HAPPY HOLIDAYS

*Pic by Slide 68 in Milan (found on Internet)

From my family to all of yours, HAPPY HOLIDAYS and all the very best for 2014!!!

Ball Hydrocarbon Airborne - GALLERY

I have now owned more Ball watches than any other brand. Even more than Omega, which had been my favorite watch company for the better part of a decade. It is quite easy to understand why. Especially if you have been fortunate enough to own one of their watches. Once you get used to tritium illumination, it is very difficult to live without it.

That is why I tell people who are interested in the brand. CAREFUL, you will start with one, but it will not be your last. We are also blessed with an incredible variety of models and functions. I mean, which other brand has two very difference dive watch lines? Yes, you read that correctly and further more, not only are they different, they do not resemble anything else on the market!

The star of this blog post is the brand new Ball Hydrocarbon Airborne. A model that was first introduced this last spring at the Basel World Fair. It is their latest iteration of their very popular Hydrocarbon line. This new model is a standard time with day & date, but it also houses their new Spring LOCK technology, which helps improve its anti-shock properties.

Before I continue, how about we show some pictures?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is now my 5th Hydrocarbon and with each new one there are tweaks and improvements. This one is not so much a redesign, but it is a more subdued version of last year's Ceramic Peak XV Hydrocarbon. A watch I admired, but did not like enough to own. It was just too "glossy" for me. Besides, I had my hands full with the DeepQUEST:

Ball Hydrocarbon DeepQUEST

This new version, with its discreet dial pattern is just the perfect combination of polish and discretion. I also really like the new numerals on the dial, which for once, are perfectly sized to fit without leaving any gaps. Have a look, this is what I mean:

Those two pictures are mine, taken with two very different cameras and exposures (look at the second hands). Spacemaster on the left, airborne on the right. Hopefully you can see what I mean. There are a ton of tiny little details like this that make the Airborne a superlative watch. 

From the applied markers, to the stunning new sword hands, to the exquisite finish on the case and bracelet. This watch is a total work of art. Oh, make no mistake, this does not mean it is not up to the task. I dare anyone to find a tougher watch! The entire Hydrocarbon line is made for adventure and the airborne is no different. In fact, with its new Spring LOCK system, I bet it can take more punishment than most "would be" sports / adventure watches. Here is some more on this forward thinking technology:

Ball Spring LOCK

For specs and more details on the Hydrocarbon Airborne click here:

Ball Hydrocarbon Airborne

Arnold Schwartzenneger once said, when receiving an award "Of all the awards I have received in my life, this one is... the most recent". Like Arnold, this Ball watch is my most... recent. I absolutely LOVE IT and cannot wait to see what the great minds at Ball Watch will create next!

Q & Ds of my NEW Ball Hydrocarbon Airborne

I just received this one yesterday and I am totally blown away. Here are a couple of quick ones for you:

There is nothing like waking up at 4:00am, checking the time, without getting fully awake and realizing you still have hours of glorious sleep ahead of you.

Ball Watch has no equal. PERIOD.

LOVING IT!!!! 

Ball Watch

My newest acquisition - Omega Seamaster Pro

This is my (I lost count) Omega Seamaster variation and my absolute favorite to date!

Here are a couple of quick pictures taken with my cell phone camera:

I am particularly proud of that black and white picture. Turned out so much better than I expected!

Stay tuned for a full gallery. COMING SOON!

Omega

Breitling Seawolf - GALLERY

I recently owned one of these with a grey dial, but prematurely parted with it. I have since decided to correct this mistake and get to better know the Breitling Seawolf. Now, I still find the hands on the anorexic side, but I do love how it feels on my wrist. I also did not remember it being this.... uh.... small?... I guess after wearing behemoths, the Seawolf is quite manageable.

There is also something to be said about the incredible Pro II bracelet. It is so silky smooth and comfortable. I once said that Breitling has perfected the traditional friction clasp and this still remains the case. Yet I do hope they wise up and join the 21st century and update the clasps for their bracelets. I mean if Rolex can do it... why not Breitling?

Enough blabbing, I think everyone knows this watch by now, so how about some pictures? Here you go:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Notice how the dial is not actually black but a dark shade of grey? I really, really like it. In fact, I thought I would have referred my previous one, but I do not. Another fact worth mentioning is that this is the 1st time I have ever acquired the exact same watch a second time with the only variation being the dial color. The 1st time EVER. 

Oh I have owned countless Omega Seamaster Pros, but they have all been different. Either a limited edition or an update or Planet Oceans. This one is EXACTLY the same, only the dial is slightly darker. Would you believe I actually had to wrestle with my conscience over acquiring this watch? I had never done that before. I have always moved forward, never looking back. Am I just getting old? Wiser?  Nah...

I think I just parted with the previous one too soon and did not get to say a proper goodbye. Yeah, that is it. So I will hang on to this one for a bit and when it is time to part. I will part with this model for good. Oh and speaking of this model. I got to fondle the new Seawolf II. Yikes, Breitling what have you done?!?! The new Pro III bracelet, well, looks CHEAP and thin. In fact it reminds me of an Oyster bracelet. So un-Breitling!

