Let’s start this review off with a disclosure; I was a consultant to the 32º brand about two years ago during its initial planning stages. I did not do any design work. This is brought up only because I try to keep my reviews objective and so it seems fair that you the reader should be aware. That stated, it hoped that my positioning at that time may provide at least a bit of background insight.

At the onset 32º had a stated goal of producing a line of well made heavy sport watches with some eye catching high-end inspiration, yet at an affordable price level. Even a casual tour around this particular model and its readily apparent that they have succeeded on all points.

In addition to some great design work, what 32º brings to the table is wisdom born of experience. As discussed in an article found elsewhere on this site, “China is not necessarily a bad word,” the key (or at least one of them) is knowing the pitfalls. Knowing not only who the best players are, but often at least as important, who to avoid! 32º has used their considerable experience in the watch manufacturing world to ferret out or forge relationships with the best, including factories that produce cases for some well known brands often thought of as Swiss. In so doing they are bringing high-end craftsmanship standards to the table while at the same time doing it for something less than an opulent price tag.

The watch we’ll consider today — the 32º Swiss Scimitar — seems to be drawing from both the 32º Driver and Impulse series, two very successful models in the current (07/09) lineup. I think one of the lead features of this series is the case, so let’s start with that.

This model case is in and of itself a complication. One of the reasons I know this is that I have met with this case builder at both the Basel Watch Fair and the Hong Kong Watch and Clock Fair, both times on business independent from 32º, and can tell you that their case manufacturing and design capabilities are nothing short of impressive. This case is built to high end specs indeed, and consists of numerous pieces, each finished to exacting measurement. All bolts and screws that you see are fully operable and serve a key function; nothing is molded or embossed just for show. Even the strap suspension assembly is done with bolts in lieu of the more commonly found pins. Every line in this case is razor accurate, and you will see the same attention to detail when the finish changes from brushed to polished.

The case is beautifully curved both front and back, with matched custom executed mineral crystals. The lugs themselves appear to be machinery (adding greatly to the aesthetic appeal) and indeed they are hinged at both the case and strap ends, thus assuring a comfortable fit despite despite the watch’s size and weight (see below). It also bears mentioning that the yellow gold finish on this case is excellent! I’ve seen a lot of layering work over my career and can share that this work is high quality indeed, both in color temperature and application.

One of the key visual components (and technical challenges in construction) is that this design boasts a case within a case. As you can see the outer case in turn houses a smaller steel enclosure suspended in space between the twin crystals and outer case, via sturdy brackets at both the the six and twelve o’clock positions. In turn the smaller suspended case houses a Swiss quartz movement, delivering both accurate maintenance free timekeeping as well as a true double rotor Big Date complication situated at the twelve o’clock position. The date is set via the push crown.

This “inner case” also contains all dial work and related decoration.The dial itself is crafted in several pieces, with the focal point being a beautiful circle of smoke blue mother of pearl making up the center. A graceful and precise folded fan texture radiates in black down across the dial expanse from the Big Date display at the twelve o’clock position. The dial’s frames, halos, and hand applied numbers are all finished in yellow gold, as are the hands which are treated with luminous material down the center. A lighter blue enamel is used to highlight the hour markers and roman numerals machined into the brushed bezel. The finished ensemble is presented on a thick single stitched genuine leather strap that has been embossed with an ostrich motif. I think the blue black color selected for this model beautifully pulls from the spectrum found in the mother of pearl.

Watch Specs Overview:

Weight:
finished watch (strap model) 119 gms

Movement:
Swiss Ronda 6004.B quartz

Case:
46mm x 14.5mm stainless steel, finished in yellow gold
Curved custom executed mineral crystals
Water resistant up to 3 ATM

Dial:
Mother-of-pearl center
Folded fan radiant texture
Double rotor Big Date window
Subsidiary seconds dial
Luminous hands

Strap:
200mm x 22mm thick single stitched genuine leather strap with ostrich embossing
Stainless steel buckle, finished in yellow gold

As to cost, I don’t have an exact MSRP from 32º but similar watches in the lineup are compared as high as $1395. 32º has been known to offer generous discount at times so you may well be able to acquire it for less.

