With Model 158, Sinn has revived a little-known facet of its history: the Bundeswehr Chronograph. Presented in a refreshed, limited edition, how well does this retro chronograph perform?

Sinn is known for making watches for police and military forces. The EZM 1, for example, was the first mission timer Sinn designed in 1997 for special units of Germany’s customs authority. Sinn had the German special police unit GSG 9 in mind when it developed the UX divers’ watch, which is also worn by members of the German Navy’s Special Forces Command. And the 212 KSK meets the requirements of the German Army’s Special Forces Command.

But fewer watch fans may know about the points of contact between Sinn and the Bundeswehr, Germany’s armed forces, in the past. In the 1980s and early 1990s, the company’s founder, Helmut Sinn, purchased the German Army’s stock of decommissioned Bundeswehr chronographs, which were made by Heuer (Ref. 1550 SG). Helmut Sinn reworked these watches and afterward sold them as Sinn Model 155 Bw, with Sinn lettering on their dials designating “Heuer/Sinn Bunderswehr-Chronograph für Piloten” (German for Heuer/Sinn German Armed Forces Chronograph for Pilots).

Now Sinn pays tribute to this watch with its Model 158, our test watch, which is released in a limited edition of 500 timepieces. The lion’s share of this watch’s design has been adopted unchanged from its ancestor. Anyone familiar with the original model will immediately notice that the new watch is almost the spitting image of the Bundeswehr Chronograph, but a few details have been altered. The case corresponds almost 100 percent to the original. Fidelity to detail is evident in the shape of the push-pieces, as well as in the crown, which has no lettering for better usability, and above all in the bidirectional rotatable bezel of black anodized aluminum, which honors its ancestry in its minutes scale and in the typography of its numerals. The family resemblances even include subtleties such as the fluting on the rotatable bezel, the fully pierced strap lugs and a rather unusual snap-on case with four set screws. The bead-blasted surface of the case, its diameter of 43 mm, its opaque metal back and its domed acrylic crystal likewise match their counterparts on the original 155.

The new watch’s dial, on the other hand, looks somewhat different from that of its forebear. The bicompax arrangement of subdials (with seconds on the left and elapsed minutes on the right) and the typography of the hour numerals correspond to the original, but some modifications have been made. For example, the chronograph’s elapsed-time hands are highlighted in red, the hands have a more modern shape, a date display has been added at 6 o’clock and a scale with split-second markers at 5-minute increments has replaced the original scale, which marked every fifth minute with a number. The new face makes a harmonious impression and follows Sinn’s characteristic color scheme. Furthermore, the updated design scarcely detracts from the excellent legibility, which naturally topped the list of specs for the original Bundeswehr Chronograph.

Simple operation was another crucial item on the military’s list of requirements. As is usual with this caliber, the push-pieces demand authoritative force, especially when starting the chronograph. Controlling the stopwatch function isn’t made any easier by the authentic shape of the push-pieces, which offer a rather small area on their circular tops. The functionality is better with the low-rise but large-diameter crown, which — like its ancestor on the historical model — protrudes unusually far from the side of the case, thus ensuring that this fluted button can be easily turned and readily pulled outward. A stop-seconds mechanism halts the balance and thus also stops the hands: this makes it convenient to set the time with to-the-second precision. Although the bidirectional rotatable bezel doesn’t snap into place in specific increments, it’s nonetheless a pleasure to operate: it runs smoothly, but not so easily that it could inadvertently shift position.

Robustness was the third important requirement for the military. At first glance, the operating elements could be a potential cause for concern here. Fortunately, closer inspection finds that the lengthy push-pieces and the protruding crown fit in their guides very firmly and without play, thus making an extremely sturdy impression. The flat bezel doesn’t protrude beyond the case, so even without Sinn’s frequently used technology of a screwed and therefore impossible-to-lose bezel, there’s little reason to fear that this rotatable ring might snag on something and get pried off. The acrylic crystal over the dial doesn’t resist scratches as effectively as a sapphire crystal, but it’s made of the same material as its ancestor — and at least it won’t splinter if it suffers a sharp impact. The case’s water resistance to a depth of 100 meters is more than adequate for a pilots’ watch.

Despite the watch’s high resistance to pressure, Sinn has succeeded in keeping it fairly slim. The 158 encases a taller self-winding movement than the original model with a hand-wound caliber, so it can’t have a height that’s quite as slim as the 13 mm of its predecessor, but its 15 mm height and outwardly sloping bezel give it a sufficiently low-rise profile. A curved back and recesses in the case’s middle piece further help this chronograph make a slim impression.

