The Longines Master 38.5mm Gets An Incredible Salmon Engraved Dial, Raymond Weil Has A Pop Inspired Bi-Compax, Formex Introduces A Range Of Colors And New Watches From Swatch And Greubel Forsey

Hey friends, welcome back to It’s About Time. You may or may not have noticed you didn’t get the newsletter yesterday. I just about finished it, scheduled everything to send out and then remembered I wanted to add something to the Longines piece. I opened the newsletter back up and it was completely gone. This is a known, but very rare, bug with beehiiv, the newsletter service I use to send this out. I got complacent and stopped making backups in Word as I write and it was too late to start writing the whole thing over again.

I apologise for this technical hiccup and I’m here to remind you: never stop backing up! Backuping? You know what I mean. Thanks for sticking with me as I sort this out.

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In this issue:

• Longines Adds A Salmon Engraved Dial To The New Longines Master Small Seconds 38.5mm

• Raymond Weil Releases Pop-Inspired Bi-Compax Limited Edition In Gorgeous Turquoise

• Swatch Debuts New Big Bold Irony Collection, Combining Steel And Bioceramic

• Formex Updates The Essence Line With A Splash Of Summery Colors

• Ulysse Nardin Has Launched The Final Versions Of Its UFO Table Clock

• Greubel Forsey Shrinks Down Balancier Convexe S2 and Double Balancier Convexe, They’re Still Wonderful, Still Expensive

Today’s reading time: 8 minutes and 7 seconds

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👂What’s new

1/

Longines Adds A Salmon Engraved Dial To The New Longines Master Small Seconds 38.5mm 

The time-only Longines Master has been one of the more subdued and perhaps boring watches Longines makes. There was nothing particularly wrong with it. It was just a bit dull and uninteresting. There were certainly more interesting dress watches from other brands at the same price point. Then in 2022, Longines did something to the Master to celebrate the 190th anniversary of the brand and turned a boring watch into one of their most spectacular pieces. They gave it three versions with different textures and absolutely stunning engraved Breguet-style numerals. Now, Longines is updating this masterpiece with a more compact case, small seconds display and a gorgeous salmon colored dial.

Last year’s version came with three central hands, a 41mm case and a dial that had finely grained or brushed textures. This new version comes in a more elegant 38.5mm polished steel case. It’s only 10.2mm thick, despite sapphire crystals on top and bottom and gets 30 meters of water resistance. But all of that is completely irrelevant. You won’t even notice the case once you see the dial.

While getting an incredible attractive salmon color, the dial retains the vertically brushed base and engraved Breguet-style numerals. The numerals are filled in black and paired with matching leaf-shaped hands. And the engravings look incredible. You almost wish the watch did not have a crystal on top so you could touch the deep grooves of the numbers at all time. You can also get the watch with a grained anthracite dial with gold numerals and hands, but I have a sneaking suspicion that this watch is not new and I’ve seen it before. I might be wrong, though.

Inside the watch is the calibre L893.5, which is based on the ETA A31.501, a movement exclusive to the brand. Despite being an industrial movement, it benefits from several upgrades compared to a stock ETA calibre. For example, the power reserve is now a comfortable 72-hour, while the regulating organ features an antimagnetic silicon hairspring.

This new Longines Master Small Seconds 38.5mm with Salmon Engraved Dial is priced at EUR 2,600 which is more than a fair price. To know more, feel free to visit their website.

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Raymond Weil Releases Pop-Inspired Bi-Compax Limited Edition In Gorgeous Turquoise  

Themed watches can be a double edged sword. Breitling, for example, has had some success with their latest Top Time collections that are modled after legendary sports cars. On the other hand, Bulova has a whole line of Frank Sinatra watches of which only one is decent. Why does one work and the other doesn’t? While the Breitling’s are not subtle watches, they don’t push their connection to sports cars prominently, screaming that it’s an homage. That’s what makes them agreeable to a larger cutomer base. Bulova, on the other hand, slaps Sinatra’s signature on almost every single dial making it look tacky.

Raymond Weil is firmly on the Breitling side of this homage spectrum. They have been making watches inspired by music for some time now, mostly classical music that paired well with their more elegant watches. But for their most recetn music inspired is the Raymond Weil Freelancer Pop Bi-Compax Chronograph. As it’s inspied by live pop music it makes sense that it’s a more sporty chronograph with a very trendy turquoise dial. Oh, and it’s made out of titanium and limited to 400 pieces.

The case remains the same as other Freelancer models. It’s large at 43.5mm wide and 13.7mm thick and has a signed screw-down crown at 3 o’clock and a pair of titanium pump-style chronograph pushers. Surrounding the crystal is a fixed tachymeter bezel that is fitted with a black ceramic insert, and while the majority of the bezel’s markings appear in white, the “tachymeter” text itself is bright turquoise to compliment the various other accents that are present throughout the rest of the watch. The new Freelancer Pop Bi-Compax Chronograph is crafted entirely from titanium, and it comes fitted with a matching full-titanium bracelet. Additionally, rather than having brushed and polished surfaces like the various stainless steel models, this new limited edition version receives an entirely brushed finish.