Pros: Very well made. Aggressive design and construction based on high end concept. Beautifully engineered case assures comfortable fit. Looks great (and expensive) when worn. Gold finishing is outstanding. Fans of complex mechanical inspired case design will love this production.

Cons: May be too large for some dress cuffs (in fairness it’s not designed to be a sleek classic dress watch). Would have liked to have seen a water resistance higher than 3 ATM, but am sure the engineering challenges of the complex case design factored here.

Bottom Line: If you are looking for an aggressive large production in a dress-sport watch based on very high end design concept but at an especially attractive price, buy this watch immediately. For dollar spent it’s got to be one of the best choices out there.

As many of you know, Craig Hester, also known as The Watch Industry’s Favorite Komrade, is widely regarded as the leading authority on true Russian built timepieces. He has done numerous national television appearances and we also toured the Russian watch industry on location together last year so I can certainly attest to his vast knowledge as well as a passion for watches of this unique origin. We’ll be rolling out this interview in several chapters. Here is the first; please enjoy.

TT: I’m going to start with the question I’m sure you get all the time. How did a guy who worked in newspapers for more than a decade end up being the largest distributor of Russian watches in North America.

CH: Yes, you are right Tim. I probably get that question 2 or 3 times a week at least. The short answer is I turned a hobby into a business. But there is a back story. In 1995, my wife and I hosted a Russian foreign exchange student for a school year. Her name was Natasha. When she arrived, she brought my wife and me a thank you gift (what we used to call back home a “bread and butter” gift). For my wife, a bracelet, and for me a Vostok watch.

It wasn’t long after the fall of the Soviet Union and I thought it was the coolest thing I had ever seen. I wore it for a couple of years or so, got another watch as a gift, threw the Vostok in a box and forgot about it.

Fast forward 10 years later and I’ve got a guy working for me (in the newspaper business) who is really into watches. I had always been a watch guy, but he really got me back into it in a big way. I started buying and selling various new and vintage watches on E-Bay just to pay for my next watch.

I remembered the Vostok and, amazingly, dug it out of a box from multiple moves. I figured the internet had matured enough I could find them on-line. I ended up buying a small, Poljot tonneau from a site I found on-line called russia2all.com. About a month later, I got an email that the site was either going out of business or having to sell due to personal, family reasons.

My wife and I had always wanted to own our own business. After several discussions and a trip to see the existing owners, we bought R2A and all its inventory.

In this process, we connected with several of the manufacturers, and then became the distributors for some of the brands as well… Not long after that I quit my day job and we have both been doing this full time ever since.

TT: So, any regrets.

CH: I would love to say it’s been a stroll through Red Square with nothing but a good time had by all. Any entrepreneur reading this would know, though, that I would be lying. Robert Kiyosaki, a highly respected business expert and coach, said that becoming an entrepreneur is is like jumping out of a plane without a parachute and sewing one as you are falling. That may be an understatement!

That said, I wouldn’t change it for anything. The experiences — the travel alone — have been the stuff that I could have only dreamed of before this — probably stuff most people only dream of. I have a passion for these watches, thoroughly enjoy the people I work with, and with my wife as my partner, it’s a journey we are taking together.

TT: If you were going to point to the top 2 or 3 things that make Russian watches something our readers should get into, what would they be.

CH: First off, value for the money. I don’t think it is hyperbole to say that in terms of cost to benefit, the Russian watches have everyone beat. When you hold one in your hand, you most likely will be surprised how little you paid for it, not how much. Second would be the story; the mystique. Russian watches are steeped in the history of aviation, space exploration, nautical achievements, etc.. To just name probably the most famous, the first watch worn in space on the wrist of Yuri Gagarin was one of the brands we work with — Sturmanskie. And third — the styling. Our manufactures have their own, in-house graphic and technical design teams. They can take as much as 2 years to bring a watch from concept to market. Most of the designs are like nothing you will find elsewhere.

TT: Do you have a favorite Russian watch?

CH: Okay, that’s the toughest question yet. First off, the comments I would get from the manufacturer I didn’t pick would be quite entertaining I’m sure! So, I’ll go with a vintage one, which is arguably my favorite — it is a Sekonda Strela edition built in 1979 at the First Moscow Watch Factory, with the 3017 movement. This movement was the predecessor of the current standard bearer of Russian chronographs, the 3133. The Strela (translated arrow) watches were also tied to space history, being worn on the wrist of more than one space walking Cosmonaut, including the first, Alexi Leonov. They are highly coveted among Russian watch collectors. Mine is the black dial Sekonda with the paddle hands, arguably the first or second most sought out of the ones made during the original run. Mine is not new old stock, but it is in very fine condition and has a place of honor in my collection.

TT: Getting back to business, how has the global economic downturn effected your business, especially since Russian watches are still relatively unknown on this side of the Atlantic.

CH: Of course it has hurt in some ways. But oddly enough, we’ve seen a benefit. A lot of guys who used to spend $10,000 or more on a high-end Swiss watch just aren’t doing that right now. But they still need to feed the beast! We all know this is really an addiction… They are finding us. Everybody wins. They get a lot for the money. Our watches run from as low as $50 for the most intro model to around a $1,000 for detailed cased chronos. There are a few much higher, but the bulk are in that window. The collector gets the thrill and enjoyment of a new, and unusual watch and we get new customers.

(look for part 2 of this interview — coming soon)

Quinting describes their product as “the first and unique transparent watch in the world” and that certainly a true statement.  The high profile personae wearing their watch is indeed impressive, including former President Bill Clinton, at least three Swiss Presidents, and  Secretary General to the United Nations and Nobel Peace Prize recipient Kofi Annan.

Historically it has been a “holy grail” of watch making to create a see-through watch in which the movement was rendered invisible, in fact that reasoning is thought of as the genesis of creating skeleton watches.  The idea was to remove more and more of the mass to create increasingly transparent mechanics, and it was thought of as being at an end with the “bridge” styled mechanical movements (such as the Corum or Vincent Calabrese) until Rene Quinting’s breakthrough thinking and design, the research of which began in 1993.  The first non-prototype watch did not appear until quite a bit later, and was awarded the “Official Prize of the Revue des Montres” in 1999.

So, how did Quinting do it?  The answer lies in a combination of completely re-inventing the watch movement so that it completely fits inside of the bezel area of the case, and twelve stacked sapphire crystals, each designed to facilitate a different portion of the watch complication, and coated with glare resistant material on both sides to render each custom disc basically invisible.  These tolerances of these sapphire discs are so exact that even the added diameter of the glare resistant coating must be accounted for within the stack.  Every part of this brilliant complicated movement is made and the timepiece hand assembled within their clean room (dust free) facility located in St. Blaise, Switzerland.

Today Quinting builds in 316L stainless steel, 18k gold, and platinum, all available on either exotic strap or bracelet.  This review is based on the stainless bracelet example.

Total weight  187 grams
case diameter 44mm  (47mm with crown)
case thickness 14mm thick
bracelet  21mm
bracelet thickness  4mm

As you can see from these stats, this is a big heavy watch, especially in the height department.  This was considered an unusually large watch upon its introduction years ago, but now with so many luxury watches well in excess of 44mm the dimension can be considered quite mainstream.  At 14mm I still consider the watch thicker than most, and depending on the shirt I sometimes have issues getting the cuff to slider smoothly over the watch.

The wearability of this watch is excellent, especially given its heft and size.  I attribute this to the exceptional engineering, especially in the hand built bracelet.  Each handfinished segment is slightly kidney shaped, so when combined in the finished bracelet the total wraps perfectly around the wrist.  The top four links (closest to the case) are permanently installed, with the remaining lower links secured by an elaborate screw and sleeve system which facilitates not only sizing but beautiful flexibility without impacting the way the screws nest.

Quinting produces a beautifully complex watch.  Many of you appreciate the complexity of a mechanical chronograph, but now add to that an outer track pointer date that doubles as an am/pm indicator.  It does so by pointing to the first half of the designated date section in the am hours, and the second during the pm.  Now factor in the additional complexity of doing so with an invisible movement.

For those who would point out that Quinting is a quartz watch, consider this.  The electronics only acts as the source of the power, and even that is complicated, divided between four separate engines in turn driving two hundred and thirty two custom built mechanical parts, and it does it all with an ordinary hearing aid battery.  The engines are so efficient that if applied to a “normal” watch you would change the battery about every ten years.  As it stands, I change mine about every three years, though I don’t run the chronograph very often.