Most of the original Heuer/Sinn Bundeswehr Chronographs encased Valjoux’s hand-wound Caliber 230 with column wheel and flyback function. The new 158 relies on Sellita’s self-winding Caliber 510. Critics allege that Sellita only imitates ETA’s movements. (Copying them would not be prohibited because their patent protection has expired.) This allegation may be true in most instances, but Sellita has achieved something here with Caliber 510 that ETA has not yet accomplished with its Valjoux 7750: namely, a symmetrical dial arrangement (tricompax or bicompax) combined with a rapid-reset function for the date mechanism via the crown. The ETA Valjoux 7753 needs a corrector button at the 10 and this extra button requires an additional aperture in the case. We prefer Sellita’s more elegant solution.

Apart from this detail, the Sellita movement corresponds to its robust progenitor with cam switching and a unidirectional effective winding rotor, whose clearly perceptible and audible idling is liable to annoy connoisseurs with sensitive hearing. The maximum power reserve of 48 hours is also similar to that amassed by the ETA Valjoux movement. Sinn encases the better “Premium” quality variation with a Glucydur balance, decorative finishing and blued screws. The case’s authentic and consequently opaque back conceals the movement, but you shouldn’t lament the absence of a transparent caseback because this watch’s concept and its caliber were developed to prioritize functionality.

The German Air Force stipulated that the watch must not deviate from perfect timekeeping by more than 10 seconds per day while its chronograph mechanism is running. Our Witschi timing machine confirmed that the contemporary 158 keeps time with significantly greater accuracy than that. With its stopwatch function switched off, it kept very nearly perfect time, gaining an average of less than 1 second per day. And with the chronograph mechanism switched on, its rate posted an acceptable daily loss of 4 seconds. However, according to our strict evaluation scheme, the difference of 10 or 12 seconds among the several positions compels us to deny it a very high rating in this category.

For the German soldiers who wore the original model, this watch was a purely functional instrument, a dyed-in-the-wool tool watch. The finer points of its workmanship played a subordinate role as long as they didn’t detract from the watch’s durability. Things are naturally different for a watch worn by civilians. It’s noteworthy to see that Sinn has paid careful attention to the quality of the finishing on the case, dial and hands. The aged leather strap with red decorative stitching likewise fits neatly into the overall picture. Only the simple off-the-rack buckle with a bent (rather than milled) pin reminds us that straps and clasps used to be items that were expected to wear out and need replacement.

The Sinn 158 is priced at $2,660, which seems reasonable when one bears in mind that it’s launched in a limited edition of 500 pieces. Other Sinn models (for example, the 103 St Acrylic on Strap priced at $1,890) are less expensive alternatives for wearers who are interested solely in functionality. But compared with other brands, and in view of its exciting history and successful design, we think it’s worthwhile to call up the reserves and put the Sinn 158 into active duty.

SPECS:
Manufacturer: Sinn Spezialuhren GmbH, Wilhelm-Fay-Strasse 21, 65936 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Reference number: 158.010
Functions: Central hours and minutes, seconds on a subdial, date display, chronograph with a central seconds hand and a counter for up to 30 elapsed minutes
Movement: Sellita 510 “Premium,” automatic, 28,800 vph, 27 jewels, stop-seconds function, rapid-reset function for the date display, Incabloc shock absorption, fine adjustment via index, Glucydur balance, 48-hour power reserve, diameter = 30 mm, height = 7.9 mm
Case: Stainless-steel case, domed acrylic crystal above the dial, screw-less crown, four screws hold the snap-on case in place, stainless-steel caseback, pressure resistant to 100 m and secured against low pressure
Strap and cla­­sp: Cowhide strap with stainless-steel pin buckle
Rate results (deviation in seconds per 24 hours, with chronograph switched off/on):
Dial up +3 / 0
Dial down +5 / +1
Crown up -3 / -11
Crown down +1 / -3
Crown left +4 / -6
Crown right -5 / -7
Greatest deviation 10 / 12
Average deviation +0.8 / -4.3
Average amplitude:
Flat positions 292° / 269°
Hanging positions 264° / 232°
Dimensions: Diameter = 43 mm, height = 15.15 mm, weight = 110 grams
Limited edition of 500 pieces
Price: $2,660

SCORES:
Strap and clasp (max. 10 points): Handsome aged leather strap with red decorative stitching; simple buckle 7
­­­Operation (5): The crown is easy to operate and also triggers a quick-reset function for the date, but more than a little force is needed to activate the chronograph’s start button. 4
Case (10): The well-crafted case is secured against low pressure and also resists high pressure up to 10 bar; the acrylic crystal is an authentic retro detail, but it isn’t scratch resistant. 8
Design (15): A very handsome classic with tasteful new color accents 14
Legibility (5): The time can be read very quickly both day and night, but the elapsed-time hands with no luminous coating offer less contrast. 4
Wearing comfort (10): The supple cowhide strap makes this watch very comfortable on the wrist. 10
Movement (20): Sinn adds attractive decorative finishing to the top-quality
“Premium” variation of Sellita’s robust caliber. 13
Rate results (10): The average gain is very slight, but the maximum difference among the several positions is quite large. The timekeeping strays into the loss column when the chronograph is switched on. 7
Overall value (15): A good value for the money and the limited series is likely to enhance value retention. 13
Total: 80 POINTS

The Portugieser is one of IWC’s oldest and most prestigious product lines, with a dial that has hardly changed over 80 years. “That’s why we approached the project of designing the new collection very carefully and with tremendous respect for history,” Christoph Grainger-Herr, CEO of IWC, and Creative Director Christian Knoop explained.

