AVI-8 AV-4011 Hawker Hurricane

I found a fairly interesting watch from a small UK based company called AVI-8. Given the staggering number of watches offered by the company, manufacture is outsourced to a third party. Most likely a China based one. Still, Being a fan of Pilots watches and aviation history, I could not help but notice the AV-4011 when is popped on for sale on a local online store.

There is nothing spectacular about the watch itself. The watch has a 42 mm case which houses a Japanese quartz chronograph movement. Priced at about US$200, it is not necessarily a bargain. Still I found the old RAF roundel at the 9 o'clock particularly interesting. The watch comes in several color of dials and black and brown options for straps. But personally cream and brown (AV-4011-04) seems like the most attractive combination.

Still, if you are interested in aviation history, a watch commemorating the Hawker Hurricane might be a worthwhile addition to your collection.

Casio Edifice EQW-A1200DB-1A

It is hard to fall in love with a Quartz wristwatch. To the purist, a watch must have a mechanical movement. Many a watch lover can see the merit of a digital watch for specific tasks. A quartz watch is hard to fall in love with.

Quartz watches are practical choices. They are cheaper than mechanical watches and providing better timekeeping accuracy. Some features like perpetual calendars, which make for very expensive mechanical watches, are inexpensive to implement in a quartz watch. But to many, myself include, the abrupt and halting of the motion of the second hand is just something we do not like to see,

Casio Edifice EQW-A1200DB-1A. If you are going to go with a quartz watch, might as well goes with one that does everything. The Casio Edifice EQW-A1200DB-1A is powered by the sun. The battery will last all of six months without exposure to light. The rechargeable battery itself should be able to last you about two decades before needing replacement.

If you live in a supported area, you never have to set the correct time. The Casio Edifice EQW-A1200DB-1A is Radio-controlled and can receive signals from six different transmitters around the globe which will automatically make sure you have the correct time set to an Atomic clock.

Location of Atomic clocks:

• Station name: DCF77 (Mainflingen, Germany), Frequency: 77.5 kHz
• Station name: MSF (Anthorn, England), Frequency: 60.0 kHz
• Station name: WWVB (Fort Collins, United States), Frequency: 60.0 kHz
• Station name: JJY (Fukushima, Fukuoka/Saga, Japan), Frequency: 40.0 kHz (Fukushima) / 60.0 kHz (Fukuoka/Saga)
• Station name: BPC (Shangqiu City, Henan Province, China)
• Frequency: 68.5 kHz

The watch is pretty accurate even in area with signal calibration. The Casio Edifice EQW-A1200DB-1A is rated at ±15 seconds per month with no signal calibration.

One good reason to get a quartz watch is if you intend to use it as a chronograph. The watch has a 1/20-second chronograph. The best mechanicals measure to the closest 1/8th of a second, and very few can go 1/10th. This is because they "beat" at 8 to 10 times a second. The Casio Edifice EQW-A1200DB-1A can also keep records of up to 10 laps. Even the best mechanical watches are limited to two. 

The list goes on. The Casio Edifice EQW-A1200DB-1A has a full auto-calendar until the year 2099, a electronic compass, a countdown timer, can display time in different cities around the world (29 time zones), alarm, battery level indicator, day and date display.

The watch is also designed to be durable with a 100-meter water resistance and a vibration-resistant structure.  The internal module of the watch is encased in αGEL®, a highly vibration-absorbentmaterial that isolates the module from vibration and impact. Silicone-based soft gel material that provides superior vibration-absorption capabilities. Also, the spring rods connecting the band to the case are enclosed in carbon tubes that protect them from becoming detached due to vibration.

About Casio. Casio Computer Co., Ltd. is a multinational electronic devices manufacturing company founded in 1946, with its headquarters  in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan. Casio  is best known for its calculators, audio equipment, PDAs, cameras, musical instruments, and watches. Casio released it first G-Shock watch in 1983.

