News : New Watches Round Up W/C 1st April

Well, Basel is a memory but the watches keep on coming.

An eclectic bunch from last week and a trio of new brands appearing on the scene, but will any  of them be permanent fixtures, I think one could well be one to watch…(sorry)

First up we have a new brand looking to make a splash, trying to turn metal and gears into cold hard cash. The Alchemists Cu29 Inaugural Timepiece. Made from an alloy of copper, gold and silver the so-called Cuprum alloy is the starting material for this watch. It is supposed to be a take on those copper bracelets you see some folk wearing that is supposed to give health benefits.

A good looking if not slightly derivatively designed watch, with MB&F and Greubel Forsey in mind but with a few interesting design features and it is fully hand finished. Price is not known but I would expect high 5 if not 6 figures and suspect if you want the health benefits of Copper you would be better buying a bangle and spending the rest on a personal trainer.

The second new brand of the week was next. Culem Watches World GMT Collection. A 40mm watch with AR coating and a display case back complete with world timezone engraving. The case filled with an ETA caliber has a dial display of the world reminiscent of the arcade game Defender.

Martins of Glasgow Watch Servicing and Repair

An interesting watch if the price is right, unfortunately, no pricing has been announced yet, so only time will tell if this watch is really worth a look at a few hundred quid or has pretentions beyond its abilities at a few thousand. The 7th of May is when we find out.

Chronograph time and time for the Van der Gang Classic Chronograph. Baby Blue appears to be a colour seeping into a number of brands recently, witness the Zodiac GMT and this continues on the strap coloring of the Van Der Gang. ETA 7751 based this a rather pleasant looking piece, complete with annual calendar and appears to be a limited edition of 674, but priced at Euro7900 is it a good deal for a watch that while pleasant has a good bit of the “Undone Urban” about it?

A brand with two feet in Swiss Stereotypes we have the Victorinox Swiss Army I.N.O.X. Carbon L.E. Limited to 1200 pieces this is a firefighting tribute watch, 43mm and as tough as nails this quartz watch comes complete with a neon yellow paracord strap with reflective tracers and with an additional black firefighters boots leather strap all wrapped up in a shockproof box, with additional compass bezel, strap and of course a Swiss Army Knife Rescue Tool, all yours for CHF995.

Something a bit special now from IWC with the Portugieser Chronograph Rattrapante Edition “Boutique Milano” As the name suggests this 150 piece issue features case back symbols of the Sforza family crest ubiquitous with Milan and is just stunning in blue and stainless steel with gold hands. It will fit in just fine on the wrist of any fashionable Milanese.

Something for the ladies now, so of course we throw diamonds and colours at the watch, will we ever learn, the Moritz Grossmann Tefnut Lady Butterfly. A collaborattion with artist Harriet Oberlaender who has hand painted the butterfly clad dial she has high ambitions for this watch “I want every glance at the watch not only to reveal the time to the wearer, but also remind her of the happiness of a fleeting moment”.

To be fair the 36mm watch has some high grade shock resistance, so you can chase your butterflys through the most potholed of fields.

Third out of the starting blocks in the new brand launch was  Kennsen of Switzerland with our second Annual Calendar Chronograph of the week. Swiss based Kennsen, developed by a New Zealander in Switzerland has a very interesting take on the Annual Calander layout. Placing the month indicator hard up against the hands means that the month and date run on the same plane along with a handy Day/Night indicator aiding calander setting.

It is ETA 7750 based but regulated to better than Chronometer level, 42 mm and 50m water resistant, and the 7750 base caliber is one of the best finished by Kenssen of this movement with Côtes de Genève and snailing on the plates.

All of this for CHF5180. This has got to be worth a serious look for someone wanting to wander off the beaten track.

 

Last up the TAG Heuer Connected Modular 45 “Golf Edition” It is a golf watch, i am not in the slightest bit interested.

THE END

So watch of the week is definetly the Kennsen, no idea how i am going to find one of these to see in the flesh but i am certainly going to try.

THE ACTUAL END

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