The Portugieser’s Handsome Dial Remains Nearly Unchanged
The impressive result puts every doubt to rest. Glancing at the attractive face of the Portugieser Chronograph, you instantly recognize a cherished old acquaintance, although the dial of our test watch is now a trendy green, and plays with the light. Another version comes with a burgundy dial. There’s also a boutique edition with an elegant blue dial and a rose-gold case.

The very distinctive, clear and functional dial is 38 mm in diameter and has recessed counters at 6 and 12, slim feuille hands and applied Arabic numerals. These features have so strongly influenced the Portugieser chronograph that even in the new version, no designer dared to replace the partly cut-away numerals 6 and 12 with arguably “simpler” index strokes. Comparing this latest update to the last fine tuning about 10 years ago, we find that the calibrations on the counters with inward-facing numerals, the lettering, and the slender quarter-second scale on the flange have all remained unchanged. As a whole, the latest version of this timeless watch retains its own character and remains loyal to its origins as a time-measuring instrument — not least because of the finely calibrated elapsed-seconds scale. With three intervening strokes between each pair of full-second lines, its markings correctly match the 4-Hz rhythm of a modified version of a movement from IWC’s recent 69000 caliber family.

IWC’s Favorite, at Last with a Manufacture Caliber
Designated as number 69355, this caliber is the essential new feature in the latest Portugieser chronograph. As one of the most popular items in IWC’s portfolio, now it’s finally equipped with a manufacture caliber. This was not yet the situation a decade ago, when the still-young Portugieser Yacht Club Chronograph was given a manufacture movement from the 89000 caliber series, which was introduced in 2007. The 69000 caliber family, which made its debut 10 years later, underwent four years of further development and was encased for the first time in the Ingenieur Chronograph in 2017.

With the newly designed 69000 caliber series, IWC is gradually replacing chronograph movements based on the ETA/Valjoux 7750 and at the same time offering a less costly alternative to the 89000 series of manufacture calibers. Our test watch comes with a $7,950 price tag. The least costly variant of the new Portugieser Yacht Club Chronograph with Caliber 89361 sells for $12,100. Paying the additional charge also gets you a flyback function and a longer power reserve of 68 hours. The power reserve of Caliber 69355, on the other hand, is rather short by contemporary standards, at 46 hours, and this caliber relies on an index to adjust its hairspring’s active length — a simpler method of finely adjusting the rate than the eccentric screws on the rim of Caliber 89361’s balance in the Portugieser Yacht Club Chronograph.

Otherwise, chronograph Caliber 69355 similarly offers a sturdy and precise column wheel to control the stopwatch functions, a rocking pinion to couple the chronograph with the flow of force from the gear train and a modern bidirectional effective self-winding mechanism. This automatic winding, however, is not the Pellaton mechanism (named after the former IWC engineer) that’s installed in the calibers of the 89000 series, but a modern development from the Richemont Group.

The Movement’s Rate Upholds the Promise of Quality
The positioning of the subdial for the continually running seconds at the 6 is unusual because most chronographs put this indicator at the 9. While other modifications of Caliber 69000 have a counter for 12 elapsed hours at the 9, it’s absent from the Portugieser chronograph, as is the date across the dial at the 3. With reference to this watch’s history and to further enhance the harmony of its design, this newest Portugieser only has a 30-minute counter at the 12 and no luminous material on its numerals, indexes or hands.

Turning the timepiece over and peering through its back, where four screws affix the sapphire crystal, you can discover numerous details typical of IWC’s caliber construction, e.g., circular patterns in Geneva-stripes style, satin finishes, circular graining and a skeletonized rotor engraved with the words “Probus Scafusia.” Our test confirmed that the automatic movement upholds this promise of quality. It ran extremely well and achieved well-balanced rate values. Its performance on the wrist was similar to the rate measured by our timing machine when the watch was fully wound. Timekeeping in chronograph mode is likewise impeccable, with an average daily deviation of about 1 second.

The Portugieser Chronograph Reflects Timelessness and Modernity
The stopwatch functions are controlled by pressing mushroom-shaped push-pieces. The pressure points here are secure and the buttons run smoothly to reliably trigger the column wheel. The knurled crown is user friendly and can easily be pulled outward into the hand-setting position. These components complement the classic Portugieser case, which reveals its conical contours when viewed from the side. The narrow, polished bezel extends beyond the middle part of the case, thus providing plenty of space for the dial. The screwed back tapers toward the sapphire crystal with a concave edge curve. The case’s laterally satin-finished middle section slopes very strongly downward to the strap lugs. All this, together with the high-quality alligator leather strap and its convenient butterfly folding clasp makes it comfortable to wear on the wrist.

A quick look at the wrist immediately offers a pleasant surprise because our “good old friend” now indulges in a lively play of colors. Viewed through its domed and anti-reflective sapphire crystal, the dial doesn’t appear green from every angle, but changes its appearance from dark green to nearly black, which endows this classic watch with understated elegance. Whether by coincidence or on purpose, in this way too the Portugieser chronograph embodies the timeless modernity for which IWC is known and appreciated.

SPECS:
Manufacturer: IWC Schaffausen, Baumgartenstrasse 15, 8200 Schaffausen, Switzerland
Reference number: IW371615
Functions: Hours, minutes, small seconds, chronograph (central elapsed- seconds hand, counter for up to 30 elapsed minutes)
Movement: IWC 69355 based on caliber family 69000, automatic, 28,800 vph, 27 jewels, Glucydur balance, Nivarox hair-spring, Etachron fine adjustment via bi-partite index, Incabloc shock absorption, 46-hour power reserve, diameter = 30.0 mm, height = 7.90 mm
Case: Stainless steel with domed sapphire crystal above dial anti-reflectively treated on both sides, sapphire crystal in caseback, water resistant to 30 meters
Strap and cla­­sp: Black alligator leather strap with double folding clasp
Rate results (deviation in seconds per 24 hours, fully wound/after 24 hours:
On the wrist +1.6
Dial up +3.1 / +1.4
Dial down +2.5 / +0.0
Crown up -0.5 / -3.5
Crown down +4.1 / +4.4
Crown left -0.3 / -0.8
Greatest deviation 4.6 / 7.9
Average deviation +1.8 / +0.3
Average amplitude:
Flat positions 321° / 292°
Hanging positions 296° / 267°
Dimensions: Diameter = 40.95 mm, height = 13.08 mm, weight = 90.0 g
Variations: With burgundy dial (Ref. IWC371616; $7,950); Boutique Edition with rose-gold case, blue dial and blue strap (Ref. IW371614; $17,800)
Price: $7,950

Sports, like so many things in life, are a matter of taste and talent. One person may choose to compete in the Ironman challenge while another considers chess to be a sport. The latter is in good company because the International Olympic Committee agrees with him.

Eager to woo adherents of both viewpoints, A. Lange & Söhne advertises its new Odysseus, our test watch, as a “sporty, elegant watch for very active people.” The elite manufacture has given this new watch plenty of features that make it more robust and enlarge its field of activity. Choosing stainless steel as the material for its case already helps quite a bit because this alloy is much less susceptible to scratches than the precious metals gold and platinum, which Lange has used exclusively in its watches. And unlike Lange’s typical crocodile-skin straps, this model’s stainless-steel bracelet doesn’t mind a dip in a lake. Furthermore, wearing this watch while enjoying activities that raise a sweat doesn’t mean you’ll have to pay €290 plus VAT (around $375 total) to replace a stained but otherwise high-quality leather strap.

A Supple Stainless-steel Bracelet with a Sophisticated Clasp
High temperatures or physical exertion can also cause your wrist to swell slightly, but that’s not a problem for Lange’s Odysseus thanks to the clever adjustment system in its clasp. The circular logo on the buckle can be pressed down, thereby lengthening the strap in fine increments to add a maximum of 7 mm. Simply push the strap back into the buckle to shorten it. This practical mechanism works very well and we used it more often than we’d initially expected.

Alongside stainless steel as the material for the case and bracelet, the case’s increased resistance to pressure qualifies this watch to participate in a wider range of activities. The Odysseus is the first Lange watch that can withstand pressure of 12 bar, which corresponds to water pressure at a depth of 120 meters. Strictly speaking, the pressure resistance to a depth of 30 meters that Lange typically provides isn’t even suitable for a shower or a swimming pool. Thanks to its screw-down crown, the Odysseus can easily survive a dive from the deck of a sailboat. A sporty watch should be easy to read, both in the light and in the dark. The Odysseus meets this requirement with luminous material on its hour hand, its minutes hand and its large indexes; only the small seconds hand remains dark.

With all of these new features, is the Odysseus still recognizable as a Lange watch? There’s no cause for concern here because the manufacture has retained important characteristic features. This applies to the lance-shaped hands and to the seconds hand with its skeletonized counterweight, to the typeface used for the calibrated scales and, to a certain extent, to the case, for example, the shape of the lugs and the polished bezel. Of course, Lange’s big date display also contributes to recognizability. The large width of the bracelet at the lugs and the comparatively delicate hand for the small seconds admittedly take some getting used to, but all in all, Lange has adroitly combined new and old design features.

