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Rolex Sky-Dweller Rolesor Watches For 2017 With More Accessible Prices
Among this year’s new releases for Baselworld 2017, Rolex is introducing some tweaks to the Rolex Sky-Dweller watch with “Rolesor” model options. Introduced in 2012, the Rolex Sky-Dweller only came in precious metals for near or above $40,000. While an all-steel version is still frustratingly unavailable, these two-tone gold and steel models represent a relatively more budget option. It’s a step in the right direction, at least. As even the slightest stir from Rolex is apparently headline-worthy, let’s take the loupe to this 2017 Rolex Sky-Dweller, beginning with the new hands and indexes.
These new Rolex Sky-Dweller models are characterized by the blocky, rectangular indexes and longer hands. Previous models have all been Roman or Arabic numerals that could even be viewed as quirky in a Rolex context, so this adds a significantly more standard and conservative option to the collection. Further, it will allow Rolex savants to distinguish at a glance, say, an all-white-gold model from a two-tone steel and white gold model. Longer hands, as we saw on the Rolex Explorer last year, are always a welcome improvement to legibility and aesthetic balance.
Between a few dial color options, these features debut on a range of about six Rolex Sky-Dweller models, with two variations of a “Rolesor” case. If you’ve been living under a rock (or have a life outside of watches), “Rolesor” is Rolex’s special term for a two-tone case, meaning steel and gold. In this release, we are talking about steel plus yellow gold or white gold. Owners, at least, of two-tone steel and white gold models will hopefully know which parts of their expensive Rolex Sky-Dweller watches are which material.
The new hands and indexes also give a lot more surface for lume (or “Chromalight”) than previous Rolex Sky-Dwellers, and Rolex is emphasizing just how glowy they will be in the dark. Other features of the Rolex Sky-Dweller are mostly carried over from past versions. That includes the cool and useful Ring Command bezel that rotates to different positions and is used in conjunction with the crown to set the various functions that include a 24-hour second time zone and annual calendar. The 42mm case is water-resistance is 100m. The new Rolex Sky-Dweller models come on two-tone, solid link bracelets with Rolex’s handy Easylink extension system that many will be familiar with.
The Rolex caliber 9001 inside with its antimagnetic Parachrom balance spring and Paraflex shock absorbers is, of course, certified by Rolex’s own stringent tests and guaranteed to be accurate to -2/+2 seconds per day. This is standard across all Rolex watches but still impressive, and you can read more about Rolex’s certification standards here. The 9001 has automatic winding, of course, and gets a power reserve of about 72 hours. The ability to set the functions backward or forward safely is an appreciated feature, and you have to love the clever way of indicating the month – in red, through an aperture on the periphery of the 12 indexes.
These new Rolex Sky-Dweller models will only broaden the collection’s appeal both thanks to their sensible design and more accessible price. The Rolex Sky-Dweller is Rolex’s “other” GMT watch that is aimed at the gentleman traveler more than the sporty traveler’s Rolex GMT Master watches. It is also notable as Rolex’s most complicated watch. Prices for the Rolex Sky-Dweller Rolesor models start with the steel and white gold reference 326934 models at $14,400, and the steel and yellow gold reference 326933 models, such as the one Rolex is highlighting with the “champagne” dial, are priced at $17,150. Along with hands-on pictures, we’ll be sure to bring you more details soon. rolex.com
Hamilton Intra-Matic 68 Watch
In the past couple of years, many brands have dug into their archives to release reissues or vintage-inspired pieces. Some have been hits, while some other have been misses. Personally, I find that the convenience of buying a new watch that looks like an old one trumps the homework – and some of the thrill, admittedly – that is required to suss out a vintage piece in good condition. With that noted, here’s what should be one of the more popular vintage re-releases this year: the new Hamilton Intra-Matic 68 chronograph.
