of what the original DNA watch concept was all about. Yvan Arpa imagined using a material that was 1) almost unattainably rare, 2) luxurious, 3) and known by most people for a long time. There is nothing rare or hard to attain about volcanic ash, not even from Eyjafjallajokull. In time people will have no idea what this watch is about, or why we should care. RJ claims that the watch is meant as one of an ongoing collection of pieces that “illustrate the legends of our time and the mythologies that will forge the memory of the 21st century.” Perhaps. In the end they made just one piece so their investment in it is low, and with a primary of goal of getting media for the brand, the watch wholeheartedly succeeds.

This model inspired by the finest watchmaking traditions is endowed with a high-end movement and equally noble finishes. An opening at 12 o’clock reveals the balance oscillating beneath the silver-colored dial with a “grain d’orge” guilloché décor, while the power reserve is displayed by an 18-carat red gold hand moving across a dedicated indicator at 6 o’clock.

Sublimated by a circular snailed decorative motif, the hour circle is enlivened by black Roman numerals and hour-markers. The exhibition back provides a fascinating view of the mechanical self-winding movement adorned with “Côtes de Genève”, as well as circular-grained bridges and blued steel screws, in keeping with the norms of classic watchmaking. The crown proudly bears the Phi symbol.

Automotive-themed timepieces share a lot with the cars from which they draw their inspiration, from the precision-crafted mechanics inside to the evocative metalwork into which they’re placed. Unfortunately for many, they also tend to carry very automobile-like price tags in multiples of thousands of dollars. As with the cars they produce – many of which can give Europe’s finest a real run for their money, whether on road or track – Detroit has come up with the answer. Or an answer, at any rate.

The range recently unveiled by Equipe Watches at this year’s BaselWorld watch show are all automotive-inspired. But instead of four, five or even six-figure price tags, Equipe’s Japanese-movement products sell for the hundreds. There’s fifteen models in all, each very automotive in its name and design. And while the wealthy motorist bringing his Aston Martin in for service may not be sporting one on his wrist, the mechanic in the service bag very well might be.