Bulova Revives 70s Devil Divers With Three Oceanographers, Seiko Launches Silfra Sumo And Tortoise Europe Exclusives, New Delma Goes To 5,000 Meters, New Watches From Rado And Ulysse Nardin

Hey friends, welcome back to It’s About Time. Eight new watches today and of them six are divers. But for once, they don’t all look the same, from the groovy 70s look of the Bulova Devil Divers, to the highly technical Blue Shark IV, there’s something for everyone. My favorite is the Tortoise - great price and fantastic looks.

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In this issue:

• Bulova Revives The 70s Devil Divers With Great Looking New Trio From The Oceanographer Collection

• Seiko Launch ‘Silfra’ Prospex Sumo Diver and Tortoise European Exclusive Limited Editions

• Rado Pays Homage To Le Corbusier for New True Square Thinline Collection

• The New Delma Blue Shark IV Goes All The Way Down To 5,000m

• Ulysse Nardin Goes For Tacti-Cool Look With The New Freak X OPS

Today’s reading time: 8 minutes and 52 seconds

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👂What’s new

1/

Bulova Revives The 70s Devil Divers With Great Looking New Trio From The Oceanographer Collection

The market of vintage-inspired watches plucked from brands’ catalouges is getting mighty saturated these days. In fact, it’s so full, it’s my estimation that at least 60% of releases in a single month will carry significant nostalgia with it. So you really need to do something very nice to stand out. And looks like Bulova did just that with their new release - three Oceanographer GMT models, reboots of their quite famous dive line that quickly earned the nickname the Devil Divers.

Bulova has always been known for their absolute bang-on marketing choices. So back in the 1970s they messed with the Swiss a bit, by introducing a new standard for diving depth rating. One of the ratings was 200 meters, translated to 656 feet, so Bulova came out with a diver they called the Snorkel and gave it a depth rating of 666 feet, to poke some fun at the Swiss. The 666 depth rating was proudly displayed on the dial of these divers, and quickly people started calling them Devil Divers. Now, they’re back, but this time updated with an addition of a second (and third, with that bezel) time zone function.

The new models of the Oceanographer GMT still use the the 70s skin-diver type case (the original Oceanographer was designed by the U.S. Military to fit snug against a divers wrist) and measures 41mm wide with an almost square profile as the lug-to-lug is just 43mm. With a double-domed crystal, it’s a bit of a chunker at 14.6mm. You still get 666 feet of water resistance, and it’s proudly displayed on the dial.

There’s three versions of the watch. There’s a classic blue and red "Pepsi'' GMT bezel option on a stainless steel bracelet, a very good loocking white and black version that gets a fully luminous dial (I’m smelling a new trend here of everybody doing their version of a luminous dial) on a rubber strap and, the most extravagant one - a rose gold PVD coated stainless steel version with a black dial and a brown "root beer" GMT bezel on the same rose gold steel bracelet. Even the two versions without the fully lumed dial get a solid amount of lume on the hands and pips that serve as hour markers. Speaking of the hands, they’re stubby - very short and wide.

Inside all three watches is the Japanese 9075 Miyota automatic movement, which allows for independent hour hand manipulation for tracking a second time zone, and accuracy of -10/+30 seconds per day, with a 42 hour power reserve.

The trio of watches should be available online right now and will set you back $1,295 for white dial on the rubber strap and $1,350 for the two stainless steel bracelet options. Check out the watches on the Bulova website, but it appears that they are not showing up in websites in all countries, so your mileage might vary.

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Seiko Launch ‘Silfra’ Prospex Sumo Diver and Tortoise European Exclusive Limited Editions

I’m willing to bet the overlap of my readers and those familiar with plate tectonics is quite small. But even if you are not familiar, you might have heard of Silfra. If not hear, maybe you’ve seen some of the incredible photos made in Silfra, with divers touching two rocks on either side of them - these photos depict divers touching the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates. This is a unique place, a fissure that runs through Island and is getting bigger and bigger by the day. This name Silfra shows up on two new limited edition Seikos and it makes sense - the Silfra Sumo and Tortoise will be European exclusives.

First up we have the Silfra Prospex Sumo Diver European Exclusive Limited Edition. It is, of course, the known signature diving Seiko that lives up to the Sumo name with a 45mm diameter and large faceted sides. What’s different is the dial, which has a blue gradient. However, unlike other gradient divers that usually have a radial pattern, the Silfra Sumo has a horizontal gradient that starts dark at 9 o’clock, reaches a peak of lightness at the axis of 12 and 6 and then gets dark again at 3. It creates column of light down the middle that mirrors the experience of swimming in the Silfra fissure.

Inside is the 6R35 automatic movement that at a rate of 21,600 vph (3 Hz) and gets a 70-hour power reserve. The watch comes on a stainless steel bracelet with three-fold clasp with secure lock, push button release and extender and you also get an additional blue rubber strap.

Then there’s the new Tortoise, the land-based version of their Turtle design. It comes in a more practical size when compared to the Sumo and measures 42.4mm.You still get 200 meters of water resistance, but instead of a diving bezel, you get a compass one. And on this limited edition, it looks just fantastic, with a two-tone color scheme of black/grey on the bottom and a brownish green on top.

Again, this special edition gets a special dial. This one gets a stunning horizontal graining effect, almost like something you would get on Grand Seiko, and has a greenish-anthracite color, just like the rock you would find in the Silfra fissure. Inside the watch is the 4R35 automatic movement with 41-hour power reserve. It comes on a stainless steel bracelet, as well as a spectacular olive green fabric strap.

The Prospex Sumo Diver European Exclusive Limited Edition SPB431J1 is limited to 2,000 pieces, available exclusively in Europe and it will set you back about €1,055. The The Seiko Silfra Prospex Tortoise European Exclusive Limited Edition SRPK77K1 is limited to just 1,400 pieces and cost just €750.

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Rado Pays Homage To Le Corbusier for New True Square Thinline Collection

Rado is a brand that’s not on many people’s radar and that just might be a mistake. At least sometimes. While they aren’t particularly known for their high horology, they have made some incredible leaps and bounds in material development. While they have been on the forefront of new materials, it was the 1990s that thrust them to fame when they started developing highly complex ceramic watch cases, something that very few could do at the time. Over the years they improved on their techniques and moved even further by experimenting with colors in ceramic cases, heading them to a precise temperature with special gasses that color the ceramics. Now, following their recent release of the Great Gardens of the World Watch collaboration, Rado is introducing a new line inspired by the architecture of Le Corbusier - the True Square Thinline Les Couleur Le Corbusier.

Le Corbusier played a pivotal role in shaping the modernist movement of the 20th century. Among his many influential works was his theory of color, leading to the development of Architectural Polychromy, a tool for the compelling use of colors in architectural design. In 1931, he introduced a palette of 43 shades, which were further extended in 1959 with the addition of 20 bolder tones to make a total of 63 classic hues. These colors, described by Le Corbusier as “architectural, naturally harmonious, and able to be combined in any way,” remain relevant and influential to this day.

And the True Square Thinline Les Couleur Le Corbusier is based on these colors. The ceramic cases that measure 37mm by 43.3mm, with a thickness of only 5mm, come in three colorways, with sunb-brushed finishings on the dial. First up is the Iron Gray version that comes in a dark anthracite case with a bright turquoise hue known as Grayed English Green on the center links, indices and hands. Then there’s the Gray Brown which comes in a case that is a very light shade of brown with cream accent colors. Lastly, there’s the Ivory Black version which is, you guessed it, all black.

The caseback is crafted in titanium, with its sapphire crystal emblazoned with its designated Le Corbusier color stripe, an imprint that reads “Le Corbusier POLYCHROMIE ARCHITECTURALE,” as well as a unique serial number. As for movement, you won’t find a mechanical one. It’s powered by Rado’s in-house R420 quartz movement.

Limited to 999 examples per colorway, the trio of True Square Thinline X Les Couleurs Le Corbusier watches are available from Rado for the price of $2,400 each. Yeah, that’s a lot for a quartz watch. But this is also a watch that does not appeal to the masses - it will find it’s audience. See more on the Rado website.

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The New Delma Blue Shark IV Goes All The Way Down To 5,000m

Delma has always been known for it’s divers, especially in the late 60s and early 70s. But it wasn’t until 2011 that they introduced their most hardcore watch, the Blue Shark. The first Blue Shark blew the competition away at its price point with the depth rating it offered - 3,000 meters. It’s followup, Blue Shark II stuck with the 3km depth rating, while the Blue Shark III could go deeper at 4,000 meters. While no human being will ever need a watch that is resistant at 4 kilometres below surface, around the depth the Titanic is sitting at, the genre of super-deep capable watches is a fun one, with brands one-upping each other with more and more ridiculous watches that are, generally, pretty unwearable. Now Delma has a new version of the Blue Shark, the Blue Shark IV, capable of depths of 5,000 meters.

To go that deep, it needs a tough case. And it gets one. 47mm wide, 20mm thick, made out of stainless steel, with a chunky unidirectional stainless steel bezel. On the left side of the case is a helium escape valve, while the right hand side has convex crown protectors. The caseback is solid, domed and laser engraved with a shark image. Wearers can perform easy strap/bracelet operations to wear these diver’s instruments on a metal bracelet or a rubber strap, ensuring comfort and versatility.

Just like the previous version, this one comes in three dial versions - blue, black and orange and you can bump up the variations of watches available to six with an option of a black DLC coated bezel. The dial has luminous markers, prominent hands for underwater readability and a date display at 3 o’clock.

