Longines Adds 15 Watches To Engraved Master Collection Line; Zodiac Gold Plates A Diver; Aquastar Is Polar Ready; Gerald Charles Homages Ducati; Biver's Sophomore Watch; And A Monochromatic Lange

Hey friends, welcome back to It’s About Time. The Master Collection from Longines just might be the best dress watch, or am I wrong? I love how deep the numerals are engraved.

In this issue:

• Longines Updates The Spectacular Master Collection Engraved Dials With 15 New References

• Zodiac Jumps On The Gold (Plated) Diver Trend With A Shiny Super Sea Wolf Compression Diver

• Aquastar Is Ready For Some Polar Exploration With The Very White Deepstar II Polarstar

• Gerald Charles Teams Up With The Kings Of Bikes For The Maestro 4.0 Ducati 30° Anniversario 916

• Biver’s Sophmore Watch Is The Automatique, Their Vision Of The Perfect Three-Hand Watch

• A. Lange & Söhne’s Monochromatic Datograph Up/Down “Hampton Court” Goes To Auction

Today’s reading time: 1 minutes and 3 seconds

👂What’s new

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Longines Updates The Spectacular Master Collection Engraved Dials With 15 New References

The coverage of both Geneva Watch Days and Watches & Wonders Singapore had me pretty busy and stuff slipped through the cracks. Take, for example, Longines. I covered their release of the three new pastel colors for the Legend Diver, and while that is a fine watch with some great new colors, I just went back to their press website to grab an image I needed, only to find out that they updated their already stunnin Master Collection with incredibly deep grooving on the engraved numerals. And not only did they update it, they took the successful three limited editions and expanded it to 15 new watches, in two materials and two colors. Thanks Longines!

There are several options to chose form when getting a new Master Collection Longines. First is the size. You can go for the larger one that measures 40mm wide and 9.35mm thick or the smaller option that measures 34mm wide and is 9.2mm thick. Then you get to chose the material your watch will be made out. You can either go for a full stainless steel, with a polished finish, or with a case that gets capped with 18k yellow gold or 18k rose gold. There are also options with diamond set These are dress watches, so there’s no surprise that water resistance is only 30 meters for both.

But it’s all about the dial, especially with these special watches. The Master Collection has been around for 20ish years, making classic and elegant watches that used printed Arabic numerals and applied Roman numerals over the years. Last year, Longines killed it with the addition of engraving Breguet-like numerals deep into the dial, and these 15 new releases get exactly that treatment. It seems that all 15 of the new watches have a silver and sandblasted base of the dial, all of which have the engraved numerals. To fill the numerals, you can choose either anthracite, yellow gilt, or rose gilt and those pair with blued steel, yellow gilt or rose gilt polished leaf hands.

Inside all 15 of the watches, regardless of their size, you’ll find the exact same movement, the calibre L888.5. Based on the ETA 2892, it features an antimagnetic silicon balance spring, beats at a curious 3.5Hz and has a really nice 72 our power reserve. The watches also come on a range of straps. You can get it on a three-link bracelet — and the central links will be mated to the accent color of the case — or, you could go for a strap that range in material and color from alligator to leather straps in red, green or blue.

The availability of the new Longines Master Collection is not directly disclosed, but all 15 should be available from both the website and Longines retailers. Prices start at €2,550 for the 34mm, while the 40mm starts at €3,200 on leather and €4,350 on the bracelet. I would usually tell you to check out the Longines website, but the watches are not available there yet.

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Zodiac Jumps On The Gold (Plated) Diver Trend With A Shiny Super Sea Wolf Compression Diver 

Rolex is a super conservative company. They move at a snail’s pace, hardly ever surprising anyone with their releases and focusing more on evolution of their product line than revolution. And yet, even as such, they probably had the most hilarious watch release of the year. In April, at Watches & Wonders, Rolex unveiled their solid yellow gold, 320 gram heavy, CHF 50 000, Deepsea diver. No one in their right mind, of course, would buy a solid gold diver, but it was funny nonetheless. The folks over at Zodiac also thought it was funny and thought they should make a gold diver for the masses. But if you want a gold watch for the masses, it can’t be solid gold. This is why we got the Zodiac 18k Gold-Plated Super Sea Wolf Compression Diver Limited Edition.

