The new Ball Roadmaster M Model A raises the alarm with a new calibre
Zach BlassBall Watch Company is a deep-rooted brand, founded in 1891, that was a staple of American watchmaking. In fact, in the brand’s own language, Ball Watch Company was “founded literally by accident.” In the wake of a tragic railroad accident in Kipton, Ohio in 1891, Webb C. Ball, then the appointed “Chief Time Inspector” devised new timing protocols and notably created the RR Standard. Amongst many criteria, these RR Standard timepieces were required to run within 30 seconds per week – requiring the watch to run within approximately plus or minus 4.29 seconds per day. This led the brand to be well-renowned for its railroad pocket watches, and due to the reliable and much-needed chronometry its timekeepers provided to railroad workers. It is said that this standard would inspire the Swiss to create COSC, which has since become the go-to standard for independent chronometer certification. A full in-depth history of Ball Watch Company can be found here, but today we are taking a closer hands-on look at one of the brand’s latest creations: the Ball Roadmaster M Model A.
I briefly recapped the clear tool watch and chronometry roots of the Ball brand because the Roadmaster M Model A, like many Ball watches, is a tool watch built to be robust, COSC-accurate, and legible – both visually and audibly. But more on the latter later.
The case
Measuring 41mm in diameter and 15.2mm thick, the case certainly skews larger in presence. In a modern watch marketplace, 41mm is hardly intimidating for most buyers and is comfortably positioned within the sports/tool watch segment. I think, if anything, the thickness would be more of a point of contention for some. Keep in mind, however, that the case is rated to be 5,000Gs shock-resistant and 100 metres water-resistant with not one, but two screw-down crowns with double gaskets. Naturally, one crown is linked to the time, GMT, and date complications. The other, which justifiably adds a little thickness to the watch, allows the user to engage with the watch’s patented 12-hour alarm complication.
The dial
Framed by a black and red ceramic “Coke” style bezel with a 24-hour scale, you have a highly legible black dial that notably bears T’s that flank the “Swiss Made” text at the bottom of the dial – signalling the usage of tritium. Most watch brands have pivoted away from tritium, but Ball distinctly utilises tritium in 29 micro gas tubes to allows the dial to constantly emit light whether you recognise it or not.
Buyers will have the option of “classic” or rainbow emissions (as seen above) from the micro gas tubes, and the emission from these tubes is not reliant on being charged. No matter what, the second you bring the watch into a darker space the luminous indications will be glowing – ensuring legibility at all times. The 24-hour scale of the bezel also utilises luminous material as well. And speaking of legibility, the date window is easy to read thanks to a cyclops magnification lens.
Looking at the picture above, you can find hours and minutes pointing to 10:13, with a red-tipped central second hand point at the 24th-second mark. The red-coloured GMT hand, openworked with a partly lumed tip, can be seen pointing at the 16th of 24 hours on the GMT scale. But what about the small luminous hand that rests within the central medallion of the dial? This hand is tied to the patented “AlarmMATIC®” functionality of the watch. The central medallion is actually a rotatable disc, and though the naked eye cannot necessarily tell, there are 12 hidden openings in the dial to allow the alarm function to enhance the volume of its sound. The indicator that displays when the alarm is set, like the other dial elements, utilises a micro gas tube to allow for constant glow emission.
The bracelet
At first glance, the bracelet appears to be a true integrated bracelet, but if you were to use the drilled lugs of the case to remove the bracelet you would find that the entirety of the bracelet would be removed, revealing the circular surface of the caseband. This is good news for those who would find the fixed, albeit sloped, flare of the bracelet too broad. The lug-to-lug of the case, sans-bracelet, is listed at 48.5mm – which most would find suitable for their wrist size. The effective lug-to-lug, while I sadly do not have an exact measurement, however, extends well beyond. That being said, as I mentioned earlier this is a sloped flare I suspect would hug an average or larger sized wrist well. The stainless steel bracelet is executed in an H-link style, fully brushed on its front-facing surface with its edges, for both the intermediary nugget-links and the H-links, decorated with a thin polished bevel.
The movement
The 40-hour automatic movement is regulated within +6/-4 seconds per day in line with the pursuit of accuracy Ball Watch Company was born undertaking. The headlining complication, beyond the hours, minutes, seconds, and calendar functions, is, of course, the patented alarm function. There are two mainsprings within the RRM7379 movement, both capable of being self-wound by the automatic rotor. The separate and dedicated mainspring allows the alarm function to occur, and the alarm can be set in 5-minute intervals at any hour and will ring for 18 seconds at your desired time. Many alarm watches have a cricket-like buzzing sound, but Ball describes the sound emitted by its patented alarm mechanism as a “pleasant school bell.”
For starters, instead of a dome-shaped gong, Ball opted for a ring-shaped metal gong, protected by an outer layer of specially made polymer. This dual-material structure is one versatile creation, Ball Watch Company explains. “It isolates the high-pitched bell, eliminates unwanted noise and vibrations and also serves as the Amortiser anti-shock system, safeguarding the mechanical movement against severe external impact. With meticulous calculation of the ideal striking frequency and force of the one-piece hammer, the AlarmMATIC system delivers a crisper, purer and louder chime than ever before.”
The verdict
Some may struggle with the price positioning of the Ball Roadmaster M Model A at US$6,299. The thought experiment I would propose, however, is that the usual suspects some may compare this watch to do not create watches with both a GMT and alarm. It is also worth highlighting the distinct tritium micro gas tube element the dial boasts. Ultimately, for those in the market for a robust tool watch with the uncommon feature of an alarm, which has been highly refined by Ball for a more elevated experience, and are comfortable with its larger-skewing dimensions, it is certainly a watch well worth checking out for further evaluation.
Ball Roadmaster M Model A pricing and availability
The Ball Roadmaster M Model A is available now as a limited edition of 333 pieces. Price: US$6,299
| Brand | Ball |
| Model | Roadmaster M Model A |
| Reference | DA9100C-S1-BK | DA9100C-S1-BKR |
| Case Dimensions | 41mm (D) x 15.2mm (T) x 48.5mm (LTL) |
| Case Material | 904L stainless steel |
| Water Resistance | 100 metres, screw-down crown |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire crystal front and back |
| Dial | Black |
| Strap | Stainless steel bracelet, folding clasp |
| Movement | BALL RRM7379, AS 5008-base, automatic |
| Power Reserve | 40 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, seconds, date, GMT, 12-hour alarm |
| Availability | Online exclusive, limited to 333 pcs. |
| Price | US$6,299 |