15Jan 2017 by Martin Green No Comments
Tangramatic Launches The Hyperion

Tangramatic Launches The Hyperion

News
Tangramatic takes the next step in the development of the brand with the Hyperion. Where the previous models were quite minimalist, the Hyperion takes on a more extrovert approach. Very loosely based on the B-type pilots watch, the Hyperion goes crazy on SuperLuminova, and we love it! The dial makes for a very expressive watch, and despite being different from the previous Tangramatic's there is some familiar DNA visible in the way this watch is designed. The Hyperion is available with a black dial, powered by a Ronda quartz movement and hexa hour makers. Next up is also a black dial, yet now with axis hour markers and a Miyota automatic movement. The final version also features the Miyota movement, only sports a blue dial and is also the only…
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10Jan 2017 by Martin Green 1 Comment
Divided By Zero βeta Series: Scientifically Approved

Divided By Zero βeta Series: Scientifically Approved

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Good design combined with an affordable price goes a long way. Especially when that design is thought through and meaningful. Divided by Zero has already done that once, and now does it again on Kickstarter with the βeta Series. The design of these watches is inspired by the work of great scientists of the past. Their collection is quite extensive, so I am not covering them all, but by creating different dial varieties they have suceeded in creating very different looking watches. Although there are a few white dialed versions unlocked as funding goals, the majority of the watches in the βeta series is black. Particularly with the scientific background, it works very well. It draws all the attention to the dial, and the use of the vibrant blue details give…
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21Déc 2016 by Martin Green No Comments
Morimoto Edge: Different Design That Works

Morimoto Edge: Different Design That Works

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A lot of microbrand watches out there offer great products at competitive prices but are usually a variety on a familiar theme. Chronographs and diver watches seem to be the most popular, but also "design watches" hold quite a bit of the market. The vast majority (read about all of them) are minimalist designs, and that is why Edge is so exciting! When I first saw it, it reminded me of the golden age of creative watch design. In the 1950's and 1960's mainly the American watch companies created the most amazing designs, of which the Hamilton Ventura is perhaps the most famous. These designs were often asymmetrical, and so is the Edge. This watch is not an homage to the past. The hands and numerals are prominently placed on…
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08Déc 2016 by Martin Green No Comments
Lundis Bleus: The Elegance of Excellence

Lundis Bleus: The Elegance of Excellence

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Many new micro brands pop up every year, and we cover quite a few here at Watchisthis?! Although many of them are quite refined, few reach the level of Lundis Bleus, especially not with their very first watch. Perhaps also not a fair comparison, because Johan Storni and Bastien Vuilliomenet are veterans of the Swiss watch industry, with experience working with brands that charge for a strap what Lundis Bleus wants for an entire watch. They poured all that experience into Lundis Bleus, but fortunate for us they also gave it a far more accessible price tag. The first thing that strikes you when you see the watch is that everything is custom made. Lundis Bleus is very straight forward in where their source their parts from, and which of…
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27Nov 2016 by Martin Green No Comments
Don Kylne: The Extraordinairy Chaplin Special Edition

Don Kylne: The Extraordinairy Chaplin Special Edition

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We have already discussed the Chaplin by Don Kylne here before. In fact, we are actually featuring one in the upcoming version of Watchisthis?! Magazine. So why write about it once more? Because the brand just released a special edition that it too good to pass up. Special editions are not uncommon among microbrands anymore. A lot of them use them as a tool to commemorate a special occasion, often turning them into limited editions as well. This makes their niche watches even rarer. Although that is true, they also accomplish something else, they increase the pride of ownership with the watch collectors and connoisseurs that buy them. Where most established and larger brands add hunderds and sometimes even thousands of dollars to the price tag when they make a…
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21Nov 2016 by Martin Green No Comments
Zinvo Rose Gold Blade: Limited Edition Delight

Zinvo Rose Gold Blade: Limited Edition Delight

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The Blade by Zinvo is already an eye-catching watch in its regular form, but with a rose gold plated finish even more so. Limited to 100 pieces Zinvo combines the rose gold plated case with a black dial and strap. This gives a pleasant contrast and makes the watch pop even more. Not that it needs it because the case is very well crafted and has some subtle details such as the screwed in lugs, and a rigged side of the case. Unfortunately, it is not the case its fault that the dial is the true center of attention of the Blade. Here a circle of fan-shaped hands gives the impression that you are looking into the blade of a jet engine. They cover most of the center of the…
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02Nov 2016 by Martin Green No Comments
Meshable 003: Well Balanced, Even Better Cased

Meshable 003: Well Balanced, Even Better Cased

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Some brands, even when they are a micro brand, just get it, and Meshable just proved with the 003 that they are among them. Kickstarter has been flooded lately with watches that are being sold under the term of being "minimalist" while in fact, they seemed to be ordered straight from Alibaba in bulk. The cool thing about Meshable is that they don't even use the word "minimalist" or anything related, while they can make a very viable claim to it. https://vimeo.com/181913052 For the 003 they put exactly the focus where it needed to be: the case. The way the bezel curves to the sapphire crystal, the shape of the lugs, and even the case back are all testimony to the fact that this was a labor of love. The…
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30Oct 2016 by Martin Green No Comments
MOTION: German Creativity Let Loose

MOTION: German Creativity Let Loose

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Isn't it interesting how creative many microbrands are regarding design? Look at brands like CJR, Pheidippides or SAStek; they really reset the boundaries for affordable watches. Another brand that does that is Manyears, with the Motion. Based in Mannheim, Germany, they applied a refreshing look to the design of this watch. They worked with different discs to indicate the time. This by itself is not something new, since other brands had done it before, but not the way Manyears did it with the Motion. With the hour hand occupying the center disc, a red seconds hand floating above it, the minute hand is actually placed on half a disc. This means that it moves continuously around, revealing half of the movement below. https://vimeo.com/185505339 Exciting is that this movement is Miyota's…
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19Oct 2016 by Jonathan Kopp No Comments
Elliot Brown Presents The Tyneham Watch

Elliot Brown Presents The Tyneham Watch

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British brand Elliott Brown is now presenting their first automatic watch under the name of Tyneham. Like every Elliot Brown’s watch this one is the result of 1000’s of hours spent obsessing over the smallest details; refining, improving, inventing, and testing. When Ian Elliot and Alex Brown created the brand they had one clear mission : to create robust and highly durable timepieces for gentlemen. While before they only had quartz watches, now they come with a new piece which has as its heart a Miyota 9130 automatic. This movement allows the timepiece to have a power reserve of 40-hour that you can check thanks the indicator at 01 o’clock. The classic 41mm case is made from solid marine grade brushed stainless steel with a scratch resistant, ultra tough hardened…
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05Oct 2016 by Martin Green 2 Comments
MEW Hydroforce X1: A Nautical Beast

MEW Hydroforce X1: A Nautical Beast

News
There is not a shortage for divers watches in today's market. They are the favorite watches of many collectors, even those that hate to get wet. In fact, the market for divers watches is so large, that it even allows for very specific niches within the theme. The MEW Hydroforce X1 is not only a beast of a watch but also filling in one of those niches. What niche that is? The one for people who enjoy a unique divers watch, that might not be recognized by random people on the street, but that is crafted with care in very limited quantities. Those people will be very pleased with what the Hydroforce X1 has to offer. Apart from its cool name of course, which for some reason made me think…
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