- It's About Time
- Posts
- Christopher Ward Shrinks Down Sealander GMT To Fantastic 36mm, G-Shock Releases Sustainable Collection, AVI-8 Pays Homage To Night Reaper, New From Resin Watch Lab And Breguet
Christopher Ward Shrinks Down Sealander GMT To Fantastic 36mm, G-Shock Releases Sustainable Collection, AVI-8 Pays Homage To Night Reaper, New From Resin Watch Lab And Breguet
I love discovering brands like the Resin Watch Lab because it's rare to see such originality
Vuk Radic
January 25, 2024 • Estimated Reading Time: 17 minutes
Hey friends, welcome back to It’s About Time. Two important things today. First, I’m introducing a dragon-themed watch counter. In the 25 days of this year we’ve already had 15 watches with dragons, marking the start of the Lunar New Year, and I want to keep track of how many we can run up until February 10. Second, I’m completely in love with that watch from the Resin Watch Lab. That’s it.
If you like this newsletter, you might consider supporting it. You can do so in two ways. Forward it to someone you know loves watches and ask them to subscribe, or you can directly support it through Patreon.
In this issue:
Christopher Ward Shrinks Down Their Sealander GMT To Create A Very Attractive 36mm Future Classic
G-Shock Releases Monochromatic Coexist Collection Made Out Of Sustainable Materials
The New AVI-8 Hurricane Classic Chronograph Night Reaper LE Honors Legendary WWII RAF Squadron
The New SUBQ From The Resin Watch Lab Is Truly Something You Don’t See Every Day
Breguet Doubles Down For The Lunar New Year With Two Dragon-Themed Watches
Today’s reading time: 6 minutes and 43 seconds
Number of dragon-themed watches this Year (so far, and including today): 17
👂What’s new
1/
The avalanche of smaller watches, despite the complaints that are ever present online, is only growing. After years of chunky sports watches, the past several years have seen a ton of releases in the 36-38mm range. And Christopher Ward is one of those brands that’s keeping a very close eye on the trend. Despite being an independent brand and not part of a massive group, CW has done a fantastic job at serving all ends of the market - from sports to elegant, from small to large. Now, they’re updating their C63 Sealander GMT, a watch that looked very much like that other famous GMT with a brushed steel bezel, especially in black or white. The new Sealander GMT, however, comes in 36mm, a size that might make it a very appealing proposition to those who find the Rolex Explorer II too large.
While the original C63 Sealander wasn’t a huge watch and measured 39mm across, the new C63 Sealander 36 comes in a stainless steel case that measures 36mm wide, 11.5mm thick and it has a 43mm lug-to-lug, making it wearable on a huge range of wrists. As for looks, it’s basically a shrunken down version of the larger subling. It has the same fixed brushed silver bezel with a 24 hour scale in black. The watch comes in three dial colors - white and black, which really make it look like the Explorer II, and a metallic teal they call dragonfly blue if you want a different look. Completing the Explorer II look is the third GMT hand which has an orange arrow.
Inside is the Sellita calibre SW330-2 automatic movement. It beats at 28,800 vph and has a 56 hour power reserve. The SW330 is a caller style GMT, meaning that you independently set the GMT hand. You can get the watch on three strap options - the rugged three-link Bader steel bracelet, the more elegant five-link Consort or a rubber strap.
The new C63 Sealander 36 watches are available for purchase now, with the version on the rubber strap priced at €1,165, on the Bader at €1,315 and the Consort at €1,365. This might be a big hit for the British brand. See more on the Christopher Ward website.
2/
The watch world was very interested when the news broke that Leonardo DiCaprio and a group of investors invested in the Swiss watch brand ID Geneve, with a press release stating that his main interest was the sustainable nature of these watches. This was an interesting twist, but also sustainability has been top of mind for a number of brands. Including one of the largest brands in the world - Casio. Now, they’re releasing the new. G-Shock Coexist collection with two colorways of the GA-B2100 with a bunch of sustainable materials.
The two new watches comes in two colors - charcoal-like khaki gray and coffee and they use a bio-based resin for its bezel, while the interior still has a carbon core guard structure, made out of recycled carbon. G-Shock has used these techniques in other watches before, but all of those watches had rubber straps. Now they’re brining their recycling and bio-resin tech together and pairing it with Truecotton straps. Truecotton, made by Toyoshima & Co, which extracts dyes found naturally in food and plants that were about to get tossed and uses them to colorize already organic cotton. The grey strap is colored by the echinacea plant, while the brown uses coffee.