IWC Da Vinci Perpetual Calendar Digital Date-Month Ref. 3761

Pallweber. Pallweber was the name given to watches that displayed the hours and minutes using numerals, while the seconds were shown in analogue form with a hand. IWC has been producing Pallweber watches since 1884. 

This year IWC is releasing a reinterpretation of this classic design. Instead of displaying hour and minutes using numerals, IWC has created a perpetual calendar watch which will display the  date and month in a pair of apertures located at just above the 3 and 9 o'clock positions. It is not original, and I have seen similar designs in the past. But a every perpetual calendar watch is always interesting.

Perpetual Calendars. Different people have varied opinions on what is the ultimate complication. For me, it has always been the perpetual calendar. How somebody conceived of putting together a mechanical device which designed to complete one full cycle in 12 hours, and another in 24, to be able to have triggers on 28th, 30th or 31st day of the month, and once every four years, to move the trigger from the 28th to the 29th of a month is beyond me. A perpetual calendar is truly a mechanical computer. It would be a true privilege to one day own a timepiece like this.

This watch actually also houses a second complication. It also Flyback chronograph into the perpetual calendar movement.

IWC Da Vinci Perpetual Calendar Digital Date-Month Ref. 3761. The watch has a 44 mm rose gold case and is presented in a brown leather strap. It is not a limited edition, but given that it is bound to be a very expensive watch, I can imagine not many will be produced.

About IWC. IWC or the the "International Watch Co. Schaffhausen" was founded by an American engineer from Boston, Florentine Ariosto Jones, in Schaffhausen, Switzerland in the year 1868. IWC Schaffhausen is notable for being the only major Swiss watch factory located in eastern Switzerland, as the majority of the well-known Swiss watch manufacturers are located in western Switzerland.

BaselWorld 2013: OMEGA Speedmaster '57

OMEGA Speedmaster '57. In addition to a modern take on the Speedmaster, OMEGA also created a classically inspired one, the OMEGA Speedmaster '57. The year 1957 was the year the original Speedmaster was released. The Speedmaster '57 combines the classic look of the original Speedmaster, with the new clean looking dial which reduces the number of sub-dials from three to two. This is achieve my merging the minutes and hour sub-counters used for the chronograph sub-dial into a single dial with two hands. I really like the new cleaner looking dial.

One thing is not in line with the classic theme. The Speedmaster '57 while being a classically inspired design losses the black tachymeter scale which makes a Speedmaster look like a Speedmaster.  


The Speedmaster ’57 has a 41.50 mm case available in a wide choice of metals. It comes in stainless steel, 18K red or yellow gold, a bicolour blend of 18K red gold and stainless steel and lightweight titanium. The different versions are made available with a matching bracelet or leather strap. The dial comes in either black or silver.

Inside is an OMEGA calibre 9300 movement which utilizes the companies trademark Co-Axial technology which reduces friction and extends the life of the movement.

Too many Speedmasters? As much as I like the new Speedmaster '57, looking at OMEGA's website, there are now seventeen variations of the Speedmaster, and each of those comes in a variety of configurations for a total of about ninety different models. In my opinion, the number of models and variations diminishes the line. A Rolex Submariner, from almost any era, is recognizable as a Rolex Submariner, even if it is one of the most common designs in the world. The Speedmaster line, is so diverse that is risks being just another Swiss chronograph. 

About Omega SA. The forerunner of Omega was founded 1848, by Louis Brandt. The name Omega was first used in 1894. It was used as the name of one of the Louis Brandt brother’s watch movement calibers.

BaselWorld 2013: OMEGA Speedmaster "The Dark Side of the Moon"

Another Moonwatch. If there is something you can expect from OMEGA every year, like clockwork, is another Moonwatch. OMEGA feels to constantly need to remind us that its Speedmaster was the official watch selected by NASA during the early days of space exploration, and that the Speedmaster accompanied Astronauts to the Moons surface. Sometimes OMEGA finds some significant space event or digs up something from the Apollo Project history to commemorate, like the Alaska Project. At other times, you feel like OMEGA's designers are really forcing the issue... I mean, who commemorates at 35th Anniversary? Some hits, some misses. This year, OMEGA's effort to come up with a new Moon watch is a hit.