The dial and hands fitted largely follow the same design and layout as what can be found on the various other two-register chronographs from the brand’s Freelancer collection, but in the black, silver, and turquoise colorway designated for this model. The dial itself is black with a dramatic gradient effect that darkens towards the outer edge, and surrounding this is an angled turquoise chapter ring, which contains a pulsations scale printed in black and aqua blue. The two registers positioned at 3 o’clock and 9 o’clock are also colored turquoise. The date is at the superior position of 6 o’clock and the calendar disc has a very unusual font for the date.

Inside the watch is the brand’s RW5030 automatic movement. I can’t find too much about this movement. It’s based on a Sellita movement, this time the SW510, which is Sellita’s take on the ETA 7753. Raymond Weil claims they modify the movement, but all the basic stats are the same - 56 hours of power reserve on a full wind, 27 jewels, and a frequency of 28,800 vph. It does get blued screws, perlage, and a customized rotor. This particular version is fitted with a skeletonized rotor that features turquoise text to match the colorway present throughout the rest of the watch.

400 pieces will be made and are available now for $3,995. This is a preimum of a few hundred dollars over the various three-register Freelancer chronographs in stainless steel, so it might be a great deal. See more on the RW website.

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Swatch Debuts New Big Bold Irony Collection, Combining Steel And Bioceramic

I’ll start off by saying that I KNOW Bioceramic is not ceramics. Yes, it’s plastic. Now that we have gotten over that argument, we can move on. Swatch is introducing a huge (literally) new line of watches that they are calling Big Bold Irony. And the name says it all. They are giving their Big Bold watches the Irony treatment. The Irony collection was originally conceived in the 1990s as a premium offering featuring cases made from metal, which means we will get the Big Bold with stainless steel cases.

Big Bold also lives up to it’s big name. These are 47mm wide watches, but Swatch has cleverly shaped the lugs, which start towards the underside of the case and curve sharply downwards, resulting in a case length of just 44.8mm. They’re also 13.3mm thick, which is not great, but not horrible. The best stat about it is that it weighs 108 with a quartz movement, so it should be very wearable.

The Big Bold Irony will come in five summery variants – Dark Irony (Black), Azure Blue Daze, Red Juicy, Mint Trim, and Bolden Yellow. All five come with color-matched, non-tapering rubber straps and steel buckles. The mainplate and skeletonized dials are made of Bioceramic, which make for an interesting new contrast with the new case material. The sand-blasted finish of the case is subtle. Legibility appears to be excellent despite the skeletonized dial thanks to the large hands and high contrast chapter ring and hour markers. The bioceramic mainplate and dial showcase the components of the movement and bring considerable depth, something that is further accentuated by the fact that the “Swatch” wordmark is printed on the bottom of the crystal. All of these factors come together for a watch that is unapologetically playful and brash.

Following this first wave of new watches, Swatch is also planing on releasing an additional five Big Bold Irony models, this time on matching steel bracelets. These will feature sunburst dials and integrated sport bracelets. You can find the new Big Bold Irony watches now in stores for $195. See more on the Swatch website.

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Formex Updates The Essence Line With A Splash Of Summery Colors

Since 2018 Formex has been cranking out models in the most popular Essence collection, and with good reason. The value proposition is quite clear: these are nicely designed, well made, contemporary and sensibly priced watches. Now Formex is introducing a new variant to the Essence, one that’s very summery, very sporty and comes in both 39 and 43mm, officially called the Formex Essence Splash Chronometer Limited Collection.

The Splash collection appears across both the 39mm Essence in stainless steel as well as the 43mm Essence Leggera with a case made from carbon and ceramic components. The dials are hand-sprayed with bright and bold colors in the brand’s Swiss dial manufacture. The colors range from pastel shades to bold neon, with the full lineup including Sunflower Yellow, Jungle Green, Sunset Orange, Baby Blue, and Lavender Purple. The distinctive feature of the Essence dial, the CNC machined horizontal lines that are run across it, remain in this collection. These dials have a matte finish, which makes the colors pop and appear more uniform, and stands in contrast to other Essence dials that are a bit more reflective.

Of course, all the usual Formex bells and whistles are present here, including the brand’s patented deployant clasp that allows for quick adjustments up to 7mm without removing the watch from your wrist, and the Formex Case Suspension system, which allows the interior portion of the case to ride up and down four integrated springs along with one’s wrist movement. The steel watches in 39mm include the excellent Formex bracelet that has a hidden micro-extension built into the clasp allowing for an easy 4mm adjustment if needed, and all straps and bracelets have quick release functionality built in, so no tools are needed when it’s time to switch things up. Like other Essence models, these run on a chronometer certified Sellita SW-200 automatic movement with a 41 hour power reserve.

