New Zodiac In White Ceramic Is An Absolute Summer Banger, Maruice Lacroix Makes A Great Beach Watch, The Bulova Rat Pack Is A Modern Dress Watch With A Backstory And Itay Noy Gives You A New Way To Define Days

Hey friends, welcome back to It’s About Time. Yeah, it’s the summer. You can tell by all the brands coming out with summer themed watches. Or, you know, the unbearable heat when you step outside.

Also, invite your friends or fill out the survey to enter the giveaway. We’re giving away four Seiko 5 Sports SKX ‘Midi’ in a color of your choice.

In this issue:

• The New Colorful Zodiac In White Ceramic Is An Absolute Summer Banger

• Maurice Lacroix Introduces a New AIKON Limited Edition in a Trio of Summery Colors

• The Bulova Rat Pack Is A Modern Dress Watch With A Great Backstory

• Itay Noy Debuts The Seven-Day Cycle Collection With Different Ways Of Showing You What Day It Is

• Cuervo Y Sobrinos Goes Deep Into Their Cuban Roots With The Tobaco Inspired Historiador Cronógrafo 1946

Today’s reading time: 8 minutes and 7 seconds

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👂What’s new

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The New Zodiac In White Ceramic And Fantastic Colors Is An Absolutely Spectacular Summer Watch

Zodiac, we need to talk. Your watches are just great. Your latest watch, the Super Sea Wolf Ceramic "Summer Color Extension." is perhaps spectacular. However, I have a small bone to pick with you. This just could end up being the best summer watch of this year - just look at the three stunning dials. But it’s July 10. Summer is well under way. Give us these watches before we hit the beaches!

These are not the first ceramic Zodiacs. Those were the black ceramic cased Super Sea Wolfs released in 2022. For this year, Zodiac is going fully tropical with a bright white ceramic outer case with a steel core. Zodiac opts for this way of making ceramic cases instead of going for a fully ceramic case to keep cost much lower than one would expect for a ceramic case, while still being able to offer a bunch of performance, like 200 meters of water resistance.

The watch may seem big for a lot at 41mm wide, 51mm lug-to-lug and 13.2mm thickness, but those who have worn the nearly identical black model say that the downward shaping lugs makes the longer lug-to-lug more wearable than one might expect. Combining a polished ceramic outer case with a steel core gives the benefits of ceramic – lightweight, scratch-resistant, no corrosion, etc. On top of the watch is a 120-click uni-directional bezel, made of the same white ceramic.

These watches play into a tried and true formula that has served Zodiac remarkably well over the last years, which is to lean into bold colors layered over their classic dive watch design. The new white ceramic watches will be available in three variants: dark blue, lime green, and a silver and orange watch that feels like a nod to their popular “Sherbet” GMT from a few years ago. All of the dials have a subtle sunburst finish and the traditional rectangular hands and hour markers that are common to the Super Sea Wolf line.

Inside the case sits the STP 1-11 with 44 hours of power reserve, an automatic caliber that has a similar design as the ETA 2824. The blue, white, or green dials are paired with matching rubber tropic-style straps

The best part of the three watches is the price: $1,795. It’s retro, it’s colorful, it gives you extreme value for money and you will get a bargain. These are just some of the “cheaper” ceramic watches that come to mind, and their respective prices: the Bell & Ross BR 03-92 Black Matte for $3,800, the Longines Hydroconquest Black Ceramic for $4,150, the Tudor Black Bay Ceramic for $5,000 and the Omega Seamaster 300M Black Black for $9,000. Yes, most of these watches have fully ceramic cases. But come on, look at those price differences. See more on the Zodiac website.

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Maurice Lacroix Introduces a New AIKON Limited Edition in a Trio of Summery Colors

Yeah, the summer has obviously started. And brands can’t keep up with each other to release as many summer themed watches as possible. Joining them is Maurice Lacroix, with a new version of their AIKON, which they call the Automatic Limited Summer Edition series.

The Summer Edition features a total of six options coming in three sizes: 35mm, 39mm, and 42 mm. Each option celebrates the warmer weather with tonal accents that are reminiscent of sand, sun, and the sea. The smallest option, the 35mm, comes in two colorways: Ballerina Pink or Tanager Turquoise, giving wearers a desaturated take on classic baby blue and pink. With diamond hour markers, this could be a great women’s option, but who am I to judge? The 39mm gets into more unisex territory with its larger size but in many ways remains similar to the 35mm model. The largest option is available in either Tanager Turquoise or a vibrant alternative, Orange Soda.