First, a little history. The new Hamilton Intra-Matic 68 is based on classic Hamilton chronograph watches from the sixties, namely the Chrono-Matic and the Chronograph B – the latter debuted in 1968, hence the name Intra-Matic 68. The Chrono-Matic and Chronograph B are highly sought-after today for their classic, dressy style, and the new Intra-Matic 68 promises to retain most all of the elegance of its predecessors.
Yes, that’s pretty close to how a 36mm vintage compares to a modern 42mm – looks rather small in comparison. Lefthand image via mentawatches.com
In more recent Hamilton history, a certain two-hand dress watch called just the Intra-Matic (reviewed here) was introduced in 2012. It was as purely and overtly retro as this Hamilton Intra-Matic 68 chronograph – though in a much more Mad Men, Don Draper kind of way – and it seems that Hamilton found there was a nostalgic market for the classic looks from that era.
The Hamilton Intra-Matic 68 comes in a 42mm stainless steel case with a thin polished bezel and features prominent pump pushers to control the chronograph at the usual 2 and 4 o’clock positions. The crown also looks fairly large to maintain the original’s proportions in this department – and it should also help with time- and date-setting.
All too often, watches in this style have very paltry water resistance, but I’m pleased to say that the Hamilton Intra-Matic 68 has a rated water resistance of 100 meters. This is a refreshing change from the usual 30 or 50 meters that we often get from a dressier watch, and chronographs are also notoriously harder to get water-resistant. The watch also comes with a vintage-looking perforated black calf leather strap.
At 42mm, the Hamilton Intra-Matic 68 is very much larger than the Chrono-Matic and Chronograph B watches that it was based on. And because the bezel looks so thin, I suspect the watch would look even larger on the wrist. I would certainly have preferred a smaller case size. I think 39mm or 40mm would be the sweet spot, but since there’s a preference for larger watches these days, I’m not entirely surprised at Hamilton went with 42mm in the end.
The Hamilton Intra-Matic 68 features what is commonly known as a “reverse panda dial,” meaning a black dial with white sub-dials. A white, or rather off-white, tachymeter scale runs along the circumference of the dial and there are two sub-dials. At 9 o’clock you have the running seconds, and at 3 o’clock the 30-minute counter. The sub-dials feature simple straight hands in black that contrast sharply against the white background, making it easy to read the running seconds and elapsed minutes. The central chronograph seconds hand is white and stands out sharply against the black dial. The pencil-shaped hands feature Super-LumiNova as do the ends of the hour indices.
Vintage 36mm wide Hamilton chronograph, via: analogshift.com
Inside, the Hamilton Intra-Matic 68 is powered by Hamilton’s H-31 automatic chronograph movement, which is a modified version of the ever-reliable Valjoux 7753 and features a longer power reserve of 60 hours. The H-31 is also used in other Hamilton chronograph watches like the Pan Europ watch. As a thick movement, and since Hamilton has not provided the full case measurements beyond diameter, we are guessing that the Hamilton Intra-Matic 68 might be on the thick side, though we’ll be sure to bring you hands-on pictures and impressions from Baselworld about that. And using this movement, 42mm wide was as small as Hamilton could have made it to keep the width-to-thickness proportions manageable.
With its panda dial, vintage-inspired design, and updated movement, the Hamilton Intra-Matic 68 will likely be one of Hamilton’s most popular new releases this year. My only gripe is the larger 42mm case size, but even so, the Hamilton Intra-Matic 68 is still dripping with lots of vintage swag. If that old-school vibe is what you’re looking for, you’ll probably want to note though that the Hamilton Intra-Matic 68 will be a limited edition of only 1,968 pieces. The Hamilton Intra-Matic 68 will be priced at $2,195. hamiltonwatch.com
Baselworld watch trade show is complete without an in-depth aBlogtoWatch team discussion about what timepieces should make our list of the top 10 watches. Last year, in 2016, we actually had so many good options that we made two lists, one being the top 10 totally new watches of 2016 and the other represented the top 10 updates for existing watches released at Baselworld 2016 . For 2017 we didn’t have this problem… The discussions the aBlogtoWatch team and friendly colleagues have about what timepieces merit presence on the list inevitably include an analysis of product trends, the activity of the bigger brands, and the overall business environment of both the watch industry and the Baselworld trade show itself. In short, things aren’t looking that pretty behind the scenes, even though there are darn pretty looking watches – many of which we genuinely want to buy.