One of the design ingredients I find especially clever is the vertical mounting of the battery, thus taking up very little physical width in a bezel where space is at a premium.  Another great idea is to house it just below the serial number plate, which means you can access the battery compartment without ever cracking open the case, so water resistance integrity remains intact.

Quinting also produced one of the most original presentation boxes I’ve ever encountered, building a decorative wooden frame around a real ostrich egg which opens like a “pac-man” revealing a custom pyramid to display the watch.  It is my understanding that due to shipping issues Quinting subsequently adopted a more traditional package, and that the original ostrich display now commands a secondary market price tag in the $600 range.

So, on the big question — pricing.

Retail (chronograph model)
Strap model, steel  $15,000 (have seen one source listing the strap for $16,000)
Bracelet  $16,000

Noble metals
well north of $20,000

Have found the occasional pre-owned example in the $8000 range.

At one point there was a couple of retail counters in the US, but recently have had difficulty locating a current retail counter in the US.  Currently they seem to be marketing to high end European and Middle Eastern markets.

Pros: One of the world’s most unique watches.  Ingenious complication.  Great looking and very comfortable.  Brilliantly executed handcrafted excellence.

Cons: Pricey.  No retailer currently in US (as of April 09).

Bottom line from this reviewer: if you have the means and appreciate a truly beautiful and complicated watch, don’st hesitate to own one.  You will never regret it.

http://www.quinting-watches.com

George J Von Burg is a fourth generation watch maker currently heading up the company bearing the name of his grandfather (the earliest generation made watches under a different name). GJVB watches are built in a pristine state of the art facility in a small picturesque town in Switzerland, a facility it has been my pleasure to tour twice. Here he builds not only the watches bearing his family name and crest but also for numerous other luxury watch brands.

One of the lesser known facts about this brand is that any product bearing the family name is made /entirely/ in Switzerland (a trait increasingly rare in the industry); even the packaging is Swiss produced, as is the exotic strap (crocodile) when applicable. As such it is among the most affordable options when one wishes to own a pure Swiss creation.

GJVB produces their classic 7750 model in both strap and bracelet examples, with or without gold finishing, and in a variety of dials, with and without texturing. For this review I’ll be illustrating the strap version finished in yellow gold.

weight 94g in 316L steel
case diameter 40mm (44mm with crown)
lug diameter 20mm
thickness of case at bezel edge 12.5mm
thickness at case center, including curve of crystal/back 16mm
water resistance 10atm

This watch is accurately described as a classic dress sport watch. The design is very clean with sharp case lines throughout. The case architecture utilizes both a domed sapphire crystal and bowl shaped back to accommodate the rotor of the movement, hence the multiple case thicknesses listed above. GJVB uses only sapphire crystals treated with glare resistant coatings in their namesake productions. GJVB opts to use only solid backs on this model, and each is bowl style and beautifully decorated and engraved with company, water resistance, and individual serial number. The water resistance is individually tested to 100m (330 ft); the company strongly recommends against attempting to operate the chronograph while under water, and this is sage advice.

One of the case aspects I wish to emphasize is the gold finish. As many of you know, such a treatment can often have an artificial air about it, and while GJVB will not elaborate as to their process, they produce without question one of the richest noble metal finishes I have ever seen. There is nothing to give this watch away from being built from a block of solid 18k gold.

The dial is very crisp and easy to read in every aspect. The numerals, indexes, and day/date complications are beautifully laid out and legible at a glance. This may seem basic, but not every watch design has achieved this and GJVB has achieved one of the most readable classic dials that I know of, and has established this design to work on both textured and non-textured dials in both light and dark colors. GJVB utilizes both tradition light green luminous material as well as the newer white material, depending on the desired overall effect. In this particular case (flat finish navy dial) they have used both. The luminous properties of both is quite good. It is worth noting that they often change out their dial colors and finishes in an effort to limit the availability of any single dial and to prevent the design from becoming predictable and stale.

One aspect of GJVB designs that I especially appreciate is the hand design. As many collectors know, finding a hand design that is both readable and not overbearing is a bit of a trick. Make then too thin so as to not to obscure the dial and they can be difficult to see. Too large and they appear overbearing. The GJVB design is a beautiful balance, and further achieves high marks for finishing the hands so that they are quickly readable in both bright and dim lighting.