Inside the watch is the very familiar Sellita SW200-1, which is based on the ETA 2824. Interestingly, Delma used the 2824 in previous versions of the Blue Shark, but likely due to availability issues switched to the Sellita alternative. The movement has a frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour and a 38-hour power reserve. The watch comes on Delma’s solid steel three-row bracelet and an additional rubber strap, along with special tools you will need to remove the safety screws that hold the strap to the watch.

This will be a limited edition release, with 999 pieces made of both the versions with the steel bezel and the black bezel. Price is set at €2,390 for the steel version and €2,490 for the DLC coated variant. See more on the Delma website.

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Ulysse Nardin Goes For Tacti-Cool Look With The New Freak X OPS

The Freak from Ulysse Nardin will forever be a polarizing watch. Since 2001 it has been called a horological game changer, as it lacks a dial, hands and a crown. At the same time, it has been criticized for being gaudy and over the top. In 2019 the brand went a step further by launching the Freak X, a modern version of the Freak that plays with new materials on the outside and inside. Now UN is releasing a new, military inspired, Freak X OPS

Measuring 43mm wide, it’s made out of titanium and given a black DLC coating. The titanium is furthermore shielded in UN’s Magma carbon composite which has a Damascus-like pattern of black swirls interrupting the khaki green colour of the flanks, evocative of a military operations aesthetic, thus the OPS (operations) name. It’s all very tacti-cool, as I don’t see too many operators wearing a Ulysse Nardain for special operations.

Ulysse Nardin would say there is no dial to the watch, but between the time indication integrated into the front side of the movement, outer rehaut that conveys the minutes, and a skeletal ring with sector-like hour batons, time-telling is simple. The broad hand closest to the surface of the movement indicates hours, and the the brighter and longer hand is tasked with minutes. Both the hands and hour batons have a case-matching SuperLuminova coating for visibility in darkness.

Powering the watch with up to 72 hours of running time is the UN-230 Manufacture caliber. It’s geared with a flying carousel movement that rotates around its own axis, with indexes and bridges illuminated in Super-LumiNova, while also beating at a rate of 21,600 hourly vibrations.

It’s price od $33,800 is another factor limiting you from carrying the watch on to a covert mission. You can see more of the watch on the Ulysse Nardin website.

🫳On hand

Our selection of the best reviews we stumble upon

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A review of the TAG Heuer Monaco Chronograph Racing Blue Calibre 11

⚙️Watch Worthy

A look at an off beat, less known watch you might actually like

Boldr Venture might arguably the best-value titanium watch on the market

The Boldr Venture Blue Fuel’s price tag is a pleasant enough surprise on its own, but I found that beyond its prima facie value, there are plenty of little design choices that’ll impress you. Case in point: its lume. The Boldr Venture uses Japanese C3 Superlume, which is unbelievably bright. We were all pretty taken aback in the office when we shone a lume torch on this bad boy in the dark – I can’t recall the last time I saw lume that bright on a watch. Read the whole review at Time+Tide.

⏲️Wait a minute

A bunch of links that might or might not have something to do with watches. One thing’s for sure - they’re interesting

• OK, this is a big one. Both in length (7,770 words) and in impact. This Vanity Fair essay by James Robenalt sets out to analyze the significance of a bullet supposedly found lodged in the back seat of JFK’s car by Paul Landis, one of Jacqueline Kennedy’s Secret Service agents. This new theory seems to upend the long-held “lone gunman” theory of the assasination of John F. Kennedy.

• Biographers who write about power and innovation often acquire a certain cachet. That’s certainly the case with celebrity author Walter Isaacson, whose new 600-pager on Elon Musk is all but guaranteed to be one of the bestselling nonfiction titles of the year. As Shawn McCreesh’s profile for New York Magazine makes clear, journalistic proximity to the world’s richest person makes for an interesting story in and of itself. Though questions persist about whether that proximity influences his reporting, there’s no doubt that Isaacson tells a hell of a story.

• In some ways, Jackson Wald’s look at sumo in NYC is a typical scrappy-band-of-enthusiasts subculture story. In others, it’s a sports-underdog story. And perhaps most surprisingly, it’s a portrait of a man for whom sumo simply makes sense. A memorable profile, disguised in a mawashi.

👀Watch this

One video you have to watch today

If I open up YouTube and a video of a Ressence, any Ressence, pops up in the suggested video, you bet I’m posting it here. So, here’s a video of the Ressence Type 8S.

💵Pre-loved precision

Buy and sell your watches. Think of this section like old school classifieds - i don’t guarantee anything except that a bunch of people will see your ad and I’ll put the buyer and seller in touch. Want to advertise your watch? Contact us 

• LOOKING TO BUY: One of our readers is looking to purchase three very specific watches: an Islander ISL-133 Mother of Pearl, a Sinn 556 Mother of Pearl or a Zelos 300m GMT Mosaic Mother of Pearl. If you’re selling any of these, reach out to us and we’ll put you in touch

• FOR SALE: Longines Heritage Skin Diver, box and papers. €1400. Reach out to us and we’ll put you in touch

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