OK, sure, gold plated is not solid gold, but it’s still a bit funny. The watch measures 40mm wide and is made out of stainless steel with an 18k gold plate. Being a diver, the entire surface of the watch is brushed. On top is a uni-directional gold bezel with a black insert that has a single numeral at the 30 position, as well as fully graduated first 15 minutes. Water resistance is 200 meters.

Matching the bezel insert, you get an all black dial, which is cool since gold and black have traditionally been a good combination. You get rectangular hour markers that are filled with white lume and have a substantial gold border, equally blocky gold hands with lume and a date aperture at the 3 o’clock position.

Inside the watch is the STP 1-21, which is to be expected as Zodiac and STP are both owned by the Fossil group. The 1-21 is a new version of the STP 1-11 and it beats at 4Hz and has a 40 hour power reserve. The watch comes on a jubilee-style bracelet that’s also gold plated.

The Zodiac 18k Gold-Plated Super Sea Wolf Compression Diver is a limited edition watch and only 300 pieces will be made. Price is set at $4,995. See more on the Zodiac website.

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Aquastar Is Ready For Some Polar Exploration With The Very White Deepstar II Polarstar

Over the past few years we have witnessed the golden age of brand revival. Take, for example, Aquastar. I wrote all about how the Gerald Genta of dive watches, Frédéric Robert started this iconic company in the 1960s for the Patreon, and also how Robert filed a number of patents that are still relevant today, like inner rotating bezels, multiple dive decompression bezels, a new crown sealing system and the friction bezel ring. But when Robert retired, Aquastar faltered, changing owners over the decades, before bing brought back to life by Rick Marei, who is known for building up Doxa to the powerhouse it is today. And since their re-introduction, I can’t think of a single watch that couldn’t be called spectacular. Their latest release is a new variation of their iconic Deepstar II dive watch, one called the Polarstar. With that name, I give you one chance to guess what it’s intended for.

The watch comes in a stainless steel case that Aquastar says measures 37mm wide, 12mm thick and has a 46mm lug-to-lug. From everything I’ve seen, it’s supposed to be a great wearing watch that will fit a wide variety of wrists. On top is a domed sapphire crystal and a somewhat unusual bi-directional rotating stainless steel bezel that has a multiple dive decompression times calculator. Water resistance is 200 meters.

The dial is all about legibility. A white base gets black printed minute markings, large applied indices with lume at 12, 3 and 6, and there’s more lume in the hands. Most special is the oversized running seconds indicator at 9:00 which gets a black base, giving the watch a panda look. The small seconds hand is also red for more readability.

Inside is the top grade Sellita SW290-1. That movement might sound strange, but it’s just a variant of the regular SW200 with a small seconds indicator at the 9 o’clock position. It beats at 4Hz and has a 38 hour power reserve. The watch comes on a beads-of-rice stainless steel bracelet, with an additional silver seatbelt NATO and light grey rubber Tropic-style strap.

The new Aquastar Deepstar II Polarstar (that’s a lot of stars) is a limited edition, but I couldn’t find how many will be made. The watch is on presale right now and deliveries are expected in December of this year. If you buy it on presale, expect to pay $1,590, while the full retail price will be $1,990. See more on the Aquastar website.