The core of this watch is a Valjoux 7750 mechanical automatic chronograph engine, further finished at the GJVB facility. The power reserve is estimated in the 40 hour range, and while I have yet to time this from fully wound to expiration I can share from personal experience that once wound I have never had to touch it again for many days of wear, as the rotor performs beautifully. You can feel it take off for a prolonged “spin” during the course of a typical day wearing this watch.

The screw down crown unseats and re-seats smoothly, with the positions to set both both the time and day/date showing up crisply, with the chronograph being operated by non-screw down pushers at the classic positions of 2 o’clock and 4 o’clock.

As to wearability, there is nothing not to like. The case has a beautiful heft but at a finished weight of 94g (strap model) the piece never plays overbearing and falls perfectly into a classic status. It looks amazing on the wrist, wears very comfortably, and frankly much more high end than the msrp would indicate.
Price: Current retail about $1895.

Pros: Classic dress sport design. Crisp handsome dial easy to read in all lights. Classic durable mechanical automatic engine. All Swiss production.

Cons: Some may consider 40mm a bit small when contrasted in today’s larger trends. Would have liked to have had 200m water resistance.

Bottom Line: If you are looking for sharp looking well made all Swiss mechanical automatic chronograph that successfully rivals productions retailing for thousands more, your search is over. Acquire one immediately.

For more information about this watch, visit http://www.gjvb.com.

This Gevril was built between 1995-1998, arguably the crowning achievement during this resurrection of the brand. Today it is considered scarce, and possibly rare. It was produced in an all 316L stainless version, 18k/stainless, and a very few in solid 18k gold. For this review I will be illustrating the 18k/stainless example.

This model is part of the Gevril series subsequently dubbed “first generation”, a term referring to any Gevril built during the 1990’s era. This is a time in history when Gevril was directly associated with a distributor of luxury Swiss watches, who put considerable financial resources behind the brand. This resulted in some great and internationally patented innovations (two of which are in this model) but some beautifully unique packaging as well. These Gevrils shipped in a cube crafted from a solid block of wood. “Gevril” was engraved into the top, with the watch presented on a spring loaded display on the inside. This packaging was subsequently discontinued due to costs, and is today considered collectible in and of itself.

There are many reasons to prize a first generation Gevril, but one of the key reasons in my estimation is the dial. These dials were hand guilloched in Switzerland (as opposed to stamping) with each taking between one to three days to complete, depending on color and gold content. All indexes were individually sculpted, handfinished, and hand applied. it is displayed beneath a glare resistant sapphire crystal.

Each bracelet was also hand built from hundreds of individually handfinished components. In the case of the 18/steel example it would appear that gold was layered onto what one might perceive as smaller rectangle sections, but such is not the case. First of all, those “sections” are actually precisely milled separate hand finished links that nest into the larger master link. Each part featuring gold used a core of 316L steel, which was then wrapped in a thick sheet of 18k gold before being individually finished and polished. Gevril did not adopt a slight ergonomic curve to the reverse side of these links, so you will only see the overall curvature appearing on the obverse. A dual deployant clasp signed for Gevril was the standard for this series.

One of Gevril’s featured patents is the UCI (Unlocked Crown Indicator) which shows up red on the dial at 3:00 if the crown is not screwed down properly, but disappears seamlessly into the dial color when the crown is properly seated. It is a highly practical complication, one of the few I’ve ever seen that literally involve mechanically interacting with a dial, and one lost on subsequent generations though Gevril maintains the patent. The case is of wonderful heft, crafted in 316L steel with sculpted 18k blocks added to the sides. I especially like the fact that the water resistance is taken to 100m, which is double what many high end Swiss dress watches achieve.

