zelin0802 / February 19, 2024

Urwerk UR-100V Speed of Light

Urwerk gives its best-selling UR-100V a cosmic-themed makeover Now Urwerk’s best-selling model, the UR-100 is an unpretentious timepiece by Urwerk standards, equipped with the brand’s signature running time satellite disc that keeps track of hours and minutes. In other words, it served as the base model that attracted many enthusiasts to try the independent watchmaker’s avant-garde time display.

As a result, the UR-100 has gone through several iterations to cater to the varying tastes of collectors, offering a range of materials and dial colors. However, the latest iteration introduces something new to the display. For the first time in the series, the UR-100V Lightspeed includes a description of the time it takes for sunlight to reach every planet in the solar system.

Travel time display
Staying true to its UR-100 roots, the UR-100V Lightspeed retains that model’s sleek case design (now made of carbon) and is slimmer than typical replica Urwerk models, ensuring fit for a variety of wrist sizes. In addition, it retains the hovering hour and minute functions, consisting of three satellite discs located on the turntable to indicate the hours, each disc taking turns indicating the minutes on the arcuate scale. The display, while simpler than the brand’s satellite cubes, offers a glimpse of Urwerk’s indie watchmaking style at an affordable price.

However, the latest Lightspeed does away with the dual astronomy displays found in earlier UR-100 models. This feature represents the distance the Earth travels around its axis of rotation every 20 minutes (approximately 555 kilometers) and the distance the Earth travels around the Sun every 20 minutes (approximately 35,700 kilometers). This information is conveyed through the movement of the hands on the traveling hour dial that rotates around the entire dial. Conveniently, the cutout is sized such that it takes exactly 20 minutes for a pointer to pass through it.

While the dual distance display was gradually phased out, Urwerk introduced new astronomical information on the dial. The speed of light model features the time it takes for light to travel from the Sun to each planet in the solar system. This information was determined by calculating the distance between the Sun and each planet, taking into account the speed of light, which is approximately 299,792.458 meters per second – the fastest achievable speed in the universe. For example, it was determined that sunlight takes about 8.3 minutes on average to reach Earth. astronomia casino watch

Since the speed of light is a constant, usually represented by the symbol “c” in physical calculations, the time it takes for sunlight to reach each planet remains consistent, temporarily ignoring the change in the distance between the Sun and each planet throughout the orbital period. This information is now displayed on the dial, forming fixed values rather than a dynamic time display. It is neither an indicator nor a complicating factor that the level of interest is lower than initial impressions suggest.

Control winding speed
Inside the watch is the UR 12.02, which consists of a proprietary module from URwerk and a base movement made by Vaucher, unlike earlier movements derived from Zenith movements. However, UR 12.02 retains the “Windfänger” winding system. There is a star wheel at the oscillating weight. Each time the oscillating weight rotates, it can complete six revolutions, thereby controlling the winding speed. fake watches for sale

Urwerk UR-100V Speed of Light
Movement: UR 12.02; automatic; 48 hours power reserve
Function: hours and minutes
Case: 43 x 51.73 x 14.55 mm; carbon and DLC-coated titanium; water-resistant to 50 m
Strap: Red rubber strap with folding buckle
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zelin0802 / January 2, 2024

Ulysse Nardin Freak ONE

Creating a truly exotic movement is no small horological achievement. Only a few brands have the ability to build something beyond the usual complications – even the high-profile tourbillon – to offer something truly special, but there’s one pitfall that nearly all of these watches face: wearability. These unorthodox mechanical layouts tend to create packaging issues, so when a watch comes along that combines this kind of out-of-the-box engineering with relatively drama-free dimensions, it’s a big deal. For more than 20 years, the replica Ulysse Nardin Freak series has dazzled enthusiasts with its concept of a gear train as a minute hand, but even this series has struggled with proportions in that time. By comparison, the new Ulysse Nardin Freak ONE is remarkably wearable and restrained for such a high-concept watchmaking experience, and the result is quite possibly the most attractive, tasteful, and above all balanced Freak model to date. .