These are still the familiar analog-digital GA-B2100 G-Shocks, meaning they measure 45.4mm wide, 11.9mm thick, with a 48.5mm lug-to-lug. Inside is the module 5689, meaning you get the Bluetooth mobile link function, countdown timer, stopwatch, world timer, double LED, full calendar, 5 daily alarms, an hourly time signal, and it can run for 7-18 months on a full charge. On top is the familiar armored mineral crystal and water resistance is 200 meters.
The two watches are already for sale globally and can be yours for $170. You can see more on the G-Shock website.
3/
There are a few watch brands out there that have a very clear vision of what they are doing. And one of those brands is AVI-8, which consistently releases affordable aviation-themed watches that often pay tribute to some of the most famous pilots, planes or squadrons in military history. Their lates release, the Hurricane Classic Chronograph Night Reaper LE, pays homage to legendary RAF Squadron Leader Karel “Kut” Kuttelwascher and his Night Reaper Hurricane.
Kuttelwascher, who commanded the No. 1 Squadron from World War II, was known as one of the RAF’s most successful Czechoslovak pilots and a top ace and was often called the Czech Night Hawk. He and his squadron flew black-painted Hurricane, with Kut’s having the addition of a yellow scythe and a red “Night Reaper” banner. Very cool and even cooler when applied to a watch.
This new Night Reaper watch comes in the AVI-8 Classic Chronograph package, meaning that you get a 42mm wide and 11mm thick stainless steel case that’s treated with a black coating to match the black Hurricane plane. The dial is equally as black, with the plane’s iconic symbol on one sub-dial. While black, the numerals and hands have plenty of lume in it. Inside is an unspecified Japanese Quartz Chrongraph with Date movement and it comes on a leather strap.
While AVI-8 is known for making watches that pay homage to, they’re also known for making very affordable watches. Like this one, the Hurricane Classic Chronograph Night Reaper LE is priced at $235 and it launches tomorrow, January 26. See more on the AVI-8 website.
4/
An independent brand will go to great lengths to ensure that they are original. They will play with colors, experiment with materials, try and add new functions through bezels and movements. And yet, very few substract from their watches to create something special. This is exactly what Colorado-based Resin Watch Lab does. They use off-the-shelf components and combine them with their hand-made cases made out of transparent resins, polymers and composites. The SUBQ is a major new watch for the brand, with a crazy new look made out of a gray 3D printed nylon skeleton suspended inside a transparent resin.
Even the dimensions of the watch are interesting - 35mm wide, 11mm thick and a lug-to-lug of 46mm. Despite being hard to see form the photos, the case has facets and an almost tonneau shape, but it all gets lost with the transaprent case, as you focus on the construction that makes up not just the base of the case, but also the strap. It looks futuristic in the most dystopian way. Water resistance is tested to 60 meters. The top flat sapphire crystal is molded directly into the front of the case, while a secondary sapphire crystal is mounted with a gasket into the reverse side.
To keep with the transparent theme, the SUBQ doesn’t have a dial. Instead, you see the entire movement, both from the front and the back, and since the watch has a date function, you can see the entire calendar disc. It’s just as confusing as looking at the rest of the watch, but in the best way possible.
The movement you see is the Chinese Seagull ST2130v automatic movement, a clone of the ETA 2824-2 that beats at 28,800 vph and has a power reserve of approximately 38 hours. The watch comes on an equally crazy strap that has the same 3D-printed gray nylon skeleton suspended in transparent silicone. The strap has to be cut to the correct size and the two sides are joined together by the CTS Deployant Clasp in brushed stainless steel made by Delugs.
Now comes the best part. The Resin Watch Lab SUBQ is priced at €528.45 in the US or €492,95 in the EU. It might be just me, but despite the cheap(ish) Seagull movement, this is incredible value for money for a watch that looks unlike anything else and is basically made by hand. See more on the Resin Watch Lab website.
5/
The past three weeks have been chock-full of dragon themed watches in preparation for the celebration of the Lunar New Year that starts Februrary 10. Expect to see many more. But today we have a duo of dragon watches from Breguet and they pulled no punches in the game to see who can make the best dragon watch. The two watches are the Breguet Classique Double Tourbillon, which features two tourbillons with a dragon slinking between them; and the Classique Dragon, an ode to the brand’s dominion of artistic crafts.