The 15° also offers a second time zone (GMT), which is illustrated by a dedicated hand finished differently from the others and set by a pushbutton at 10:00. It is this complication combined with dual mechanical am/pm indicators that resulted in another international patent. The day/night indicator at 3:00 and 9:00 for each time zone, with the “home” or main dial time’s am/pm status shown at the 3:00, favored by an 18k halo in the case of an 18k/stainless or solid 18k model. Rather than change at midnight in the respective times like most, this complication shows white for sunrise 6:00 a.m., and changes to black for sunset at 6:00 p.m. It also has a quickset date window at 6:00, viewed through a magnifier. This pure Swiss automatic movement was named cal B 0ll0, and was Gevril’s first in-house made movement within this generation.

weight 143 gm
40mm at outer curve
38mm at bezel edge
42mm including crown
10.5mm case thickness
20mm bracelet width at lug area

18k/steel bracelet $1050 list price upcharge (street price was likely a bit less).

As to wearability, I’ve overall enjoyed this watch and find it to be an elegant addition to my collection and a great watch with suits, tuxedo, etc. I do on occasion find that the bracelet version pulls the hairs on my arm and also the links immediately adjacent to the clap tend to play a bit stiff, both of which is a bit disappointing for a hand built Swiss bracelet.

Price: I’ve long lost the original pricing I had. In consulting with Gevril they tell me that this particular version of the 15˚ originally retailed in the $5000 dollar range (am guessing that to mean $4995).

Pros: Elegant handcrafted Swiss mechanical automatic. Handsome classic design. Excellent water resistance. To own one is to possess two innovative patented mechanical developments.

Cons: Some may find the case a bit small by today’s standards. Bracelet occasionally snags arm hair.

Bottom line: Well worth snagging from the secondary market if you can find one. Gorgeous classic design, beautiful hand craftsmanship and two mechanical design patents make it a watch to hold on to.

Dunhill is a luxury brand based in London, England. While probably better known for some of their high end lighters they have on occasion produced a nice watch or two, and in fact is a member of the luxury brands known as the Richemont Group. In this review we’ll take a look at one of their 18k pieces.

This drivers watch is crafted in solid 18K gold. The alloy Dunhill favors tends to be a warmer color, which is complimentary to almost any skin tone. For those not familiar with the term “drivers watch” it refers to the overall wedge shape of the case which in turn tilts the dial towards the wearer, the theory being that it makes the watch more readily legible while gripping a steering wheel. It is this wedge shape that results in the unusual case measurements listed below.

In my view the word “classic” definitely describes Dunhill and this model is a wonderful example of such design. The silver dial features a great looking guilloche pattern of vintage styling while keeping time reading simple, and makes the perfect background to highlight the faceted gilt dauphine hands and art deco styled polished gilt stick markers. All of this is displayed beneath a custom milled sapphire crystal.

The case itself is built in two basic large blocks of solid gold; the lower which is brushed and the upper which is polished. When the two of these are nested the contrast of finishes is quite striking. You will also notice that there is not the traditional “back” on this watch given that the entire lower half of the asymmetrical case is one of the solid gold blocks, so the screws that you see actually extend into the upper half completing the anchoring process. Note the ergonomic curve designed into the solid lower block as well.

One of my favorite features is the way the case protects the crown without interrupting the streamlined architecture. The lower portion of the case has a precise cutout which wraps perfectly around the crown extending from the upper portion, thus protecting it beautifully.

The movement is a high grade Swiss quartz movement which I think plays beautifully in this watch, given that there is no sweep second hand so no need to be concerned about the “chunky” motion associated with most quartz second hands. This is a watch that is a true pleasure to just “put on and go” without having to worry about winding and setting, etc.

The watch is presented on a beautiful French made brown calf strap with a crocodile grain fitted with a matching solid 18K gold Dunhill buckle.

weight 63gm
case height 9mm
hug area 20mm
case width 26mm (27mm including crown)
case length 40mm
case length with lugs 44mm
water resistance 30m

As to wearability, what’s not to love. It’s weight is present but not overbearing and the ergonomic curve of the case has it melding into the wrist, and the low sleek architecture assures that the timepiece effortlessly slides under any style dress cuff.

Price: $3400-$3500 dollar range in new condition

Pros: Great high end brand name cache. Sleek elegant design. Excellent Swiss craftsmanship. Timeless elegance that will always play well.

Cons: Would have liked to have seen a water resistance of at least 50m. Some may consider this watch a bit small given current large watch trends.

Bottom Line: Anyone in the market for a tasteful streamlined solid 18k gold dress watch will love this production. I don’t think it’s in current production but well worth pursuing.