The case material for all sizes is also stainless steel, and each is equipped with an Automatic ML 115 movement and they all come with a matching rubber straps as well as a 5-row stainless steel bracelet.

Each model will be made in 888 pieces, and they’re available right now. Priced at CHF 2,450. See more on the Maurice Lacroix website.

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The New Bulova Rat Pack Is A Modern Dress Watch With A Great Backstory

A watch collection made in partnership with Frank Sinatra, or, rather, the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts, sounds like a horrible idea. Bet case scenario it will end up being a regular watch with a hidden homage to Frank. Worst case scenario, it will turn into a tacky souvenir piece you can get on Times Square. As it happens, Bulova has been working with the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts for years now and they’ve been making more or less successful homages to Sinatra, even though there hasn’t been any clear connection between Bulova and Sinatra in the past.

With their latest watch, a great looking dress piece, Bulova is trying to address this concern - has Sinatra ever been linked to Bulova in the past? And they’re also expanding the association by calling the watch the Rat Pack, named after the group of entertainers that dominated Las Vegas and Hollywood in the 60s and was made up of Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Dean Martin, Joey Bishop and, for a while, Peter Lawford.

The new Bulova Rat Pack is quite large at 40mm, which is strange, because it is ultimately vintage looking. It is attempting to emulate the look and feel of 60s dress watches that could find it’s place under a tuxedo cuff, but for that it’s just too wide. Other than the size, it’s a fantastic looking watch. It has a sunray brushed gold dial ring with etched markers leading to a record cut black center in a concentric pattern as well as a three o'clock date window.

The Rat Pack comes on a black alligator leather strap, as one would expect. Inside is the 8215 Miyota self-winding automatic movement with 42-hour power reserve and the watch is 30M water resistant. This movement is housed behind a special caseback featuring the Rat Pack logo and signatures of Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., and Dean Martin, making the homage to the Rat Pack very subtle. While I understand why they wouldn’t include Peter Lawford’s signature since he fell out of the group after a fight with Sinatra, I have no idea why they snubbed Joey Bishop.

Bulova also points out that there is a great connection between their brand and Sinatra. In the late 1950s, Sinatra had a short-lived television program called the Frank Sinatra Show, which aired on ABC. It was sponsored by Bulova. As you might expect, Mr. Sinatra ended up with a few watches in his possession. Instead of keeping them for himself, he had the backs engraved with personalized notes and gave them away.

The watch will be limited, but don’t worry, they will make 5,000 of them. This is a great dress watch, especially for the price - $795. You can find out more on Bulova’s website, even though it seems they still have not listed this watch for sale.

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Itay Noy Debuts The Seven-Day Cycle Collection With Different Ways Of Showing You What Day It Is

I love it when a watch brand has a schtick. And for the Israeli watchmaker Itay Noy, it’s creative and whimsical calendar complications that take a philosophical view to the concept of time. Their latest collection is the Seven-Day Cycle which is inspired by the idea of looking at the passing of time on a weekly, as opposed to daily, scale.

The centerpiece of the collection is the “Rest Day” watch. Rather than focusing on a daily progression of time, the watch seeks to visualize a weekly cycle. The day is indicated via a sandwich dial that has text around the perimeter but instead of the day of the week, Itay Noy has given the days numerical values- first day, second day, third day, and so forth). The seventh day is designated as the rest day. Itay Noy notes that different religious traditions observe different rest days, so the rest day on the dial can be customized to the owner’s preferences. Dials are available in blue or white for this reference.

The Seven-Day Cycle watch is also available in versions that names the days of the week in a more traditional way, but again with a sandwich dial with a ring between the two layers that highlights the day. The blue and white dials in this version of the watch have dividing lines that should aid a bit in legibility, but all watches in the Seven-Day Cycle collection are numeral and index free. These versions feature a date at 6:00, as well.

Lastly, there’s a Hebrew language dial with a black and white Star of David pattern that uses the same approach as the Rest Day variants, but with a more evocative and experimental approach. The black day track on the outer ring of the dial here is highlighted by a white indicator that moves underneath, which has the effect of hiding the apertures more effectively than on the blue or white dials in the English language versions of the watch.

All three versions get the same case, a stainless steel 40mm wide one. It’s a three piece design, with its most distinctive feature being the 6 visible screws from the dial side, each protruding just a bit from the standard circular shape. All of the watches in the collection are powered by Itay Noy’s IN.S200 caliber, a modified version of the Sellita SW240.