Starting with the Breguet Classique Double Tourbillon 5345, it’s always interesting to note that it was Abraham-Louis Breguet in 1801 that invented the tourbillon to counter the effects of gravity on a pocket watch’s movement and since 2006, Breguet has been making double tourbillons. This one comes in a platinum case that measures 46mm wide and 16.8mm thick and is powered by the calibre 588N1, a manual-winding movement with a 2.5Hz frequency and a 60-hour power reserve.
The highlight of this watch is its intricate dragon design, hand-engraved in gold, clutching a mother-of-pearl pearl meant to symbolize power and wisdom. The rotating plate showcases a hand-guilloché fan motif, while the lower bridge is adorned with an “anthracite Clous de Paris” hobnail pattern. Additionally, laser-engraved Roman numerals filled with black varnish accent the face. While Breguet’s interpretation of the watch is on its own a work of art, the watchmaker also offers personalization options for the dragon’s shape, color, numeral colors, hands and strap.
Then there’s the Classique Dragon 7145, it stands as a testament to Breguet’s mastery in Grand Feu enameling, a rare and challenging technique. Limited to just eight pieces, the Limited Edition features a crimson red dial, achieved by multiple firings in a high-temperature kiln. Notably, the rose gold dragon appliqué stands out on the dial, guarding a natural white mother-of-pearl pearl. It comes in a 40mm rose gold case and it’s powered by the Calibre 502.3 self-winding movement which has a 45-hour power reserve.
Both timepieces are available now through appointment only with the 7145 priced at $83,087 and the 5345 at $819,263. See more on the Breguet website.
🫳On hand
Our selection of the best reviews we stumble upon
1/
2/
3/
⚙️Watch Worthy
A look at an off beat, less known watch you might actually likewatches
Wearing a watch is a form of roleplay. Does that claim make sense or aggravate you? Perhaps you still adhere to the watch being a time-telling instrument of pure necessity. Many of us buy pilot’s watches that don’t fit under our shirts and brawny 44mm divers for a day at the office. We live vicariously through our wristwear and daydream of piloting a jet, driving a fast car from the ’50s, or diving. That’s all good, and I’m the same. It improves most days at the office, but what daydream adventures does the Otsuka Lotec No.7.5 spark? Well, it is comfortable yet very outlandish, alien even, as if developed in a parallel universe where the idea of dials and hands never made it past the drawing board. Judging by the easy legibility of this steel nugget, I understand how it can be seen as a perfectly natural alternative.
⏲️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
Beatriz Flamini liked to be alone so much that she decided to live underground—and pursue a world record. The experience was gruelling and surreal. This is the woman who spent 500 days alone in a cave.
This Nautilus interview with neuropsychologist Simon McCarthy-Jones explores freedom of thought in a time of fast-changing technology and AI. Freedom of thought, says McCarthy-Jones, is “as close to an absolute right as there is in the Constitution.” But even as this right has been explored and lauded through the ages, it hasn’t actually been defined. McCarthy-Jones also discusses how smartly designed public places help to promote group thinking, from green spaces to spacious, well-lit buildings. A conversation with thought-provoking remarks and ideas to chew on.
Bad Dog, a group from D.C., was forced to take a crash course in streaming fraud, a shadowy realm that costs musicians $2 billion a year, when their songs were stolen by phantom artists and they couldn’t get them back. It’s always fascinating to learn such intricate details of an industry you know nothing about.
👀Watch this
One video you have to watch today
Alex Honnold, the crazy man who free soloed El Cap, is back and his new documentary looks to be even more stress inducing than Free Solo. Now he’s in Greenland trying a first ascent on what looks to be the scariest place on Earth. Things will get wild.
💵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: Here’s a crazy request. One of you is looking to buy the Ōtsuka Lotēc No. 7.5. Sure, it’s a big ask, but if any of you have one and want to sell, reach out to and I’ll put you in touch
SOLD: Well, not really new. It’s a great looking mid-90s Tudor Submariner 75090, offered for sale by a member of the It’s About Time reader crew. I love the way it looks and seems to be in great condition. Check it out over on Chrono24.
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
Want to sell your watch to a community of passionate horologists? Reach out to us and we’ll put your ad up.
Want to let us know what you think about the newsletter? Go to our survey and fill it out.
-Vuk
Reply