The Blue Dial — a Work of Art in Itself
The dial is a work of art: both the wreath of hour indexes and the subdial for the seconds are grooved, while the inner part of both the main dial and the subdial have rough surfaces. The bar-shaped hour indexes are made of white gold and each one not only slopes downward toward the center of the dial, but also has an M-shaped cross section and is filled with luminous material along its midline. The satin-finished minutes scale runs along the flange — a practical solution, and a somewhat unusual one for Lange. The red numeral 60 on the flange adds a dash of sportiness and also recalls the red numeral 12 that Lange used on rare anniversary models with enamel dials.

Also new, the day of the week appears in a window positioned directly opposite the double aperture for the big date. Like the dial, the disks for these two displays are blue — a small but important detail that’s all too often ignored. And when it’s overlooked, the mismatched color scheme detracts from the harmony of the design. In addition, the typeface chosen for the displays is the same one that spells out the brand’s name on the dial.

Lange not only developed the mechanism for the day-of-the-week display; it also redesigned the mechanism for the big date because the latter is now located near the edge of the dial, instead of closer to the middle as before. To achieve the largest possible display area, the big date indicator puts the digits into a ones ring and a 10s disk instead of in the previous cross shape. Furthermore, the ones ring is now larger and runs around the periphery of the movement, so it’s marked with the digits 0 to 9 twice.

The mechanism for the day of the week and the big date is propelled by the hour wheel, which completes one full circle every 12 hours. Its motion is transmitted to the 24-hour wheel, which requires one full day to finish each 360° rotation. The 24-hour wheel directly advances the day-of-the-week indicator. At the same time, it also propels a program wheel that guides the proper progress of the ones ring and the 10s disk. The program wheel powers the gear train of the ones ring so that it advances by one increment per day. An exception occurs when the 31st day of an expiring month transitions into the first day of a new month, in which case a missing tooth in the program wheel assures that the gear shift is skipped once. The program wheel also propels the gear train of the 10s disk every 10 days. Only when changing from the 3 to the empty field does switching take place after two days rather than 10. To correct the date, Lange has integrated two pushers into a component that’s likely to be mistaken for a crown protector: the upper pusher advances the date and the lower one resets the day of the week by one day. These pushers, disguised as crown protectors, are easy to operate and each has a precise pressure point. It’s extremely unlikely that they would be triggered unintentionally. The special design also makes it possible to switch both indicators forward or backward by turning the crown clockwise or counterclockwise beyond the midnight position. The mechanism cannot be damaged by incorrect use. In total, the calendar system consists of 99 components.

A New Movement, from Automatic Winding to The Balance
Lange didn’t merely redesign the calendar function; the entire movement was engineered specially for the Odysseus by the Glashütte-based company. Caliber L155.1 Datomatic with unidirectional winding rotor builds up a 50-hour power reserve. With a diameter of 32.9 mm, it’s the right size for this watch and, in addition to automatic winding, it offers other features that are appropriate for a sports watch movement. For example, it’s the first Lange caliber with a balance paced at the speedy frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour. Thanks to this faster pace, shocks and vibrations exert less of an effect on the accuracy of the movement. To minimize air turbulence at this higher frequency, the engineers designed a smooth balance wheel with four countersunk regulating screws rather than relying on a classic screw balance or a balance with regulating weights on top of its wheel.

Lange also designed the bearing of the balance wheel for optimum robustness. Instead of a cock, which is borne on only one side, the balance of the Datomatic is supported by a bridge, which is screwed on both sides. Lange’s typical swan’s neck fine adjustment for the beat has been replaced by a similar construction in which a vertical eccentric screw replaces the horizontal one.

When it comes to embellishments, Lange has upheld its time-honored practices. The balance’s bridge is manually engraved with floral motifs, its edges are beveled and polished, and its screws are blued. There’s a three-quarter plate and at least one bearing jewel in a screwed gold setting, which accepts the pivot of the escape-wheel’s shaft and thus defines the heart of the watch in a very traditional way. Only the striped pattern has slightly wider stripes than usual. Every detail embodies horological artistry at the highest level, just as one would expect to encounter in a Lange timepiece.

A Genuine Lange Watch with an Expanded Field Of Application
The rate values are equally impressive. The Odysseus that we tested gained only 1 second per day on the wrist. Our timing machine reconfirmed the accurate timekeeping and calculated an average daily deviation of +1.1 seconds with a fully wound mainspring. The amplitude and thus also the accuracy decrease significantly after 24 hours, but this is less relevant for an automatic watch. What is important, however, is the wearing comfort. When it comes to metal bracelets, you sometimes have to make compromises, but Lange’s new bracelet lies very smoothly on the wrist and doesn’t pinch any hair. In addition to the quick adjustment mechanism mentioned earlier, the bracelet can also be shortened easily. Two recessed pushers on the back and toward the outside of each link can be pressed to remove individual links.