Also, the head now is completely unbalanced and the watch just flops around. I also do not like the new customs end links, as they over power the lugs and the numerals on the dial look disproportionate. What I did like was the new second hand. It is intriguing what they did with the "meat-ball" at its tip. Anyway, this is about the previous generation and I for one like it a lot.

I hope you enjoyed the pictures. My new Nikon D5200 sure is coming in handy!

Breitling

Nite Hawk Z-400T - REVIEW & GALLERY

I received this watch last week and I have been quite impressed with it so far. Its combination of stealthy looks and supreme nighttime visibility are a welcome change from the usual hunks of steel being churned out these days.

        

 

Having owned a Tawatec dive watch in the recent past, I pretty much knew what to expect with this Nite Hawk. That is until I opened the box and saw the Z-400T in "real-life". It is considerably larger than the Tawatec and the design is much more organic, not as forced. It looks less like a re-branded Luminox and more like a watch of its own.

While the case is made of the same Polycarbonate material, which is very lite and resistant, wearing this watch is like not wearing a watch at all. You would think that at 51mm in diameter and only 13mm think, it would be like wearing a small pizza on your wrist, but due to very short lugs, it wears much smaller than its numbers would indicate.

The bezel offers plenty of purchase and the action is remarkable, with no play in any direction. In fact I currently own watches that cost THOUSANDS more and their bezels could learn a thing of two from this Nite. It also lines up flawlessly, which is a huge pet-peeve of mine and the lume pip is a tiny bar of blue Tritium.

Unfortunately, the crown does not screw down, but this does not hamper its 200m water-resistance. Just do not pull it out while submerged. It is signed with the Nite logo, generous in proportion and protected by a pair of crown guards. The case back is nicely engraved with your typical branding and other details, but what really impressed me is the PVD finish! Yes, you read that correctly, Nite went all out to continue the stealth look and PVDed the case back! I am really impressed. 

 

 

The crystal is flat and made of K1 Mineral glass. While not as hard as synthetic sapphire, it is plenty hard for everyday use. The dial is a flat black color and the hands and numerals are painted in a glossy black. This tiny detail gives the dial awesome contrast at different angles, while disappearing at others, leaving only the tritium tubes visible. I have only owned one other watch with this type of paint configuration and I have always wondered why others have not done the same.

Another notable feature is the date display. The were wise and used a black wheel with white numerals and not the "normal" black on white. This is a minor detail for some people, but for me it is HUGE. I would have really disliked it if the first thing you see is the date and this combination lends itself well to the rest of the design. Kudos to Nite for going the extra mile.

Now I did mention tritium above and this is Nite's bread and butter. Just like Ball Watch, Luminox and Tawatec, Nite focuses its marketing on nighttime visibility. Why should they not? In my opinion, not enough companies use this type of lume, though things are changing. I notived a Frederique Constant dress watch with tritium tubes on its hands. Things to come? Who knows. What I do know is that this is my absolute favorite type of dial illumination. If you do not know what it is, then you likely are not reading this. If you stumbled onto this post, then please go to the search bar and type in tritium. You are in for a real treat!

 

 

 

As I said above this is incredibly comfortable watch to wear. In fact, I sometimes forget that I have it on and go into a slight panic when I think I left the house without a watch. No WIS should ever, ever go naked! The combination of size, proportions, materials used and design make this one of the most enjoyable BIG watches to wear. 

Now I did swap out the super cool "plastic / polymer" strap for this wonderful Ancon leather strap, partly because I have a puny 7" wrist (EOM strap is way long) and partly because this strap was already formed to my wrist. What I did not count on is the PVD Ancon buckle matched the watch perfectly. Total coincidence!

I also wore it for a while on my ISOfrane rubber strap, which is the premier dive strap on the market. Due to the Nite's straight luges it fit perfectly. In fact, its thickness fit the watch even better than the EOM strap. That said, the ISOfrane is a roughly a 1/3 of the price of the Hawk Z-400T and it is not for everyone. Some prefer slimmer more modern straps. 

Being a bracelet guy, I even tried my Aquadive bracelet on this watch! Yes, you read that correctly. It was atrocious, but only because the steel bracelet was not PVD coated. If you can find a PVD or DLC coated bracelet with straight end-links, I bet it would be AWESOME for this watch! As bad as it looked, it was super comfortable and the light head weight, did not deter from the comfort.

 

 

 

If you are looking for a super-fun quartz powered watch, that you can throw on at a moments notice and look great doing it, then this is the watch for you! Do not get be wrong, I am still a die-hard mechanical watch guy, but EVERYONE needs a hardcore quartz watch. Especially when you are doing casual activities where you would not risk your beloved Omega or Rolex.

The Swiss Ronda 595 movement in this bad boy will give you years of trouble free operation and be several times more accurate than your mechanical watches. And how about that LUME and stealth qualities? I am having a lot of fun with this one and I honestly think you will to. Go check them out for yourself!

Nite