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The Manual Wind: Zenith’s First Flight

manual wind zeniths first flight zenith
How do you update the classic pilot watch design?  Make it vintage.  Pilot watches for the most part have the same design features; big diameter, big crown, big hands.  The watchmakers at Zenith have taken their Pilot Montre d’Aeronef Type 20 GMT back in time for the 1903 limited edition.  As a tribute to the Wright Brothers first flight; their 48mm pilot watch has been turned  into a well priced in-house vintage statement.
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A matte black dial with SuperLuminova Old Radium arabic numerals and hands bring in the weathered look of a 1900s pilot watch.  Whereas patina due to age will no longer be luminescent, this patina-by-design boasts an authentic vintage feel while still lighting up your nightstand in the early hours.  Coupled with a vintage Nubuck cuff strap in beige suede, the dial is intensified by the contrast off the black DLC coated titanium case.
Zenith-PILOT-MONTRE-D-AERONEF-TYPE-20-GMT-1903-2
Attached to the prominent onion crown is Zenith’s own caliber 693 Elite movement. With GMT function and fifty hour power reserve beating at a healthy 28,800 vph (vibrations per hour), Zenith maintains its place ahead of the pack with in-house movement value.  This is one of the two in-house movements Zenith has built its reputation on.  The other of course being the El Primero chronograph that some distinguish as the best chronograph movement on the market.  (Check out the El Primero in the Pilot Montre d’Aeronef Type 20 Annual Calendar Chronograph.)
Zenith-PILOT-MONTRE-D-AERONEF-TYPE-20-GMT-1903
Zenith over the past ten years has produced some pieces that defy what a traditional in-house manufacturer might deem classic.  The 1903 shows a leap in the right direction.  Taking it back to their roots in aeronautical dial production, this limited edition tribute to the first flight helps Zenith’s recent redefining of the brand.  If you can handle 48mm and $8,600 start looking for one of the 300 or so of the 1,903 limited edition run that will make it stateside.

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The Manual Wind: Victorinox Swiss Army INOX
Victorinox Swiss Army INOX, victorinox, swiss army, precision timepiece, analog watch, sport watch

Milestones are often the motivation behind great designs.  Inspired by a long history of quality and durability, the maker of the famous Swiss Army Knife, Victorinox, has turned this anniversary into opportunity.  130 years after the inception of the Swiss Army Knife and 25 years after its first watch release, Victorinox has come out with a timepiece designed to stand the test of time; the Victorinox Swiss Army Inox.

The Inox endured an arsenal of testing to ensure durability in all situations.  The Inox made it through: a ten meter drop onto concrete, being run over by a 64-ton tank, two hours in a washing machine, a simulated sandstorm, being left in gasoline, insecticides, oil and other corrosive agents, twelve G’s of acceleration and deceleration, and last but not least a 130 degree temperature change.  After all, Inox is the French word for “Stainless Steel”.

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Bell & Ross Aeronavale, br aeronavale, watch, luxury watch

Certain color combinations in watches are a no brainer.  With the high quality materials used to produce the dials and hands, great contrast can be well executed.  One of these combinations is blue and gold.  There is something eye-catching about this casual combination that draws you in on sight.  Whether in their square BR case with different finishes and colors, or in their latest introduction with a more classic feel, Bell & Ross is a master of contrast.  Their latest example, the BR Aeronavale makes blue and gold look good once again.

At a large but not too large 43mm in diameter, this steel case is from their round BR line of timepieces.  Offered in both time and date, and a chronograph complication, the color scheme looks good.  A radiant blue dial is matched with gold appliqués to make the hours along the perimeter.  Gold hands with superluminova for added legibility match as well.  The bezel is blue and gold as well; made of blue anodized aluminum.  Under the all the aesthetics lies a BR swiss automatic movement.  The piece is matched with either blue alligator or blue calf with deployment buckle to complete the color scheme.

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The Manual Wind: Ulysse Nardin Makes a Colorful Black Sea Diver
the manual wind ulysse nardin makes a colorful black sea diver undiver

In the watch world, it is very common for a brand to exploit a single watch blueprint.  Watches like the Hublot Big Bang, Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore, and the Ulysse Nardin Marine Diver have all seen many variations and limited editions over the years.  While it is tough to ruin a classic timepiece design, sometimes a brand can go a little overboard.  The Ulysse Nardin Maxi Marine Diver is the staple sport piece in UN’s large line of timepieces.  Over the years it has increased to its current size of nearly 46mm.  It’s latest production model, the Diver Black Sea, takes this classic sport piece over the top.

Vulcanized rubber coats this 45.8mm stainless steel case to give this UN a black textured finish.   The instant focus of the piece is the bezel.  Raising an eyebrow, what is in the bezel?  At first glance I thought black diamond baguettes until I saw all the color variations.  The bezel is set with ceramic baguettes keeping the price reasonable while offering this very unique look.  Offered in black, white, yellow, and blue, each color piece has a matching dial and strap.  Giving it a skeletonized appearance, waves of the matching color break across the dial keeping the Ulysse Nardin’s nautical theme.  Below the dial lies a UN automatic in-house caliber movement with 48 hour power reserve and power indicator.  More vulcanized rubber and ceramic attach this piece to the wrist with a folding buckle and ceramic elements with the Ulysse Nardin logo.

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