Lange modified the design of the bracelet and the clasp. The ingenious extension system in the buckle and the construction of the bracelet were developed by IWC for its Pilot’s chronographs. (Lange and IWC are both part of the Richemont Group.) The workmanship is perfect throughout the watch, with the sole exception of milling marks that weren’t polished off on the inner sides of the clasp’s hinges. Beveled and polished edges are a distinguishing feature of high-quality watches. Lange accordingly bevels and polishes the edges of parts in the watch’s movement, case and bracelet. These shiny planes contrast beautifully with satin-finished surfaces and add a distinctive sporty touch to the five rows of links that comprise the stainless-steel bracelet.

The Odysseus is therefore a genuine Lange watch — and readily recognizable as such —thanks to the movement’s technology and the typically high quality of the workmanship and embellishments. Furthermore, the manufacture from Glashütte has significantly expanded the range of applications for its watches with this first serially produced model in stainless steel, which offers a case made from a robust mater-ial and with greater pressure resistance, in combination with an excellent metal bracelet equipped with a quick-adjustment mechanism. These features are well worthwhile — not only on a sailing trip, but also on a summer day beside an invitingly cool lake.

SPECS:
Manufacturer: A. Lange Uhren GmbH, Ferdinand-Adolph-Lange-Platz 1, 01768, Glashütte, Germany
Reference number: 363.179
Functions: Hours, minutes, small seconds, big date, day of the week
Movement: In-house Caliber L155.1, automatic, 28,800 vph, 31 jewels, Lange hairspring, Glucydur balance, Kif shock absorption, fine adjustment via four regulating screws, the beat can be finely adjusted via an eccentric and a swan’s neck spring, 50-hour power reserve, diameter = 32.9 mm, height = 6.20 mm
Case: Stainless steel, sapphire crystals rated 9 on the Mohs scale above the dial and in the back, water resistant to 120 meters
Bracelet­­­­ and cla­­sp: Stainless steel, secured deployant buckle with integrated mechanism to finely adjust the bracelet’s length
Rate results (Deviation in seconds per 24 hours, fully wound/after 24 hours):
On the wrist +1.1
Dial up +0.4 / +2.2
Dial down +3.3 / +3.4
Crown up -1.3 / -6.8
Crown down +2.5 / -4.0
Crown left +0.4 / -6.3
Greatest deviation 4.6 / 10.2
Average deviation +1.1 / -2.3
Average amplitude:
Flat positions 278° / 238°
Hanging positions 245° / 196°
Dimensions: Diameter = 40.5 mm, height = 11.1 mm, weight = 146.0 g
Price: $28,800

For a close look at the newest version of the Odysseus, in white gold with an integrated, sporty rubber strap, click here.

Versace Medusa Pop

The Medusa Pop is a typical Versace creation, so it is not for the shy and introverted. This is also the fun part of a watch like this, which stands out by the bold Versace letters and Medusa head on the silicon strap that also covers the case. This means that the wearing comfort is outstanding, in which also the diameter of 38mm plays its part. The dial is what gives this Versace an extra dose of character as the gold-tone hands turn behind a three-dimensional Medusa. The head is actually placed on a flat crystal which is in turn protected by a domed sapphire crystal. A quartz Ronda movement ensures accurate timekeeping, so you won’t miss happy hour. You can match the Medusa Pop watch to your swimming attire, as it is available in black, white, blue, purple, and even red. Price: $495.

For more info, visit Versace, here

Swatch Neon Wave

In case you haven’t noticed yet, neon colors are back in fashion. The hues that decorated the 80s and 90s made a strong comeback, perhaps because we were missing them. Swatch took inspiration and launched an entire collection in bright neon colors, or perhaps I should say relaunch as these colors were one of the cornerstones of the success the brand enjoyed back in those days. With the Neon Wave, you get a bold combination of colors, but you stay still in control thanks to the chronograph and date function. Its matte yellow case is attached to a structured silicon strap that is very comfortable. With its diameter of 42mm, it is a statement, but when you are worried that it won’t match your outfit, don’t, as it is not supposed to. Price: $130.

For more info, visit Swatch, here

Maurice Lacroix Aikon #Tide Camo

The Aikon #Tide Camo is a watch that either perfectly blends in, or stands out like crazy. With its case, bezel, and dial in green hues combined with a camo-colored strap, this is not a watch that you need to lay somewhere when camping in the woods because the chances are that you will never find it again. Anywhere else the watch will make quite a statement, which might also be what you are looking for. The 40mm large case is made from upcycled plastic that is retrieved from the oceans, a material that is also used to craft the buckle. As a result the Aikon #Tide Camo is pleasantly light to wear, while its quartz movement makes sure that you don’t miss a beat during vacation. Price: $825.