Like previous Freak models, the case of the Ulysee Nardin Freak ONE has one instantly recognizable feature – the absence of any crown, resulting in a completely symmetrical case profile. Since then, however, the Freak ONE has differed significantly from its predecessors. Aside from its crownless design, this DLC-coated titanium and 18K red gold case looks very basic, almost stuffy, compared to some of its haute horlogerie rivals. The lugs are a classic sporty taper with narrow polished chamfers and clean linear brushing, and the case sides are classic vertical slabs except for the absence of a crown. In short, the Ulysse Nardin Freak ONE wears like a regular watch on your wrist. At 44mm wide it may not be small, but it’s definitely not artificial, especially thanks to the combination of lightweight titanium and slim black. When the size of the regular crown is taken into account, the Freak ONE wears more like a 42mm wide watch, while the 12mm thick case profile reinforces the proportions of a “normal sports watch” on the wrist.

Of course, there’s actually nothing mediocre about the Freak ONE, as is immediately evident by taking a closer look at the red gold bezel. This bezel may look misaligned based on the sharp facet pattern in this brushed and polished element, but it’s the only real visual clue to the Freak ONE’s unique winding and time-setting system. Flip over the “Freak” plate at 6 o’clock and the rotating bezel will unlock, but it’s not just the bezel itself that’s spinning. Twisting this bi-directional bezel also adjusts the time setting forward and backward, providing the wearer with a massive tactile connection to the gear train that initiates the conversation in the Freak ONE. On the back, the sapphire display caseback is equally unorthodox. By turning the caseback outer ring counterclockwise, the wearer can manually wind the movement, although the Freak ONE’s innovative winding system makes this largely unnecessary (more on that later). While the Freak ONE’s case is extremely durable and packed with fun tricks, its Achilles’ heel is being waterproof. This is the biggest obstacle facing the idea of everyday wear of the cheap replica watches, as the 30-meter depth rating makes the Freak ONE simply not up to the task in many sporting situations.

Like the case, the skeleton dial of the Ulysse Nardin Freak ONE is based on previous Freak models, but presents these concepts in a simpler and more refined way. Strictly speaking, only the narrow outer ring with its lightly printed Arabic numerals and gold hour markers is the actual dial surface, while everything else beneath the sapphire crystal is movement components. Most of the space is taken up by a wide matte black disc with a delicate ridged texture and printed with the Ulysse Nardin logo. Thanks to its wide golden triangular shape here with lots of luminous light, the rotating disc can be used as an hour hand. However, it’s the minute hand that really steals the show. This is the signature disc of the Freak collection, a rotating gear train component that makes one revolution around the dial every hour, essentially allowing the movement to rotate around itself. The component is visually significantly simplified compared to previous Freak iterations, but Ulysse Nardin adds a cheeky nod to its own heritage in the form. The main bridge structure containing the gear train components and minute markers also forms the brand’s iconic anchor emblem. The only other place the anchor logo appears is on the strap lining, making this an impressively restrained branding exercise. The flying balance bridge serves as the counterweight of the minute hand and rotates together with the gear train above the hollow dial surface, becoming a dynamic visual highlight. Additionally, the Freak ONE technically has a 60-minute tourbillon complication due to the escapement being mounted on a rotating assembly. It’s a talking point for the most die-hard sports fans, but the sheer mechanical spectacle of this rally at work should be enough to stop the uninitiated believer.

Ulysse Nardin powers the Freak ONE with its own UN-240 automatic movement. The basic specs behind the UN-240 were solid, if not groundbreaking, with a massive 90-hour power reserve at 21,600 bph. However, the real mechanical showpiece (aside from the dial, of course) is the brand’s proprietary Grinder winding rotor system. Designed for ultra-fast bi-directional winding with even slight movements, the Grinder is certainly a technically impressive piece of engineering. However, the view of the caseback with this winding system in operation is rather bland compared to the view from the dial side. The component looks less like a traditional mechanical movement than a series of matte sandblasted concentric rings with little contrasting finish or artistic structure to add visual interest.

To complete the Freak ONE’s sleek and (relatively) subtle black and gold look, Ulysse Nardin copy pairs the watch with a simple black textured fabric-effect rubber strap. While this strap is soft and fairly comfortable, it arguably lacks some of the features of other designs. However, as the final layer of Freak ONE quirkiness, this strap is mounted the other way around, with the tang buckle ending at 6 o’clock. This is ostensibly done to create a notch for the “Freak” nameplate on the case side at 6 o’clock, but it does enhance the feel for the wearer, and Ulysse Nardin dances to the beat of its own drum with this watch.