OMEGA opted not to look for some special event, and simply called the new watch "The Dark Side of the Moon".  The name is more inspired by the black ceramic case and the black zirconium oxide ceramic dial.

OMEGA Speedmaster "The Dark Side of the Moon". The new OMEGA offering is carries an all black theme. A 44.25 mm diameter ceramic case on a black Cordura fabric strap strap, is highlighted only by 18K white gold hands and indexes, as well the red "Speedmaster" label on the dial. The tachymeter scale, constructed from matt chromium nitride, contrast nicely with the the polished ceramic bezel. The overall look gives the OMEGA's old Speedmaster a decidedly modern look.   At the back, the words “DARK SIDE OF THE MOON” are engraved above the bevelled scratch-resistant sapphire crystal.

Instead of the three sub-dials you are accustomed to on Omega Speedmasters, you instead have two  sub-dials. The reduction of the sub-dials was accomplished by placing the of the 12-hour and 60-minute counters on the same sub-dial at the 3 o’clock position. The second sub-dial displays running small seconds.

Powering this watch is a built by OMEGA Co-Axial calibre 9300 movement, and equipped with a Si14 silicon balance spring. This Speedmaster is offered with a full four-year warranty.

About Omega SA. The forerunner of Omega was founded 1848, by Louis Brandt. The name Omega was first used in 1894. It was used as the name of one of the Louis Brandt brother’s watch movement calibers.

BaselWorld 2013: Rolex Cosmograph Daytona Ref. 116506

Twenty-Five Years. The Rolex Cosmograph Daytona was officially released in 1963. making 2013 the 50th anniversary of this watch. The current design of the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona dates back to the 1988. Refinements have been made to the movement, construction and clasp, but the basic look of the watch has remained the same for 25 years  now. The design has stood up to the test of time, and is still as attractive today as when it was first released.  There are Rolex Daytona fans who would like to see some changes in the watch. Some would like a date display integrated into the dial, others would like the case to be enlarged and some would like both. For every Rolex Daytona fan who wants some changes to the basis design, another likes it just the way it is. I cannot recall anyone wanting a radical redesign of this watch. 

At BaselWorld 2013, Rolex has brought a new fresh take on the Cosmograph Daytona, but it is not an all new design. 

Rolex Cosmograph Daytona Ref. 116506. The Rolex Cosmograph Daytona Ref. 116506 is the first Daytona to be manufactured of Platinum. Platinum is the most valuable of the classic precious metals used in watch manufacture. Platinum, has a sheen slightly different from white gold and stainless steel, but the casual observer will likely not notice. To distinguish the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona Ref. 116506 from its lower cost siblings, Rolex has given the Ref. 116506 a Chestnut Brown CERACHROM bezel, and a Ice Blue dial. 

The CERACHROM dial was first used on a Cosmograph Daytona in 2011. The Ice Blue dial, screams Platinum, to the Rolex fan, being reminiscent of the Glaciar Blue dial used on Platinum Rolex Day-Date's.  

Other than the use of Platinum and the new color scheme on the bezel and dial, this watch identical to the previous models. It is still 40 mm in diameter and has the same COSC certified 4130 movement inside which beats at 28,800 vibrations per hour and has a long 72-hour power reserve to accommodate the additional strain of utilizing the Chronograph function.

Now this watch won't have wide appeal. The Platinum material used means this watch will be failrly hefty. This watch should retail at somewhere north of US$65,000, limiting its appeal. Still, if you have been looking for the ultimate Rolex Cosmogrpah Daytona. this is it.

You can read more about the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona at this link.

About Rolex. Rolex SA is a Swiss manufacturer of wristwatches and accessories founded in 1905 by Hans Wilsdorf and Alfred Davis. Rolex is the largest single luxury watch brand by far, producing over 2000 watches per day. Rolex is the best known and most sought after watch brand in the world.

  

IWC Portuguese Chronograph Classic Ref. IW390402

IWC Portuguese Chronograph Classic. IWC has added two new watches to its classically and maritime inspired Portuguese line-up. One of the new models is the IWC Portuguese Chronograph Classic.

The new watch has a 42 mm case which available in either red gold or stainless steel. Both versions come with a choice of either a slate dial or a silver dial. The dial of the watch is rather clean, with a a single counter used to display elapsed minutes and hours chronograph at the 12 o'clock position. Two hands are utilized, one to display minutes and the other hours, which are designed to record elapsed times of up to 12-hours. Running seconds are displayed in a sub-dial at the 6 o'clock position. The date is displayed in a window at the 3 o'clock position.

The watch is presented with a choice of either a brown or black alligator skin bracelet.

IWC Calibre 89361. But the heart of this watch is the in-house built, Calibre 89361 self-winding  movement. From the early 1980’s until 2006, IWC  would modify  ETA and Valjoux movements four use in their watches. More and more each year, manufacturers of premium watches are moving to in-house movements, and the Calibre 89361 is part of a series of IWC in-house movements which will probably see all IWC watches carrying a built by IWC movement at some point in the near future.

The calibre 89361 is a impressive enough design. It runs at the expected 28,800 vibrations per hour which results in the near fluid motion of the second hand. It features a flyback function. This allows to stop, reset and start the chronograph with a single button press. The Calibre 89361 movement also has a long 68 hour power reserve.   

About IWC. IWC or the the "International Watch Co. Schaffhausen" was founded by an American engineer from Boston, Florentine Ariosto Jones, in Schaffhausen, Switzerland in the year 1868. IWC Schaffhausen is notable for being the only major Swiss watch factory located in eastern Switzerland, as the majority of the well-known Swiss watch manufacturers are located in western Switzerland.

IWC Portuguese Yacht Club Chronograph Edition IW390213

IWC Portuguese Yacht Club Chronograph Edition. IWC has released a new limited edition watch, the Portuguese Yacht Club Chronograph Edition “Laureus Sport for Good Foundation”. The new offering is limited to a 1,000 piece production run. It is based on the IWC Portuguese Yacht Club Automatic, a successful IWC design of the 1960s and 1970s.

The watch comes with the trusty IWC-manufactured 89361 calibre. With its screw-in crown and crown protection and is water-resistant to 6 bar. The chronograph’s combined hour and minute counter allows up to 12 hours of aggregate timing. The Chronograph function incorporates a flyback which will allow the timer to return to zero and restart with a single button press.

Laureus Sport for Good Foundation. But the functionality of this watch is not as important as what it represents. This watch, is the seventh limited edition watch commemorating IWC partnership with the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation. Part of the proceeds resulting from the sale of the watch go to help needy children all over the world through the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation.

The Laureus Sport for Good Foundation brings together groups of people who share a belief in the power of sport to change the world for the better. The The Laureus Sport for Good Foundation sells hope, by instilling self confidence in youths around the world, using sports as a vehicle. The Laureus World Sports Academy is a unique association of 46 of the greatest living sporting legends from sports as diverse as football, tennis, athletics, skateboarding and motor racing. 

The dial of the watch is finished in Laureus blue, but the most symbolic aspect of this watch, is the engraving on the back of the timepiece, which is based on a drawing by 12-year-old Hakkini Hasanga Sandumal De Silva.

Hakkini is a boy from Sri Lanka had entered the global children’s drawing competition held annually by IWC Schaffhausen at the Laureus Foundation’s projects. The drawing represents Hakkini’s interpretation of the theme “Time to move”. In keeping with the Olympic spirit, his illustration displays a sprinter, with other competitors in the background, surrounded by cheering fans. The Olympic flame, ever a symbol of peace and hope, blazes up over the scene. 

About IWC. IWC or the the "International Watch Co. Schaffhausen" was founded by an American engineer from Boston, Florentine Ariosto Jones, in Schaffhausen, Switzerland in the year 1868. IWC Schaffhausen is notable for being the only major Swiss watch factory located in eastern Switzerland, as the majority of the well-known Swiss watch manufacturers are located in western Switzerland.

Officine Panerai Luminor 1950 Rattrapante 8 Days Titanio PAM00530

Chronographs. A few days ago we took a look at the new for 2013, Officine Panerai Luminor 1950 Regatta 3 Days Chrono Flyback Automatic Titano PAM00526 and the Officine Panerai Luminor 1950 3 Days Chrono Flyback Automatics, the PAM00524 and PAM00525. Panerai has announced a fair number of chronographs this year, the last one being the Officine Panerai Luminor 1950 Rattrapante 8 Days.

Officine Panerai Luminor 1950 Rattrapante 8 Days. The Officine Panerai Luminor 1950 Rattrapante 8 Days is a splits seconds chronograph. It has two large second hands, allowing you to stop one of the second hands while allowing the other to continue. You can restart the stop hand which will rejoin the running chronograph second hand. This useful for measuring lap times.  Making this watch even more special than your typical is a 8-day movement. The in-house constructed P.2006/3 movement in this watch has a long 8-day power reserve with a power reserve indicator displayed on the dial. The dial has two sub-dials. The one on the left displays running seconds. The one on the right, is a 30 minute counter used in conjunction with the Chronograph.

The P.2006/3 movement is housed in a large 47 mm, constructed with Titanium, to keep the weight of the large case and heavy movement within manageable levels.   

About Panerai. Officine Panerai was founded in 1860 in Florence, Italy by Giovani Panerai. Panerai was acquired over by Swiss watchmaker Richemont S. A. in 1997.

Officine Panerai Luminor 1950 Regatta 3 Days Chrono Flyback Automatic Titano PAM00526

Regatta. At SIHH 2013, Officine Panerai announced as part of its contemporary collection, the Officine Panerai Luminor 1950 Regatta 3 Days Chrono Flyback Automatic Titano. The feature that makes a watch true "regatta" inspired design is a 10 minute countdown timer which is useful in keeping track of the time that skippers have to get their boats into a good position before the start of the race, getting as close to the start line as possible with good momentum, without crossing the buoys which mark the same before the start of the race.

Officine Panerai Luminor 1950 Regatta 3 Days Chrono Flyback Automatic Titano PAM00526. Panerai's solution to measuring this crucial ten minutes with the PAM 526 is an elegantly simple solution I have ever seen. The organge push-button at four o’clock position moves the central orange chronograph minute hand back one minute at a time, until it is at the correct position in relation to the length of the countdown. Once the correct countdown time is set, starting the chronograph by pushing the chronograph stop/start button at ten o’clock position, the large orange hand will indicate indicating  the minutes, the the large blue second hand, seconds remaining until the start. When the countdown has finished, the chronograph movement continues to function, now displaying the time elapsed since the start of the race will be displayed. Panerai created an all new movement to accommodate the unique requirements of a Regatta watch, which it dubbed the P.9001.R. 

The P.9001.R movement in the PAM 526 has a three day power reserve and also incorporates a flyback function. Pressing the reset button at the 8 o'clock position will stop, reset and restart the chronograph function with a single key press.

The watch is built on a 47 mm Luminor 1950 Titanium case. Two sub-dials are found on the dial. The sub-dial to the left displays running seconds. The dial to the right is used in conjunction with the chronograph function, and displays elapsed hours. The tachymeter scale on the on the edge of the dial is expressed in knots. Consistent with it maritime nature, the watch is presented on a black rubber strap.

About Panerai. Officine Panerai was founded in 1860 in Florence, Italy by Giovani Panerai. Panerai was acquired over by Swiss watchmaker Richemont S. A. in 1997.

IWC Ingeneiur Perpetual Calendar Digital Date-Month

Complication Watch. The IWC Ingeneiur Perpetual Calendar Digital Date-Month is a complication watch the impresses in the most ostentatious and subtle of ways.

The complicated dial hints at the complicated movement inside. The date is displayed in the sub-dial on the right with the month being displayed by the sub-dial on the left. In a Windows at sub-dial the bottom you will see either 1, 2, 3 or L displayed. "L" signifies that the year is a leap year during which time this watch will skip recognize the existence of the 29th of February, which keeps the calendar display correct.  

In addition to the perpetual calendar complication, this watch also features a chronograph function, with hours and minutes measure by two hands in the sub-dial at the 12-o'clock. The chronograph also incorporates the flyback function which allows you to stop, reset and restart the stopwatch with a single button press.

Titanium aluminide. Despite all the complications, the most unique feature of this watch is less apparent. The case of the watch is made from Titanium aluminide. Aluminum is combined with Titanium which results in case which is lighter and more robust Titanium. The inspiration for the use of this material on this watch came from Formula One and motor sports.

The case is 46 mm wide and 17 mm tall, making it a fairly large watch. The self-winding calibre 89802 movement inside has a long 68 hour power reserve. The intricate movement of this watch can be viewed  through a clear case back. 

About IWC. IWC or the the "International Watch Co. Schaffhausen" was founded by an American engineer from Boston, Florentine Ariosto Jones, in Schaffhausen, Switzerland in the year 1868. IWC Schaffhausen is notable for being the only major Swiss watch factory located in eastern Switzerland, as the majority of the well-known Swiss watch manufacturers are located in western Switzerland.

IWC Ingenieur Double Chronograph Titanium Ref. 3865

Double Chronograph. If anything from IWC at SIHH 2013 could have been considered an inevitability it is the IWC Ingenieur Double Chronograph Titanium. With IWC's partnership with Mercedes-Benz in Formula one, IWC has to come up with an ultimate racing fans watch. 

The double chronograph, or "rattaprante", is the ultimate in mechanical chronograph watch technology. The double chronograph features two main seconds hands. When the chronograph is started, the two hands move together, and together with information in sub-dials will allow to measure, hours minutes and seconds. A third chronograph button on the watch allows you to stop one second hand, while the other continues to move. Pressing the third button again links both hands. This useful for measuring intermediate times, like lap times or how fast a care negotiates a certain portion of the track.  

In truth I am a bit disappointed because, to truly make this the ultimate chronograph, the flyback function should also have been incorporated. Still, maybe best not to include it. It would add to the cost of what will inevitably be a very expensive watch already. The flyback function is of more practical useful at the regatta than at at Hockenheimring anyway.

IWC Ingenieur Double Chronograph Titanium.  As its name indicates, the IWC Ingenieur Double Chronograph Titanium has a titanium case and is presented with a rubber strap. The watch is 45 mm in diameter. The dial is beautiful in its complexity. At the 3 o'clock you have two windows, one for the days and the other for the date. At the 6 o'clock you have a sub-dial which is used in conjunction with chronograph function to measure hours. At the 9 o'clock you have a sub-dial that displays running seconds. At the 12 o'clock you have a sub-dial which is used in conjunction with chronograph function to measure minutes.

The watch comes in two variants. One with a silver dial and one with a black dial. The model with a black dial, with blue highlights is particularly stunning.

If these pair don't get your engines, nothing will. 

About IWC. IWC or the the "International Watch Co. Schaffhausen" was founded by an American engineer from Boston, Florentine Ariosto Jones, in Schaffhausen, Switzerland in the year 1868. IWC Schaffhausen is notable for being the only major Swiss watch factory located in eastern Switzerland, as the majority of the well-known Swiss watch manufacturers are located in western Switzerland.

IWC Ingenieur Chronograph Silberpfeil Ref. 3785

Silver Arrows. In 1934 the Mercedes-Benz team arrived for a Grand Prix race at the the Nürburgring. The Mercedes-Benz W25 race car weighed in at 751 kilograms. This was one kilogram more than the allowed limit set that year by the international governing body of motor sport, which set maximum a weight limit of 750 kilograms for Grand Prix racing cars.  Racing manager Alfred Neubauer and his driver Manfred von Brauchitsch, came up with the idea of scraping all the paint from the bodywork of the cars, than adorned in white, exposing the shining silver aluminum bodies of the Mercedes-Benz beneath. This was enough to get the W25 within the 750 kilogram limit. Brauchitsch won the race, an the W25 earned the nickname Silver Arrow (or Silberpfeil). Some dispute this account. Whether that is history which has now become a legend, or legend which has become part of history, I don't know. It is a nice story. Sometimes that is enough. 

IWC Ingenieur Chronograph Silberpfeil.  IWC has released the Ingenieur Chronograph Silberpfeil in commemoration of the legendary Silver Arrow W25. This watch comes in two versions, one with a with a silver dial and another in brown.  The Ingenieur Chronograph Silberpfeil is a limited release with only 1,000 to be produced of each variant.

The dial of the watch has two sub-dials. One at the 12 o'clock is used in conjunction with the watches chronograph function and displays elapsed hours and minutes, with the large center seconds had displaying elapsed seconds.  A second sub-dial at the 6 o'clock displays running seconds and the date.

The case has a large 45 mm diameter and features a the new modern design we have seen on several IWC Chronographs of late. Needless to say, it is over only in brushed stainless. Any kind of coating on the steel case would be inappropriate.  

Flyback. The self-winding mechanical movement Caliber 89361 movement in this watch has one more trick up its sleeve. It has a flyback mechanism. This allows the two stop watch buttons to perform three functions. The first button is used to start and stop the stop watch. The second button resets the stop watch to zero after it is stopped. However, if you press the second button while the stopwatch is running, it will reset the stopwatch to zero and restart it instantaneously. That is what is called Flyback. 

The movement also has a long 68 hour power reserve, which gives it a good amount of stored energy which can come in handy when using the stopwatch to measure events which last several hours.

About IWC. IWC or the the "International Watch Co. Schaffhausen" was founded by an American engineer from Boston, Florentine Ariosto Jones, in Schaffhausen, Switzerland in the year 1868. IWC Schaffhausen is notable for being the only major Swiss watch factory located in eastern Switzerland, as the majority of the well-known Swiss watch manufacturers are located in western Switzerland. 

Officine Panerai Luminor 1950 Rattrapante 8 Days Titanio (PAM00530)

A teaser. While SIHH 2013, where Officine Panerai will present it line-up for the year is still a few weeks away, the company has already presented one of its offerings for 2013. This is the Officine Panerai Luminor 1950 Rattrapante 8 Days Titanio, or PAM00530. The PAM00530 is a split-seconds chronograph powered by an in-house designed and built P.2006 movement.

Officine Panerai Luminor 1950 Rattrapante 8 Days Titanio (PAM00530). The PAM000530 has a brushed titanium case 47 mm in diameter, fitted with the classic Panerai patented lever device which seals the winding crown to ensure water resistance. On the back of the case, is a sapphire crystal window through which the the P.2006 movement can be seen.

The bezel is made of polished titanium and surrounds a large black dial. The structure of the dial is a pancake dial which consists of two superimposed discs with a layer of Super-LumiNova between them.

Rattrapante, refers to the split-seconds function. The watch has two large seconds hands used in conjunction with the chronograph function. The first is controlled by the button at 8 o'clock, which starts, stops and resets the chronograph hand. The second hand, controlled by the button at 10 o'clock, is used for measuring partial times or a second event simultaneous with the first. Basically, it is like a lap timer. You can stop one second hand while allowing the other one to continue moving.

Continuous seconds on the left, 30 minute counter on the right,
and power reserved indicator at the bottom.

To make elapsed minutes easier and clearer to read, the hand of the small minute counter moves in jumps instead of continuously. The P.2006 hand-wound movement has a long power reserve of eight days. This is achieved by means of a special patented system of three spring barrels. The remaining power reserve can be read on the dial from a linear indicator above the number six.

The PAM00530 is limited edition, and is part of the of the Officine Panerai Specialities collection.

About Panerai. Officine Panerai was founded in 1860 in Florence, Italy by Giovani Panerai. Panerai was acquired over by Swiss watchmaker Richemont S. A. in 1997.

Ingenieur Chronograph Racer Ref. IW378507, IW378508, IW378509 and IW378510

SIHH 2013. 2013 looks like it will shape up as a pretty interesting year for IWC Schaffhausen. It is pretty much a certainty that the Ingenieur lineup of IWC watches will be refreshed this year. The Ingenieur is IWC's line of though watches. It is also in my opinion, the line-up of IWC watches that lacks focus.

Ref. IW378507

Ingenieur which is German for "Engineer". Engineering watches in the past have been most closely related to accurate and durable watches designed for used by Train Engineers and Operators and more contemporarily watches suitable for use in factories and other environments where magnetic fields can result in inaccurate timekeeping. With IWC, the Ingenieur line has covered Anti-magnetic watches, chronograph watches and even a watch commemorating a maritime expedition, the later probably having been appropriate for the IWC Portugeuse line of watches. Among IWC's neatly defined watch families: pilots, maritime, divers and formal watches, the Ingenieur line lack a soul or point of focus.

Motorsports. IWC is set to enter the motor-racing season in 2013 as the Official Engineering Partner of the MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team. This partnership will most likely define what Ingenieur Family will be most associated with in the coming years.

To mark their cooperation, IWC is launching a line of Ingenieur Chronograph Racer watches: Ref. IW378507, IW378508, IW378509 and IW378510.

Ref. IW378509

These watches are all chronograph watches with a flyback function and a tachymeter scale on the chronograph’s bezel, used for measuring speed. The dial features two sub-dials, one at the 12 o'clock and the other at the 6 o'clock. The sub-dial at the 6 o'clock is used for displaying running seconds and has a date display in a window. The sub-dial at the 12 o'clock has two hands, and used in conjunction with main second hand will display measure time in hours, minutes and seconds. 

The Ingenieur Chronograph Racer is available with a slate-coloured dial and black totalizers or with a silver-plated dial, silver-plated totalizers and blue hands and appliqués.   The red “60” in the chapter ring was inspired by the digital display on the steering wheel of the MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One racing car, which shows the selected gear, oil temperature and lap times during the race. A engraving of a Formula One racing car decorates the case back. The case of the watch is 45 mm in diameter.

Ref. IW378510

The flyback function of this watch differentiates it from the typical chronograph. This allows the stopwatch hand back to zero and immediately restart by pressing the reset button. 

The watch is powered by the 89361 calibre which beats at 28,800 vibrations per hour and has a 68 hour power reserve.

The four variants of the Ingenieur Chronograph Racer 

• Ref. IW378507: stainless-steel case, slate-coloured dial, black rubber strap with textile inlay, pin buckle in stainless steel
• Ref. IW378508: stainless-steel case, slate-coloured dial, stainless-steel bracelet with fine-adjustment clasp
• Ref. IW378509: stainless-steel case, silver-plated dial, black rubber strap with textile inlay, pin buckle in stainless steel
• Ref. IW378510: stainless-steel case, silver-plated dial, stainless-steel bracelet with fine-adjustment clasp

About IWC. IWC or the the "International Watch Co. Schaffhausen" was founded by an American engineer from Boston, Florentine Ariosto Jones, in Schaffhausen, Switzerland in the year 1868. IWC Schaffhausen is notable for being the only major Swiss watch factory located in eastern Switzerland, as the majority of the well-known Swiss watch manufacturers are located in western Switzerland.