For more info, visit Maurice Lacroix, here

G-Shock G-LIDE

To some, nothing says vacation like a G-Shock, as these resilient watches are known to withstand a beating and look good doing so. When you are going to the beach, and even more so when you enjoy watersports there, the G-LIDE also offers a wide variety of useful functions, the main being a tide indicator. The display of the G-Shock is very well organized as we are used from the brand, making it easy to take all the information in. The strap and part of the case are made form biobased resin, with the rest being stainless steel. The G-Lide is water resistant up to 20 ATM/200 meters, and the Bluetooth function not only makes setting it a breeze but also gives you an excuse to be on your phone during vacation. Price: $160.

For more info, visit G-Shock, here

Tudor has expanded its popular Black Bay Fifty-Eight series of dive watches. One of the latest additions is a blue version with a manufacture caliber and a moderately sized 39-mm case that won the “Challenge” watch award at the 2020 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG). How does Tudor’s award-winner fare in our test?

The Tudor label has been trendy in recent years and can look back on a steadily growing fan base. Rolex’s second brand was stagnant for many years, but since 2009, Tudor has begun accelerating again. Tudor’s history, which is rich in characteristic design, is being emphasized in the brand’s newly launched retro models. The Heritage Black Bay, which looks back to Tudor’s early dive watches, was released in 2012. Its debut was followed by the premiere of the smaller Black Bay Fifty-Eight in 2018. The blue version, which we are testing here, was unveiled in 2020.

The name “Fifty-Eight” refers to 1958, the year in which Tudor introduced its first divers’ watch, Reference 7924, known as the “Big Crown.” The new watch’s diameter of 39 mm corresponds to the dimensions of the case of the historical model. In other respects, too, this new version, at first glance, actually looks like a vintage watch, an antique model. It even looks somewhat delicate, thanks to the rotating bezel and the smaller dial.
The vintage impression is further underscored by the domed scratch-resistant sapphire crystal, which is highly curved along its rim like the acrylic crystals of models from previous decades. The dial, too, is slightly convex like the faces of classic antique watches. The narrow strap lugs and the typography on the rotatable bezel also allude to Tudor’s history. The designers even opted to omit a date display, thus completing the historical impression.

Old Tudor dive watches with so-called “snowflake” hands have become famous and are eagerly sought after at auctions. The nickname derives from the squares at the tips of the hour hand and seconds hand: each is rotated 45 degrees and somewhat resembles a stylized snowflake. This detail first appeared on the tips of the hands toward the end of the 1960s and was retained thereafter.

In 1956, French naval divers turned to Tudor to find the ideal divers’ watch for their purposes. Tudor subsequently became the official supplier to French military frogmen. The combat divers opted for blue rather than black dials in the mid-1970s. Our test watch with blue dial and blue aluminum dive-time scale recalls these timepieces. The aluminum scale is not as scratch-resistant as its ceramic counterparts, but its matte surface goes better with this model’s vintage styling.

All in all, Tudor has succeeded in creating a very handsome and harmonious retro watch that looks even more timeless thanks to its blue color and the fact that it forgoes the golden hands and hour indexes that are usually installed on the dials of other Fifty-Eight models. Fortunately, functionality was not allowed to fall by the wayside: large luminous indexes and plenty of luminous material on the hands guarantee outstanding legibility by day and by night. The easily grasped crown decouples from the winding mechanism when screwed shut, thus protecting the latter. The time is easy to set thanks to the stop-seconds function and the absence of a date display, which accordingly eliminates the crown’s first extracted position.

The unidirectional rotatable bezel clicks into place in single-minute increments. It, too, is easy to grasp and to turn thanks to its finely serrated rim. The bezels of early models had some play and sounded tinny when they clicked into place, but Tudor has made significant improvements: this watch’s bezel clicks almost as authoritatively into place as do its counterparts on watches made by Tudor’s big sister, Rolex. A luminous triangular index enables the wearer to read the dive time even in dark conditions or murky water. This Black Bay is also fully suitable for diving thanks to its case, which is water resistant to 200 meters, and its water-resistant textile strap.

The watch’s blue fabric strap is lightweight and durable and has a gray stripe along its midline. It is sewn using a traditional method that relies on historical machines. The handsome pin buckle is styled to resemble the shield shape of Tudor’s coat-of-arms logo. Like the case, the clasp juxtaposes polished and satin-finished surfaces.

The textile strap is permeable to air, which contributes to its comfort on the wrist. Flat textile straps often look out of place on watches with tall cases, but that is not an issue here: the strap suits the Black Bay well and enhances its overall vintage appearance.

