Ochs und Junior Does It Again

The watches made by Ochs und Junior look very simple and lack much of the usual pomp of luxury watches. At the same time, they present an extremely sophisticated approach to modern watchmaking that emphasises functionality for itself. But this does not mean that watchmakers as well as watch lovers do not absolutely adore the puristic wristwatches.
The latest addition to the Ochs und Junior collection, the two time zones + date, also embodies the manufacturer’s strictly uncluttered design philosophy.

The two time zones + date shows hours and minutes in two different time zones, the date in your home timezone, running seconds and the power reserve. The big innovation in this watch is how Ochs und Junior has decided to implement the second time zone. Instead of adding an extra hand, Ochs and Junior opted for a central hour disc and replaced the traditional hour hand with one with a wedge-shaped opening. The main hand shows the local time, while the opening frames the hours of the second time zone.
The spiral date display, which runs around the outer rim of the dial, consists of 30+1 holes that are easy and intuitive to read. The small disc at twelve o’clock indicates the power reserve (the dot pointing to the right, when the watch is fully wound, and pointing to the left when the power reserve gets empty), while the small disc at six o’clock indicates the running seconds.

The Ochs und Junior two time zones + date display is powered by the Ulysse Nardin UN-118 basic movement, to which only ten additional components have been added to implement the date display and the GMT time. This automatic movement operates at a frequency of 4 Hz and provides a power reserve of up to 60 hours.
All settings are made via the crown.

The two time zones + date comes in a 42mm titanium or PVD-coated titanium or silver case. And like everything else – the dial, bracelet and the colour of the Super-LumiNova – the case material can be changed to fit the individual taste of the buyer. This is a feature, Ochs und Junior offers for all its watches, how awesome is that?
The case is water resistant up to 10 atm.

The Ochs und Junior two time zones + datum is as much fun as the other models made by the manufacturer. It is always exciting to see how Ochs und Junior can implement new functions once more simply and intuitively. And we can hardly wait to see what will be next.

Minimalism from Iceland: The Arc-Tic Retro

1424799078683Maybe you’ve never heard of Arc-Tic, based in downtown Reykjavik. It’s a small label, producing beautiful watches.. Now you can’t say that anymore, because we are introducing the Retro-watches of this Icelandic watchmanufacturer today.

Arc-Tic-Retro-The Retro-watches from Arc-Tic emanate a relaxed Nordic coolness. The Scandinavians are best known for their sparse minimalistic design, which made their furniture (and especially Ikea, yes) a huge hit world-wide. Now, we all can wear their famous style on our wrists; austerity with a splash of color.

The Arc-Tic Retro-watches are beautiful and simple three-hander. These quartz-powered watches are undeniably wearable and absolutely affordable. The only color on the dial are the red seconds hand and a red hyphen. These watches stand out in their starkness with their polished stainless steel case, generously-sized rhodium hour markers, rhodium logo and rhodium hands. These features catch the light – and the attention.
Arc-Tic-Retro-WatchYou won’t find any Super LumiNova on the dial, the hands or hour-markers; you will definitely need light to spot the time. That’s not for everyone but this decision emphasizes the retro-look considerably.

The case comes in two sizes – 36mm or 42mm in diameter – with 8mm in height. Both sizes are available with a white or black dial like mentioned earlier. The white ones come with a genuine honey-colored calfskin strap, the ones with the black dial with a black strap, including red stitching. The straps can be easily removed and replaced with a NATO-strap which is included in the delivery, its colors based on the Icelandic flag.

Arc-Tic-Retro-Watch-The Arc-Tic Retro is powered by a Swiss-made quartz movement and is water resistant to 50m. The case back is beautifully decorated, showing a map of Iceland, compass points and degree markings; also the Arctic Circle which inspired the name of the company.

The retail price of the Arc-Tic Retro watch is around 213€ and the watches are only available in stores around Iceland or from the Arc-Tic online store.

Test report: The watch Grande Classe steel blue from André Belfort

As previously announced- we also would like to introduce you the watch Grande Classe steel blue from André Belfort! Unfortunately we had to wait much longer than usual for this beauty – but it was totally worth it! We do not often have the privilege to test such a luxury watch. Here are our test resuluts:

Packaging and first impression
As all the other André Belfort watches, the Grande Classe steel blue  comes in a  very elegant and luxury packaging. Inside the box we find – besides the watch – a beautiful designed guarantee card and an easy to read manual. Our first impression is very positive We have rarely seen such a masterpiece on our desk.

 

Reliability and suitability for daily use
During our daily tests, the Grande Classe steel blue from André Belfort has been able to convince us all along the line. We found no problems neither
by tests during sporting activities as well as through the reliability ones. Nothing can disarray this André Belfort watch, it is particularly
accurate within the tolerance values. However these are absolutely correct and corresponding to what can be expected from an automatic watch.

Quality and workmanship
André Belford’s Grande Classe is wonderfully manufactured
and captivates through its high complexity. How could it be different? We couldn’t find any
scratches, no drop of oil, not even a grain of dust or bad aroma. André Belfort lives up to its reputation with the Grande Classe steel blue!

Conclusion
We are very impressed.Great quality – great watch!