Creating a timeless haute horlogerie is a challenge that few brands are up to, and even fewer are able to launch a watch that breaks the mechanical mold without breaking normal wearing habits. With this in mind, the sleek, sophisticated Ulysse Nardin Freak ONE is a truly impressive achievement, pushing the boundaries of mechanical watchmaking while remaining practical, comfortable and stylish for almost every day wear.
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zelin0802 / June 17, 2023

Piaget Polo Field new dial texture

Piaget’s chic sports watch returns with a dark emerald dial adorned with a more dynamic pattern.

The Polo is Piaget’s answer to the luxury sports discount watches. A remake of Yves Piaget’s sporty-chic quartz-powered model from 1979, the Polo re-emerged in 2016 in a mechanical steel model, initially positioned as an entry-level candidate. The versatility of Polo watches is reflected in the wide variety of models, from time and date all the way to ultra-thin perpetual calendars and complicated skeleton models. The most immediate entry-level model is the Polo Date, which returns in June with a slightly different name: the Piaget Polo Field. At first glance, it looks like another steel Polo with a green dial. However, Polo Field has a neat design trick that makes the dial more dynamic.

Although initially often compared to “other” luxury sports watch icons, the Polo is indeed a close descendant of the Earl Emperador, and the two families sit side by side on the brand’s website. Like the Emperador, the Polo Date’s case is a hybrid of shapes; the bezel is outwardly round, but the inner portion of the bezel draws a subtle octagon, giving it a prominent cushion shape. To emphasize the geometry, the 42mm stainless steel case features brushed and polished finishes. For example, the bezel has a horizontal brushed surface and beveled polished edges, just like the lugs. Another feature of the Polo Date is its ultra-thin case height of 9.4 mm, pared down for an automatic sports watch with an open caseback and 100-meter water resistance, but in full keeping with Piaget’s tradition of ultra-thin mechanical movements .

Like previous versions of the Polo time and date green dial and green dial with rose gold accents, the signature guilloché grooves across the dial have become as emblematic as the Royal Oak’s tapisserie motif. The deep emerald green of the new Polo Field pays homage to the polo field in West Palm Beach, Florida, where Piaget hosted the Polo World Cup in 1980, making it the ideal venue to promote Yves Piaget’s stylish Polo watches, the brand says.swiss watch men

The novelty here is the different patterns on the dial. Although the alligator pattern is still there, they are thicker and have shorter cutouts to replicate the texture of the interchangeable rubber straps. Shorter cutouts within the broad guilloché run around the periphery of the dial, further accentuating the cushion-shaped minute track and bezel. We haven’t seen the watch in metal yet, but we have to trust the brand’s press release, which describes the chameleon personality of the dial that plays with light. The hour markers are faceted, applied to the dial, and treated with luminescent material like the hour and minute hands. Central seconds hand with ‘P’ counterweight, date window on white background at 6 o’clock.

The sapphire crystal on the case back showcases the ultra-thin caliber 1110P that Piaget has created especially for this collection. It is an automatic movement only 4 mm high and runs at 4 Hz for 50 hours. The movement features circular Côtes de Genève stripes on the bridges and slate gray oscillating weight, as well as beveled bridges and circular graining on the mainplate.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS – PIAGET POLO FIELD
Case: Diameter 42mm x Thickness 9.4mm – Stainless steel, polished and brushed – Weight 68.23 grams – Front and rear sapphire crystal – 100m water resistance
Dial: Emerald – new gadroon motif – applied hour markers, luminescent hour and minute hands – framed date window at 6 o’clock
Movement: Piaget Manufacture Caliber 1110P – Automatic – 25.58mm Diameter – 4mm Height – 28,800vph/4Hz – 50 Hours Power Reserve – Hours, Minutes, Seconds and Date
Strap: Interchangeable green rubber strap – stainless steel folding clasp
Reference: GOA4022