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Gerald Charles Teams Up With The Kings Of Bikes For The Maestro 4.0 Ducati 30° Anniversario 916

Despite its somewhat Germanic name, and the fact that it was founded by Swiss watch designer Gérald Genta, the watch brand Gerald Charles has very strong links to Italy. Not only was Genta’s father Italian, the brand has been staging a successful comeback since 2020 led by Italian Federico Ziviani. So, when they link up with one of the icons of Italian culture, Ducati, it makes perfect sense. Gerald Charles’ new watch is the Maestro 4.0 Ducati 30° Anniversario 916 which pays homage to the 30th anniversary of the legendary 916 motorcycle.

In terms of size, this is a regular GC Maestro that measures 39mm wide, 11.15mm thick and has a 41.9mm lug-to-lug. It’s made out of forged carbon, with the iconic Gerald Charles stepped bezel rendered in matt black ceramic, while the caseback and crown are made out of titanium. There are sapphire crystals front and back and despite this having the shape of a dress watch, it’s actually very sporty. That’s why 100 meters of water resistance makes a lot of sense.

The dial is all new and very Ducati. The outer part of the dial is black and holds the minute track. Towards the middle is a ring of numbers for the hours, done in red and using the font of the 916. Of note is that this is a jumping hour display, meaning that the entire ring of numbers moves forward to tell the hours, while the minutes are indicated by a centrally mounted hand. In the very center is a yellow aperture through which you can see the movement and the aperture is styled to look like the now-iconic wheel of 916.

Inside is the automatic calibre GCA 3002JH, which is a base movement made with Vaucher Manufacture Fleurier, with the jumping hour module added on top. It beats at 4Hz and has a 50 hour power reserve. The movement is decorated with colimaçon, Côtes de Genève and perlage, while the rotor has the GC honeycomb motif. The watch comes on a red vulcanised rubber strap with an embossed Clous de Paris pattern

The Gerald Charles Maestro 4.0 Ducati 30° Anniversario 916 is limited to 250 pieces and priced at €37,200. See more on the Gerald Charles website.

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Biver’s Sophmore Watch Is The Automatique, Their Vision Of The Perfect Three-Hand Watch

While certainly very impressive, the watch that industry legend Jean-Claude Biver and his son used to launch their eponymous brand, wasn’t met with as much enthusiasm as would be expected. Many believe that the Biver Carillon Tourbillon was way too modern, had a controversial look and was introduced at a simply ridiculous price for a new brand — CHF 520,000 — despite being headed by Biver. It was hand made and finished, made out of exquisite materials and it sold, despite the price. But what next? How do you follow that up. Well, with the Biver Automatique, their pretty impressive take on a three-hand watch.

The proportions are as classic as they come — 39mm wide and 10mm thick, the case can be made out of either brushed and polished rose gold or platinum, with slightly angular lugs and a box style sapphire crystal. Interestingly, for a watch as elegant as this one, you get 80 meters of water resistance.

The dials are where Biver watches shine. Regular production models will have them made in solid 18k white or rose gold, with a number of finishes, including an engraved, applied gold railtrack, free of any décalque. You also get super elegant applied markers. In limited numbers, Biver will also create an Atelier collection, which will have stone dials, with the platinum case getting an Obsidian stone dial and the rose gold case getting a super interesting Pietersite stone.

Inside is the calibre JCB-003, a movement powered by a bi-directional micro-rotor crafted from 22k gold, and produced with Dubois. It beats at 25,200vph and has a 65 hour power reserve. It has seven bridges, wheels with serpentine spokes, and an array of finishes, including polarizing clous de Paris engraving, circular graining, anglage and polishing. The watches come on either a leather strap or their 5-row bracelet in a matching metal.

The Biver Automatique is way cheaper than the Carillon Tourbillon. But that doesn’t mean it’s cheap. Get the rose gold model on a strap, their entry level model, and you’re looking at CHF 75,000. Above that is the platinum model on a strap at CHF 78,000. Even higher are the Pietersite at CHF 89,000 and the Obsidian at CHF 92,000. Add to that either CHF 19,000 or CHF 28,000 for the gold or platinum bracelet and you have one pricy, but very beautiful, watch. See more on the Biver website.