The strap runs across the back of the case and therefore largely covers it, but that’s not a problem here because, unfortunately, this Tudor watch doesn’t have a glass back, so manufacture Caliber MT5402 won’t be seen by the buyer and can only be admired by the watchmaker who unscrews the fully threaded steel back and opens the case for maintenance or repairs. The movement is particularly impressive because it upholds Tudor’s traditional virtues of precision and robustness. The brand fulfills the former claim by having each movement tested by the official Swiss chronometer-testing authority, COSC. This exam certifies, among other criteria, that the average daily rate deviation remains in a narrow range between –4 and +6 seconds.

Our electronic timing machine confirmed this accuracy. Deviations in the various positions remained in a tight cluster. The average deviation was a minor loss of –1.3 seconds per day. The watch kept nearly perfect time on the wrist, where we measured a minimal gain of just +0.5 seconds per day.
Caliber MT5402 (the MT stands for “Mouvement Tudor”) relies on various technical features to fulfill the second part of the brand’s philosophy: robustness. First, the movement is quite tall (4.99 mm), so any small tolerance fluctuations in the production process will be unlikely to result in malfunctions. Second, the balance is not held on only one side by a cock but is installed in a stable and completely horizontal position under a bridge. And third, the hairspring is made of silicon, thus minimizing the likelihood of rate deviations caused by decentering or deformation of this tiny spring after the movement has suffered an impact.

Further high-quality features of the manufacture movement are its long power reserve of 70 hours and its freely oscillating balance with four regulating screws. These screws mean that the rate is not finely adjusted by changing the active length of the hairspring, as is the case with ETA calibers.

The fact that Tudor does not invest much effort or expense in finely decorating the movement fits with the brand’s philosophy of offering reliable watchmaking technology at an affordable price. Nonetheless, the rotor is attractively openworked and adorned with both a sunburst pattern and the engraved brand name.

The Black Bay inspires with its design in much the same way as did Tudor’s historical dive watches. And like its ancestors, functionality is given equal priority. Apart from the missing date display and the scratch-sensitive aluminum bezel, you don’t have to make any compromises here. This newcomer has a scratch-resistant sapphire crystal, plenty of luminous material, high water resistance, good wearing comfort and easy operation. The price is right, too. So Tudor has done everything right. But this success is also shown by the long waiting lists for this model. In this way, too, Tudor is following in the footsteps of its big sister, Rolex.

SPECS:
Manufacturer: Tudor, Rue François Dussaud 3–5, 1211 Geneva 26, Switzerland
Reference number: M79030B-0003
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds
Movement: Manufacture Caliber MT5402, automatic, COSC certified, 28,800 vph, 27 jewels, stop-seconds function, silicon hairspring, fine adjustment via four regulating screws on the rim of the freely oscillating balance, Incabloc shock absorption, 70-hour power reserve, diameter = 26 mm, height = 4.99 mm
Case: Stainless-steel case with curved sapphire crystal that has been anti-reflectively treated on both sides, screwed-down crown, fully threaded screw-in back made of stainless steel, water resistant to 200 meters
Strap and cla­­sp: Textile strap with stainless-steel pin buckle
Rate results (deviation in seconds per 24 hours):
Dial up -2
Dial down +1
Crown up -1
Crown down -3
Crown left -1
Crown right -2
Greatest deviation 4
Average deviation -1.3
Average amplitude:
Flat positions 291°
Hanging positions 260°
Dimensions: Diameter = 39 mm, height = 12 mm, weight = 77 grams
Variations: With blue “soft touch” strap (Ref. M79030B-0002; $3,375); with steel bracelet (Ref. M79030B-0001, $3,700)
Price: $3,375

SCORES:
Strap and clasp (max. 10 points): The textile strap is robust and
permeable by air. The pin buckle is practical. 8
­­­Operation (5): The screw-down crown is simple to operate and a stop-seconds function facilitates to-the-second time setting. The easily grasped bezel is easy to rotate. 5
Case (10): The well-crafted case has good water resistance. Also good: the crown disconnects from the winding mechanism when the former is screwed shut. 8
Design (15): The very successful retro design has characteristic Tudor elements from several decades. 14
Legibility (5): Ample luminous material on the hands and indexes, combined with high contrast between the hands and the dial, make this watch easy to read by day and by night. 5
Wearing comfort (10): The watch is comfortable on the wrist and not top-heavy. 9
Movement (20): The manufacture caliber is engineered for robustness and
offers a long power reserve. The decorations are subtle. 15
Rate results (10): The greatest rate deviation among the several positions is low. The average rate deviation is moderate, but strays into the minus column. 8
Overall value (15): The price is appropriate. Demand exceeds supply, which leads to good value retention. 12
Total: 84 POINTS

This article originally appeared in the January-February 2021 issue of WatchTime.