zelin0802 / August 5, 2022

Rolex OYSTER DEEPSEA

Speaking of this year’s new copy Rolex products, you must first think of the “left-handed” Greenwich II, which is vividly called “Sprite Circle” by watch friends because of its green and black outer ring. Highly recognizable, it is undoubtedly the blockbuster of the year. On the other hand, the new Airmaster with added crown guard bridge is also highly popular. It upgrades the movement and appearance to enhance its sports attributes and further moves closer to Rolex professional watches. In addition, the women’s log-shaped flower plate, the 18K gold yacht, and the platinum ice blue DD have all received a lot of exposure. However, among the new products, the presence of the new ghost king Ref.136660 is very low, not only the forum is rarely discussed by friends, but even the official did not write news materials for it. We also learned about its information from the quietly updated details page. It can be said that it is the most low-key new product of Rolex this year. Unlike Airmaster’s iterative product, which was upgraded from the 31-series movement to the 32-series movement, in fact, the Ghost King Ref.126660 released in 2018 has been equipped with the Cal.3235 movement. The 2022 Ghost King has not changed the movement model, and still uses the Cal.3235 movement. It is more based on the fine-tuning of the appearance. The following is a summary of the upgrade points of this new product based on the information released by foreign media.

From the front, the most significant upgrade of the new ghost king is the calendar window. It has a larger display area, allowing the wearer to read the date clearly. We know that Rolex uses a convex lens calendar display window for both the Submariner and the Sea-Dweller. This design originated from the Datejust type and has now become one of the iconic elements of Rolex. However, among many Rolex diving watches, only the ghost king did not add a convex lens calendar display window. The reason is that the convex lens calendar window is not integrally formed, but is bonded by two pieces of sapphire glass through a special process. The waterproof level of the Ghost King is 3900 meters, and the pressure during deep diving is several times that of an ordinary diving watch. Therefore, in order to ensure stability, the Ghost King upgrades the calendar window only to increase the display area, rather than using a convex lens window.

The second upgrade of Ref.136660 is the bezel. The ceramic outer ring of the new ghost king has become more slender, which can improve the exquisiteness of the watch to a certain extent. At the same time, the brand has also optimized the rotation mechanism of the outer ring, and the new product has a better rotating feel. The mirror is also one of the upgrade points. The sapphire mirror with reflective coating can effectively resist strong light refraction and make reading more clear.

The luminous effect has also been optimized. Early Rolex watches all used Super-LumiNova luminous, which is currently the most mainstream luminous material. However, Rolex, which was produced after 2008, stopped the use of Super-LumiNova and changed it to the brand-exclusive Chromalight luminous. Chromaligh has a longer glow time and a stable level of light. The 2022 Ghost King Ref.136660 adopts the latest generation of Chromaligh luminous solution, and its luminous duration and brightness are improved compared with the previous generation of Chromaligh luminous.

After reading the front, let’s talk about the changes of the bottom cover. In the old Ref.126660, the black “ROLEX OYSTER DEEPSEA ♕ SEA-DWELLER 12800 ft = 3900 m” is surrounded by the edge of the titanium case back to indicate the series to which the watch belongs and its water resistance. In the bottom cover of the new Ref.136660, this material has an exclusive name: “RLX titanium alloy”.

However, with regard to the new Ghost King Ref.136660, no real pictures have been seen at home and abroad, and more details about this product have yet to be confirmed. In fact, Ghost King has not been highly recognized among players for a long time, which is not only reflected in the product market share, but also directly reflected in the secondary market. It is true that the 44mm watch diameter and the case thickness of more than 17mm are not friendly to the general body of Asians, which means that the ghost king has not been as universal as a water ghost since its birth. It is a work prepared by a few watch friends, so it is reasonable for the brand to upgrade its low-key.

zelin0802 / July 22, 2022

Grand Seiko Eleance Collection Brings New Slim Case and New GS Movement

Big news from Japan today: the new Grand Seiko Elegance collection brings a new ultra-thin case, some very special dials, and most importantly, the new Grand Seiko Calibre 9S63 hand-wound mechanical movement. (However, Grand Seiko’s recent pricing anomaly appears to persist.) More on all of this below.

It’s really been a breath of fresh air to see Grand Seiko’s new collection – apparently, they couldn’t keep up their excitement ahead of BaselWorld either. Currently, the Grand Seiko Elegance collection includes four models: two in 18-karat rose gold (ref. SBGK002; red. SBGK004), one in 18-karat gold (ref. SBGK006) and one in stainless steel (ref. SBGK006). SBGK005 — Yay! ).