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A. Lange & Söhne’s Monochromatic Datograph Up/Down “Hampton Court” Goes To Auction

A. Lange & Söhne is celebrating 25 years of their iconic chronograph, the Datograph, whit a lot of limited editions. Just a week ago we saw the Datograph Handwerkskunst, and now the brand has unveiled a piece unique that will be sold at at Phillips’ Geneva watch auction to benefit The Prince’s Trust, a United Kingdom charity that aids at-risk youth. This is the Datograph Up/Down “Hampton Court Edition”.

On the outside things remain largely the same. Made out of white gold, the watch measures 41mm wide and 14.04mm thick. The white gold case would be argument enough for the heft of this watch, but it also comes with a fully white gold bracelet, meaning that it must weigh a ton. It gets its name from the Concours of Elegance at Hampton Court Palace, a Lange-sponsored classic car show at a 16th century stately home Hamtpon Court in Richmond Upon Thames. On the back of the watch you’ll find a hunter back, or hinged cuvette, typically only found on unique or limited editions and engraved with the Coucours of Elegance logo. Open it, and you’ll see the movement inside.

The base of the dial is flat grey with black subdials that are traditionally pushed a bit down and sit at the 3:30 and 8:30 positions. More black can be found on the oversized date indicator that sits at 12 o’clock. The only color comes from the bright red central chronograph hand. Inside the watch is the calibre L951.6, a hand-wound flyback chronograph that beats at 2.5Hz and has a 60 hour power reserve.

The A. Lange & Söhne Datograph Up/Down “Hampton Court Edition”Crystal: Sapphire goes on auction in November at Phillips and all proceeds will go to charity. See the watch on the Lange website.

🫳On hand

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A review of the IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Edition 'Polaris Dawn'

2/

Hands-On With The Laurent Ferrier Classic Auto Sandstone

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A review of the Parmigiani Fleurier Toric

⚙️Watch Worthy

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

Citizen is going for a retro-fresh vibe with the Zenshin collection and it’s working

In a good way, the Forz Chrono dials are classic-looking with an emphasis on function and little embellishment, save for the colored and textured faces, that is. On the periphery of the dial is a black-colored tachymeter scale that matches the hue of the subdials. In fact, it may be that the subdials are the only part of the dial where light enters to charge the battery, showing you how efficient the Eco-Drive system can be. Arguably, the term “Titanium” did not need to be placed on the dial, even though I am happy the watches are titanium, of course. The contrast of the hands and hour markers is very high, and overall legibility on the Forza Chrono models is excellent. The hour markers and hands are also painted with luminous material.

Read the whole review on A Blog To Watch

⏲️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

• In February 1959, nine Soviet hikers set up camp in the Ural mountains. When they were found, all nine were dead, six of hypothermia, three of blunt force trauma. More disturbingly, they had cut their way out of their tent in the middle of the night and fled the campsite without their winter clothes. The mystery was kept alive to today, with everyone trying to guess what drove them from the safety of their tents, but even after a three-year investigation that closed off the entire area to the world, no answers were given. Well, looks like the mystery known as the Dyatlov Pass incident might have an answer now.

• Last month, fast food behemoth McDonald’s announced its first fall in sales since 2020. Although the chain blamed rising prices, Kate Ng asks if the golden arches – once the go-to spot for kids’ birthday parties and post-night out debriefs – have lost something else along the way.

• You have undoubtedly used a Moleskine notebook. Or at least seen it in pretty much every corporate meeting you’ve been in. How has a company that makes paper notebooks dominated the note-taking landscape in a world of phones and tablets?

👀Watch this

One video you have to watch today

I mentioned last year that Watches of Espionage has a new YouTube channel. I can’t say I know what I expected from their video, but I can say I wasn’t expecting this. Not in a bad way, not at all. Their approach to videos is super interesting.

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-Vuk