With a relatively affordable price from the celebrated AHCI independent watch maker, the Moscow-made Joker is a limited edition “fun” watch fueled by personality and prestige. Konstantin Chaykin offers up a comfortable and elegantly casual timepiece whose dial is meant to look like a Joker face (roughly of Batman universe origin). The eyes are the hour and minute dials, while the pupils are the indicators. For the mouth, Chaykin redesigned the moon phase indicator – which still happens to be a fully functioning moon phase indicator. What you get is a serious high-end timepiece with a fun theme and a silly face on the dial guaranteed to make you smile each time you look at it. It is easily one of the top watches of the show from an independent watch maker, with a price of 6,990 euros.
With record-setting thinness and a new micro-rotor automatic movement, the 2017 Bulgari Octo Finissimo might be the watch that really puts the modern Octo collection on the map. The automatic movement is added to the Octo Finissimo’s manually wound and tourbillon movement family. It offers practicality and a lovely form in a thin profile that you must put on your wrist to appreciate. Buglari introduces this new watch in a novel way, eschewing the dial and case finishing that people were previously familiar with.
On a matte alligator strap or a matching slim new bracelet, the Buglari Octo Finissimo Automatic is 39mm wide in a sandblasted titanium case with a true to the Octo collection dial with black hands and hour markers. Sexy on the wrist, this is nevertheless a fresh way of appreciating the Octo watch collection, and in future forms is sure to become a staple of what people consider when they think of Bulgari’s men’s watches. These are priced at 11,900 CHF on a leather strap and 12,900 CHF on a full titanium bracelet.
I’ve never been to a Baselworld that hasn’t introduced a new Speedmaster collection timepiece – and there were certainly more than a couple for 2017 as it is the 60 th anniversary of the Omega Speedmaster family’s beginning. While the Apollo Moon missions made the Speedmaster famous, the origins of the collection are actually in motorsports (hence the name). The 2017 Omega Speedmaster Racing Co-Axial Master Chronometer introduces refinements more than novelty, but refinements that make good watches even better.
The big news is the introduction of the in-house-made caliber 9900 family of movements which are now given full METAS certification. The 44.25mm-wide modern Speedmaster case is refined to be thinner, and some versions have exciting new technology such as enamel-baked printing for the bezel. Aesthetic, technical, and comfort refinements all around (as well as some updated colors and slightly reduced pricing) make the 2017 Omega Speedmaster Racing watch family a winner. These are priced at 7,800 CHF (steel on leather strap), 7,900 CHF (steel bracelet), 10,300 CHF (gray dial with two-tone steel and 18k Sedna gold on leather strap), 22,750 CHF (blue dial with full 18k Sedna gold case).
Designed in honor of early Heuer Autavia watches, the TAG Heuer 2017 Autavia Caliber Heuer 02 combines a design TAG Heuer collectors asked for with a movement they have been eagerly awaiting. The Heuer 02 was introduced, then delayed, and now reintroduced for the TAG Heuer Autavia, offering one of the best modern chronographs on the Swiss watch market (at these prices). The classic “panda dial” looks are a handsome crowd-pleaser, and fans of the brand will appreciate both the direct nod to history as well as to the tastes of the people buying the watches. The TAG Heuer Autavia Heuer 02 is priced at $5,150 on a leather strap and $5,300 on a steel bracelet.
While it might not be suitable for daily wear (given the massive size of its case) the Citizen Eco-Drive Promaster Professional Diver 1000m is both capable and coherent – making it an ideal example of what those who appreciate “tool” watches should be looking for. This is the deepest diving “Eco-Drive” light-powered watch Japanese Citizen has produced and is an ideal example of what Promaster collection watches are good at. It also aesthetically builds on a long history of Citizen diving watches, coming together in what (for now) is the “big poppa” of professionally-themed dive watches from the brand.
