Australian Watch Authority
HANDS-ON: The Seiko SPB161, an entirely new Presage dial design inspired by a clock from the '70s
The Seiko Presage collection has long been a popular part of the brand's lineup thanks to the well-tuned value proposition, and the amount of watch you get for your money. The Seiko SPB161 is another fine example. Featuring a crisp enamel dial and powered by the automatic Seiko caliber 6R27, you are once again gaining access to a complicated model with a hand-fired dial at a great price, especially when compared to enamel dial watches from practically all other brands. Beyond its functionality laid bare, the Seiko SPB161 offers a minimalist design with its two complications, the power reserve indicator and date sub-dial, very restrained in their presentation. This specific design language has been inspired by Japanese designer Riki Watanabe and his distinctive "RIKI STEEL CLOCK" from 1977, a design that was focused on high legibility and something that has been successfully translated here. Both in materials and inspiration, this addition to the Presage collection is a finely blended example of Japanese design expressed through watchmaking. This isn't the first time we've seen enamel dials in this collection; the starkness of the black on the white of this dial makes it stand out. The printed black batons that serve as…
VIDEO: The new A. Lange & Söhne ghost grey Odysseus is 50% more expensive but 100% more awesome than the debut model
When the price tag of a wristwatch is more akin to a house or a McLaren supercar, there are a certain amount of bells and whistles you want to see. With A. Lange & Söhne's Zeitwerk Minute Repeater in white gold, there may not be bells, but you can see the aggressively sculpted hammers striking the snaking gongs in an ingeniously simple way. Instead of ringing the hours, quarters, and minutes like a 'regular' minute repeater, A. Lange & Söhne replicate the numerically digital time display with a low gong for hours, followed by double strikes for every ten minutes, and then single high gongs for the minutes. Although the Zeitwerk collection has existed for some time now, this limited edition of 30 pieces is a celebration and affirmation of how revolution can still be found in luxury watchmaking. This model was also reviewed in a little more depth here. The second surprise of Lange's 2020 releases was an adjustment to the controversial Odysseus — their answer to the blue-dialled steel sports watches that have been running away with the ultra-luxury market for decades. It seems that they've broken the modern rules and read the comments though, as the new version…
Purple reign, purple reign: Zenith Defy 21 Ultraviolet, a high-frequency colour for a high-frequency chrono
Watch press releases are guilty of purple prose on a daily basis. But you can forgive Zenith a poetic, purple turn of phrase or two here, because what they have brought together in the Defy 21 Ultraviolet – which is the highest frequency colour with a high frequency chronograph, able to measure time to 1/100th of a second. Touché Zenith's storytelling department. The Defy 21 Ultraviolet is the first standalone Defy 21 with a skeletonised dial paired with closed chronograph counters. The Defy 21 El Primero 50th Anniversary edition is the other option, but it was only available as a box-set with two other watches, Zenith Defy 21 Ultraviolet continues a streak of skeletonisation and innovation This continues the Defy 21's trailblazing catalogue, which is a counterpoint to the brand's recent deluge of revival models off the back of the 50th Anniversary of the El Primero movement, which wrapped up just a few weeks back with the Manufacture Edition. Where the heritage collections are alive and very well at Zenith, in that they are increasingly faithful renditions (CEO Julien Tornare saw it fit to re-release the A384 in 1:1 as opposed to previous models which enlarged it for modern tastes),…
Opinion
'Watch & Act!' World Watch Auction results: Over $200K raised!
We're very proud to announce that the 'Watch & Act!' World Watch Auction in aid of the Australian bushfire crisis has raised more than $200,000 Australian dollars, with 100 per cent of the funds going directly to the charities that need it most. This has been a monumental effort from everyone involved and we're incredibly moved, humbled and thankful to have had the global watch community rally behind and support this incredibly important cause. In the end 24 watches were generously donated by some of the biggest players in the horological hemisphere, and all were bid on in earnest by people across the globe who were eager to help out. Below, in totality, are the results of all 24 watches. And again, from the bottom of our hearts, thank you. Lot 1: H. Moser & Cie – Pioneer Centre Seconds Limited Edition #1 of 3, Personal Watch of U2 Bass Player, Adam Clayton – $27,200 USD Lot 2: Hodinkee – Oris Divers Sixty-Five Limited Edition #2 of 250, for Hodinkee – $6400 USD Lot 3: Bulgari – Serpenti, Tubogas, 18k Yellow Gold – $15,600 USD Lot 4: Longines – Heritage Diver 1967 – $3600 USD Lot 5: Hublot – Unique…