The Seven-Day Cycle collection is a limited and numbered edition of 77 watches and the retail price across the entire collection is $4,900. Find out more on their website.

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Cuervo Y Sobrinos Goes Deep Into Their Cuban Roots With The Tobaco Inspired Historiador Cronógrafo 1946

Cuervo y Sobrinos has an absolutely fantastic story. Cuervo, a jewellery and watch repair shop, was established in Havana, Cuba, by Spanish immigrant Don Ramón Cuervo in 1882. As business prospered, Don Cuervo’s nephews were recruited, becoming Cuervo y Sobrinos. The go-to establishment for prestigious imported timepieces like Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin and Rolex, Cuervo y Sobrinos counted on a roster of illustrious clients like Caruso, Gary Cooper, Hemingway and Einstein. By the 1950s, Havana had become a luxurious playground for the rich and famous but after the revolution a shop that sells luxury goods was not as welcomed. In the 1990s, the brand was revived and it’s now based in Capolago, Switzerland and has carved a niche with models that lean heavily on vintage design cues and a touch of Cuban flamboyance.

And their new Historiador Cronógrafo 1946 is exactly that. It very strongly takes inspiration from a best-selling model recovered from its archives and ends up being a great looking watch with panda-style dial in a salmon colour with brown counters.

Fans of more compact watches will be happy to learn that this new Historiador Cronógrafo 1946 has a more restrained 40mm diameter and a thickness of 12mm. It’s not a tiny vintage watch, but chooses what seems to be the most appropriate size for a chronograph. As opposed to more vintage-inspired sporty piston pushers, the Historiador Cronógrafo features rectangular pushers with smooth rounded edges and is polished throughout. The distinctive shape of the lugs gives the watch a very noticeable presence, but these are curved and sit flush on the wrist.

Using an attractive ‘antique salmon’ colour for the background of the dial, the two horizontally placed counters are snailed and picked out in a brown ‘tobacco’ colour, a signature element of the brand referencing Cuba’s famous cigars. The two-tone or panda-style dial is finished with a brown tachymeter scale and applied silver-coloured Arabic numerals.

Inside the watch is an ETA 2094 automatic with a customized rotor which beats at 28,800 vph and gets 42 hours of power reserve. It comes on a matte brown Louisiana alligator strap with a folding buckle. Another quirky nod to Cuba is the fact that the watch is delivered in a cigar box.

🫳On hand

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⚙️Watch Worthy

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

The Formex Essence 39 is a stylish daily wearer at a competitive price

Formex can be seen as an independent brand, but is one of the few that borders the independent and regular watch markets. Independent because it operates, well, independently and outputs loads of innovative technologies and unique designs, and regular because the quality of Formex watches rivals that of established Swiss brands. The Formex Essence 39 — released in 2020 following a successful 43mm version in 2019 — was a true revolution in the independent watch market. Unbeknownst to the brand, the Essence set new standards for all micro and independent brands in existence today.

⏲️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

• The story is always the same. In 1984, cocaine trafficking in Maine was considered an urban problem. But in the sticks of the midcoast, a loose cartel of freewheeling, twenty-something drug dealers was building an empire — until one of the state’s most elaborate and far-reaching undercover operations brought it all crashing down.

• Chances are, Barbie is going to be the biggest movie of the year. And from the first reviews I have read, it’s also not as shallow as one would expect. But Mattel, the company that owns Barbie is betting big on their toys becoming great movies. They have seen what Hasbro has done with the Transformers and they already have plans for movies about the Masters of the Universe, Hot Wheels and Barney, the dinosaur. However, it seems that they are truly going all in, because they plan on making movies about toys like the View-Master, the Magic 8 Ball and the card game Uno. Will this work? Who knows.

• We all have a neighbour who’s a hoarder. We see the junk pouring out of his balcony and on some days we pity them and on others we wonder how dangerous that is for the neighbourhood. We watch with schadenfreude the various TV shows about hoarders. But this condition is actually horrific. Just read this piece from the Guardian.

👀Watch this

One video you have to watch today

I just binged a couple of the Disney+ Star Wars shows, an boy are they fun. It got me thinking how wide the Star Wars universe is and how great the SW fan films I used to watch on YouTube a decade ago were. I decided to rewatch a couple of them, which led me to this one - Odyssey. One I haven’t seen before, but I’m glad I changed that today.

💵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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