The new Formex Essence Splash Chronometer collection is a limited production run that Formex says will only be available during the summer months. The retail price starts at $1,480 for the 39mm version, and $1,640 for the Leggera version. Check out more on the Formex website.

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Greubel Forsey Shrinks Down Balancier Convexe S2 and Double Balancier Convexe, They’re Still Wonderful, Still Expensive

I’m one of the many unfortunate people in the watch world that have never had the privilege to handle a Greubel Forsey. But, from everything we can gather, these are just about the most impressively finished watches on the market, they are notable for their architectural dials that put the movements on full display. They are also known for their substantial wrist presence, which is to be expected considering the amount of horology they contain. Now, GF is making very slight moves to change that - the new versions versions of the Balancier Convexe S² and the Double Balancier Convexe are shrunken by 2mm and 1mm, respectively.

Even though these are smaller, the decrease isn’t so dramatic that you’d notice it immediately. They are still not small watches. Both models used to measure 43.5mm, but now the Double Balancier Convexe measures 42.5 and the Balancier Convexe S² measures 41.5mm wide. While these changes may not be noticable, the reduction of thickness from 15.7mm to 14.8mm on the Balancier Convexe S² will be appreciated, even if it is by a select few.

The titanium cases still feature a curved sapphire crystal, which makes sense since they are part of the Collection Convexe, defined by its big, curved case, wide open dials, and sportier overall appearance. The Balancier Convexe S² is offered in either a blue or gray dial and the Double Balancier Convexe is offered with a silver dial. Both come on rubber textured straps with titanium clasps or an integrated titanium bracelet that matches the finishing of the case

The movements, of course, are partially exposed on the dial. On the dial plate, both watches feature engraved mainspring barrels that carry most of the watch’s branding, as well as a power reserve. GF quotes a “chronometric power reserve” of 72 hours. That is to say, the watch has a PR that extends past 72 hours but runs within chronometer spec for 72 hours. Both watches also feature a running seconds subdial (inclined on the Balancier Convexe S²), a skeletonized, curved handset with lumed tips, and lumed hour markers around the swooping chapter ring.

These are subtle changes, but I’ll take any reason to write about Greubel Forsey. These are works of art, and they’re priced as such. The Greubel Forsey Greubel Forsey Balancier Convexe S² is priced at CHF 212,000 on strap and CHF 252,000 on bracelet, while the Greubel Forsey Double Balancier Convexe is priced at CHF 305,000 on strap and CHF 345,000 on bracelet. Both models are limited to 88 pieces and will be produced from 2023 to 2026. Don’t expect to see many of these on wrists at you local watch meetup. But you can enjoy them some more on the GF website.

🫳On hand

Our selection of the best reviews we stumble upon

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Hands on with the AP Code 11.59 Minute Repeater Supersonnerie With Smoked Sapphire Dial

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A review of the Zero West TT-58: British automotive history for the wrist

⚙️Watch Worthy

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

The Timeless HMS 003, the second model from Maël Oberkampf’s offbeat Swiss microbrand

Things really take off when you dive into the dial. Oberkampf clearly appreciates a clever typeface. Like the other design choices on this watch, they exhibit two seemingly contradictory styles. I’m thinking, “Art Deco military stencil.” And the way they are literally sitting on the inner edge of that shallow rehaut with no space below them but a stylized railroad track index above? I’m not going to lie, I thought it was a bizarre choice at first, but I love it, especially the way it is ringed by the divot hour markers in the bezel. There is a very 1920s retro-futurist vibe going here.

⏲️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

• Oppenheimer is out in theatres. So why not do an entire extra reading section on the man the movie is about. Starting, off, here’s an excerpt from American Prometheus. In this first chapter of the book, we meet the parents of Robert J. Oppenheimer, the father of the atomic era

• This is a fascinating dive into both Oppenheimer and the human psyche. Robert Jay Lifton proves himself to be an Oppenheimer commentator who has true knowledge, insight, and understanding, even admitting that “had I been a physicist at the time I would have readily joined that crusade.” A thought-provoking take that goes beyond the narrative into the complexities of humanity.

• Four years after America dropped the atomic bombs on Japan, writer Lincoln Barnett went to Princeton to interview J. Robert Oppenheimer. Barnett found a noticeably relieved Oppenheimer, deep into new research—a “revival of physics”—after years spent building a weapon that to his mind was “merely a gadget, a technological artifact that exploited principles well known before the war.” This remarkable profile, available via Google Books in its original print format, includes ones of the earliest descriptions of Oppenheimer’s famous observation upon the detonation of the first atomic bomb test.

👀Watch this

One video you have to watch today

I first heard of Beau Miles a couple of years ago when I saw his video in which he ran a full marathon by running one mile every hour for 24 hours and using the leftover time in the hour to fix stuff around his house. He is incredibly funny. His new feat is just as crazy. He will run a marathon, one mile every hour for 24 hours, while renovating a canoe. Why not?

💵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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