Plus: Eye-catching looks – including that nice mix of angles, polishing and brushing on the case the beefy-as-hell water resistance. So really, it’s a GMT watch that would also be great for snorkelling, not scuba. But there’s something a bit schizophrenic here: Aquaracer is a diving line and the GMT has many of the necessary attributes: massive water-resistance, an integrated crown guard, a rotating bezel, a diver’s extension under the folding clasp … but the bezel is bi-directional, and it lacks the 15-minute countdown markers that are essential for safety, as well as the knurling needed for grip. You can’t see it, though, because the Aquaracer case is built to diving watch specs, with a closed caseback and 300-metre water resistance – decorated with a diving helmet, for added emphasis. The movement, Calibre 7, is based on the reliable and accurate Sellita SW300 with a GMT module added. The elongated trapezoid hour markers and the baton hands are big, bold and very easy to read, and there’s a love-it-or-hate-it Cyclops lens over the date. And there’s more to attract the eye: a mix of brushed and polished surfaces on the steel case, horizontal ribbing on the black dial, and flashes of red on the second hour hand and the ‘Calibre 7 GMT’ text. With a shiny finish and shades of red and blue that are very close to true Pepsi colours, the aluminium bezel is 12-sided (a dodecagon to mathematicians and a lotsagon to me) with plenty of angles to catch the light. Pepsi and TAG Heuer go back a bit – the 1960s Autavia GMT sported the bicolour bezel – but this Aquaracer GMT, introduced as part of the refreshed line in 2017, is the first time we’ve seen it since then. Price: $4670 AUD on bracelet TAG Heuer Aquaracer Calibre 7 GMT The basics: Steel case 41mm x 14.5mm automatic calibre MT 5652 with 70-hour power reserve choice of three straps: black fabric with a burgundy stripe, a ‘vintage-finish’ brown leather or a stainless steel bracelet. Minus: Hard to think of any, unless the lack of the word ‘Rolex’ on the dial is a deal-breaker. It’s offered with a choice of three straps. Plus: Calibre MT 5652 was developed from scratch for this model it’s an integrated movement with a silicon hairspring, not a module added to an existing base. You get the key Black Bay design iconography: snowflake hands (for both minutes and second time zone), fine knurling on the bezel edge, strong lume that glows green in the dark, and an extra-large crown with the Tudor Rose emblem. The dial is also matt, with a slightly grainy finish and the date is perfectly legible, without a Cyclops lens. Its Pepsi-ness comes in more subdued tones than the Rolex: the blue is navy blue, the red has a burgundy cast and the anodised aluminium gives the bezel a more matt appearance. Here we have the GMT-Master II’s little cousin: it comes from the ‘other branch’ of the Rolex empire and costs less than half the price (list price, obviously, not the absurd premiums now being asked). And with that watch being so hard to get – current and vintage models all command massive premiums – it’s a good moment to consider other ways to get that Pepsi fix. Although Rolex totally ‘owns’ the distinctive bi-colour bezel, its GMT-Master (now Master II) is not the only Pepsi game in town. But for watches, no contest: the red-and-blue has been the clear winner since Rolex’s ref.6542 first saw the light of day in 1954. When it comes to fizzy drinks, the Cola Wars rumble on – The Pepsi Challenge Vs The Real Thing. Something to fill the desirability gap for that unattainable Daytona? Or a uniquely cool watch on its own terms? It’s both.I/trending 21354 The Pepsi Generation – 4 of the best Pepsi-bezelled watches Sandra Lane The overlapping sundials, pump-style side pushers and 41mm case remain. The “quintessential Zenith sporty-chic chronograph” now comes in new models with new case materials: 18kt rose gold with a rose gold bracelet and two-tone 18k rose gold with a stainless steel bracelet. It means it can record elapsed time down to not just the second, but to 1/10th of a second, a breakthrough in watchmaking. Plus, Zenith equipped its new Chronomaster with its proprietary “El Primero” movement, a mechanism with an uncommonly high frequency – way faster than Rolex’s. Rolex’s icon with the ceramic bezel and panda dial is one of the best-looking designs ever made. The similarities to Rolex’s Cosmograph Daytona were much-remarked upon when it came out last year, but if you’re going to be compared to one watch, it may as well be that.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |