Dominique Renaud’s radical new concept, an Omega Globemaster with a calendar function, an affordable Swiss dress watch and more.
On the Radar
Reads and New Gear
Dominique Renaud Returns to Watchmaking
After spending some 15 years in retirement, watchmaker Dominique Renaud has come back to the watchmaking world with a radical new concept. Dubbed the DR01 Twelve First, it eschews a traditional case layout in favor of a movement fitted inside a sapphire crystal cylinder that can be rotated to six different fixed positions. The movement itself also features a new kind of escapement. Instead of a traditional hairspring it uses flexible blades that do not oscillate but rather vibrate at a low amplitude and a high frequency. The low amplitude means that the watch will have a very high power reserve (though no official numbers have been revealed) and the high frequency will allow for increased accuracy (think along the lines of a Zenith El Primero or Grand Seiko Hi-Beat). Only 12 watches will be built, sold and designed to the specifications of those who can afford one.
The Omega Globemaster Annual Calendar
The Annual Calendar is a new addition to it Omega’s well-received Globemaster line. The new movement features a fourth hand, which points to each month of the year, each of which is elegantly displayed between all twelve markers on the watch dial. It’s a handsome graphical addition to an already fantastic-looking watch.
A Different Kind of Space Watch
After the success of their Series 000 Kickstarter campaign in 2014, young watch startup Anicorn has launched its second model, the K452, inspired by and named after NASA’s discovery of Kepler-452b, “Earth’s older cousin” that orbits its star’s habitable zone. As such, the Anicorn K452 tells time via three rotating discs powered by a Miyota 9015 automatic movement.
Hodinkee’s New Online Store
Starting today, watch blog Hodinkee will be relaunching its online store with a host of new products and features. In addition to a new vintage timepiece marketplace where you can purchase certified timepieces and sell your own, the shop will include a selection of non-watch goods like sunglasses, cameras and art prints, as well as a new “Strap Finder” tool.
Thin Is In
Mido — a less-celebrated brand in the SWATCH group — has unveiled a new “Heritage” model of its Baroncelli 40-year-old line. It features an ETA 2892 movement and comes in at an incredibly thin 6.95mm. The dial harkens back to dress watches from the ’60s and ’70s, and coming in at an affordable $1,100, it will make for an excellent affordable option for formal wear.
Reviews and Buying Guides
Advice from the Crew
Longines’s Military-Inspired Watch Separates Itself from the Field
It’s a conundrum: one of the best “working guy” tough watches comes from Longines, a luxury Swiss watchmaker, and it costs $1,700. Read the Story
Looking Ahead
What We’re Testing Now
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