Designed like a serious instrument, legibility (in both light and dark conditions) is fantastic, while the dial has an important power reserve indicator (you don’t want your watch not working underwater). The large, 52.5mm-wide and very thick case is produced from specially treated for durability “Super Titanium,” and the rotating bezel has a new locking system. Despite the size, wearing comfort is pretty good thanks to the diver’s style rubber strap. It isn’t cheap, but you really do feel as though you get what you pay for at $2,300.
With a price that won’t make eyes (of seasoned watch lover’s) bulge, the new movement inside of the Zenith Defy El Primero 21 is a sophisticated blend of contemporary skeletonized aesthetics and technology. Building on the iconic 5Hz El Primero automatic chronograph, the El Primero 21 adds a 50Hz second regulation system to control a 1/100 th -of-a-second chronograph. This timing mechanism is essentially an added element which features some compelling new technology. With a new modern and masculine case, this is truly the Zenith watch of today, that ideally contains what people loved about the Zenith of yesterday. The Zenith Defy El Primero 21 comes in a few styles, priced at $10,600 in non-skeltonized titanium, $11,600 in skeletonized titanium, and$12,600 for skeletonized black titanium.
We love Casio for its ceaseless focus on pushing the limits of wristwatch technology, as well as dedication to besting their previous achievements. The culture of “never standing still” is alive and well at Casio that for 2017 introduced a new concept called “Casio Connected.” In a basic sense, this helps refine one distinct personality of the “smartwatch” that Casio has been working on for years. With Bluetooth-connectivity, the GPW2000 collection G-Shock Gravitymaster updates its time using your smartphone, and also has a companion app that allows your smartphone to easily operate various features of the watch as well as learn important statistics about the watch’s performance. Gone are the days that Bluetooth in a more traditionally analog watch was there to give you missed call notifications. The watch also includes GPS, as well as a beautiful high-tech design that is very fitting for the concept. All of this in a more wearable package that is about 20% smaller than the previous generation G-Shock Gravitymaster (that didn’t have all this tech) with a price of $800.
What is impressive here is design and value proposition. Swiss Maurice Lacroix isn’t shy about the fact that, at times, other brands may inspire them. That is appropriate for Maurice Lacroix to admit because they have plenty of totally unique designs. The Masterpiece Double Retrograde Moonphase is akin to a “baby Breguet,” in my eyes, which is total something the market wants. Maurice Lacroix includes an in-house movement and a price that is very aggressive given previous generation Masterpiece models. At the end of the day, this watch is both classically handsome, modern in wearing size, and includes a value proposition that even the most seasoned watch collectors can stand behind with a price of 4,900 CHF.
Building on its historic and important KonTiki collection of dive watches, for 2017 Swiss Eterna debuts a new model in a bronze case with their in-house Caliber 39 automatic movement. What is interesting is that, also this year, the brand launched a steel (versus bronze) version of the watch that is very different. Not only does the steel model have a different case thickness but also a different dial. Really attractive on the wrist – and a truly modern approach to a classic dive watch design – the Eterna KonTiki Manufacture Diver in Bronze has a number of features collectors are looking for at a price they can immediately appreciate, at $2,650.
After 20 years in the shadow of the Nautilus, the Patek Philippe Aquanaut luxury sports watch literally grows up a bit to include a 42mm-wide case version. Yes, this is an 18k white gold watch, but for the money, you get a wonderfully finished case and immaculate movement that screams prestige as well as style. The smaller models of the Aquanaut left something to be desired in the boldness department, and with the new larger 42mm-wide model, this is the Aquanaut watch for everyone who didn’t know they wanted one. The proportions of the case and highly legible dial adopt themselves nicely to the larger size, and for 2017 it comes with a lovely blue dial on a matching blue rubber strap priced at $38,557.
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