Eight years after the last hand-wound mechanical movement at Grand Seiko, all four Elegance Collection watches feature the same new 9S63 calibre, running at 4 Hz and offering a 72-hour power reserve. This appears to be the new baseline feature for all previous-generation movements introduced recently, which is a good thing. On the dial side, the movement displays the central hours and minutes, the seconds hand at 9 o’clock and the power reserve indicator at 3 o’clock. Gone are the offset power reserves we see on Spring Drive Grand Seikos, like my beloved SBGC001 Spring Drive Chronograph, review it here.

Grand Seiko says the 9S63’s accuracy is between -3 and +5 seconds per day, and if there’s anything to be commended about all the major Japanese brands, it’s their honest and down-to-earth accuracy claims – unlike the Swiss (or even A more optimistic statement often heard by some German) manufacturers. Although Grand Seiko sometimes tends to distinguish between gold and steel models of movement, in this case (pun intended) all four models will feature the Grand Seiko 9S63 movement with hot blue screws – apparently, this is Grand Seiko’s first. Very cute, if you ask me.

If tempered screws are sweet, the dials are stunning: both 18ct rose gold versions (references SBGK002 and SBGK004) feature Urushi dials. These traditional Japanese lacquered dials are produced in the Shizukuishi Watch Studio, where all mechanical watches are made, using sap from trees that grow around the small town north of the studio. The translucent brown and dark black Urushi dial complements the taka-maki-e tiered markers and “GS” lettering. Maki-e literally means “sprinkled picture”, while taka-maki-e is a “raised” or layered variant.

This technique was developed during the Muromachi period (1336-1573) and meant that the desired pattern was made of countless layers of material built on the base lacquered dial. For the Grand Seiko Elegance Collection Urushi dial, multiple layers of pure gold or platinum powder are sprinkled on the dial one layer at a time (guess what?) this is a “time consuming process”. It reminds me of the PVD-coated platinum numerals in the ceramic bezels of select Rolex watches – while Rolex’s solution is cutting-edge high-tech, Grand Seiko’s approach is heart-warmingly traditional.

The hands – if you’ve never had a chance to hold a Grand Seiko before – eat your warm heart – are beautiful, at least in the official pictures, and look beautiful with every dial variation. As cool as the Urushi dial might be, I’m still curiously drawn to the 18ct yellow gold version and the plain Jane white dial – a nod to the unmistakable and unmistakable Japanese design of the Elegance Collection, which seems to me, at least to me, in this gold The most prominent of the variants.

In this regard, I’m very grateful for how Grand Seiko has incorporated elements of its much-loved case design into this new 39mm wide and 11.6mm thick “Mechanical Skirt Collection” watch – because yes, this is the Grand Seiko is referring to this new timepiece collection. The sturdy, curved lugs feature wide upper surfaces, but are cut short to keep the case away from the upper and lower edges of the wrist—a must for any decent dress fake watch. The lugs seem to be fairly narrow in width, but I think they pull it off somehow, which is just right quirky and doesn’t look weird or petite. I’d take the risk of eyeing it at 18mm; the GS doesn’t currently offer such a spec, but the lug width does look narrow, and we’ll have to see these in action to better determine how the Elegance Collection will actually fit.

Closed – or open, depending on how you want to look at it – this new Elegance collection of four watches is a stainless steel variant (reference SBGK005) with the exact same case shape and size as the gold version, but with a blue textured dial. Texture GS is called “Mt. Iwate” pattern; the watch studio is located in Morioka city in northeastern Iwate prefecture. Exactly how this crease texture ties into Iwate I’m not sure, but it’s a recurring theme in select Grand Seiko models.

The pricing structure of the Grand Seiko Elegance Collection turned things upside down. As one might expect, the two rose gold variants with Urushi dials will command a premium over the gold versions with regular lacquered dials and no taka-maki-e indexes and GS designation. Fans of Seiko and Grand Seiko may remember the Presage Automatic we covered here, where €2,500 buys you a multi-coloured Urushi dial and a whole watch with case, movement, strap, and more.

To me at least, the gold one in rose gold very incomprehensible – another nail in the coffin of the late Grand Seiko’s sensible pricing strategy. Rose gold may have some premium over gold, but four times the cost of an entire copy watch with a similar dial makes no sense. I’ll admit, other than Grand Seiko’s greedy random price generator software working hard again, I’ve yet to understand how this crazy premium is justified.