Nivada Grenchen F77 MK2 41mm

The Nivada Grenchen F77 MK2 41MM is an interesting, or maybe more specifically intriguing watch, but not for the reasons you may be thinking. Yes, unlike the original re-issue I reviewed 3 years ago, which was 37mm, this new one is 41mm, and there is a 38mm model as well. And the case shape has changed as well, with curved lugs and drilled lug holes. But size is a big deal these days, maybe more so than ever. And I am not sure why. Many watch enthusiasts scream from their rooftops (or, in reality, their couches while on their phones) how a watch a brand just released is too big, and that brands need to wake up!! Well, maybe Nivada Grenchen is asleep, or maybe, just maybe, they have figured out that those who are the loudest are not speaking for everyone.

Specifications

41MM Stainless Steel Case

50mm Lug to Lug

24mm Lug Width

Bracelet Tapers to 18mm

12.5mm Thick

145 Grams

Screw-Down Crown

Domed Sapphire Crystal

100m Water Resistant

Soprod P024 Automatic Movement

Integrated Bracelet

Price $1,460

https://nivadagrenchenofficial.com/collections/f77-mk2/products/f77-black-41mm

Now let me state, I do not care what size watch you wear, nor do I think you should care what size watch I wear either. I think it is fantastic that brands are doing so many sizes these days, and yes, there are a lot of smaller watches on the market now, and for those that like those sizes, it’s wonderful.

But what I do see happening now is when a brand does release a 40mm or larger watch, those who like smaller watches love to complain and say it’s too big; you need to pay attention to who’s buying; your brand will die. (These are actual comments I have seen). While it gives me a chuckle, I am not sure why we waste so much time as watch enthusiasts that a watch is not to their size. I mean, find another brand. There is sure to be a brand making your preferred size these days. Find that one, and buy it.

Nivada decided to revamp their F77 collection last year, and when they did, the revived brand debuted two new sizes, 38 and 41mm. What is interesting, the original 1977 integrated bracelet model this watch is modeled after was actually 38mm, not 37mm like the original re-issue. So now, with the Nivada Grenchen F77 MK2, this is corrected. So you can buy it in its original size, and if you are someone who does prefer a bigger watch (the horror!), you can now get it in 41mm.

The Nivada Grenchen F77 MK2 41mm (and the 38mm) is an integrated sports watch design, with a bezel very similar to the APRO, and yes, there was some copying going on back in the 70s, not that uncommon for that time. Like the original reissue, the standard or default dials are carbon-look weave, and come in black as shown here, or blue. They are available with either date or no-date dials, and for the most part, this dial is pretty much exactly the same as the 37mm, with a clean and easy-to-read dial, thin applied indices, an applied Nivada logo shiield, and now has vintage lume paint used; it’s a yellow paint, and while I think it looks ok, I would have preferred white or even slightly green, such as a C1 OR C3 color.

There are quite a few other similarities with the 37mm as well, and thus, the Nivada Grenchen F77 MK2 41mm, for the most part, is just a bigger example of the 37mm. The dial, as I show above, is the same brushed bezel with flat head screws, and it retains the 100m water resistance and screw-down crown, which is always nice to see.

So are there any other changes? There sure are. The case itself, beyond just being wider and longer, also has a different shape. It evokes the lines of the original and has the same polish and brushed areas as before, but the original and the original reissue had a much straighter, blocky case design, and now it has been modernized, if you will, with prominent curved lugs, as well as drilled lugs for easy bracelet removal. Not only do the curved lugs add more dimension to the case, but it allows the 50mm lug-to-lug length to fit and look better on your wrist than the straight lugs would have.

Pretty much everything else has stayed the same. The case back has no changes as far as I can see; a nice stamped solid case back, and underneath that case back beats the Soprod P024 movement, the same as the original reissue. I have never really encountered an issue with these movements, but I will say, a 38-hour power reserve is pretty low these days.

Of coruse the Nivada Grenchen F77 MK2 41mm still has an integrated bracelet; I mean, thats one of the things this watch is all about, and that same end link desgin is still present, and I am glad it is, as whether you call it a cut-out design, a U link, or whatever else you can think of, it does make this F77 stand out.

The bracelet width at the lugs is 24 but tapers to 18mm, and the links are thin but solid, use one-piece screws, and the clasp is dual-finished and very beautiful, but it is still a pin-hole clasp, and not a modern tool-less adjustable clasp, and that is a disappointment for me.

And well, the biggest change for me at least is how it wears on my 7 1/2 inch (19.05cm) wrist. I made no bones about it; at 37mm, I felt the original reissue was too small for me. Now at 41mm, it looks fantastic, and despite being much larger than the original, it does not feel massive to me at all; it is still a very thin watch, and it really hugs the wrist nicely. It is not a very heavy watch either, and I find it to be extremely comfortable on my wrist.

As we all know, some folks are not happy, no matter what. I, of course, think it’s fantastic that they produced the Nivada Grenchen F77 MK2 41mm, and if you find 41mm to be much too large, well, there’s a 38mm. And looking at their site as I write this article, there are a few of the 37mm left as well. Nivada has really expanded the range of dial colors as well, especially on the 38mm models, with many stone dials, and both the 38 and 41mm have meteorite dial options as well.

There’s also a very affordable 38mm Mecaquartz, and you can get a gold-tone 38mm. Oh, those 38mm models also have rubber and canvas strap options too (none for the 41mm yet), so they have never had more options. The design may not be for everyone, but I do think they have the bases covered on sizes. Now they just need to upgrade those clasps.

https://nivadagrenchenofficial.com

1 of 17

Ollech & Wajs Early Bird

What is a tool watch? When you ask that to a watch enthusiast, you are bound to get many different answers, but I definitely think you could consider this Ollech & Wajs Early Bird a tool watch; a dial that displays the entire 24-hour day, an hour hand that only goes around the dial once in 24 hours, with a modified and bespoke Soprod C-125 GMT movement. This watch is the answer to many OW enthusiasts who wanted the 1965 original model to be modernized and brought back. This EB-24 uses one of the modern 39.5mm OW cases, one that has been used for quite a few other models, has a bidirectional dual-anodized friction bezel, a custom 24-hour dial, and domed sapphire. Pricing starts at $2,400 with a leather strap, but you can upgrade to a few different strap or bracelet options at an extra cost.

Specifications

24 Hour Dial

39.5mm Stainless Case

12.5mm Thick

48mm Lug to Lug

20mm Lug Width

Weight-155 Grams

Screw Down Crown

300m Water Resistant

Double Domed Sapphire

Bespoke Soprod C-125 Movement

M- Link Bracelet (As shown)

Starts at $2400 USD

Price- $2,780 as reviewed 

https://ow-watch.com/collections/pilot/products/ow-early-bird-numered2

The Intelsat I, or ‘Early Bird’ as it is better known, was the world’s first geosynchronous communications satellite, and handled all commercial telecommunications transmissions between Europe and North America between 1965 and 1969. Albert Wajs wanted to pay tribute to this landmark moment of modern engineering by creating a watch in its honour. The 24-hour ‘military-time’ dial reflects the time taken for the satellite to complete one orbit of the Earth. The blue-and-red metallic bezel echoed the colours of the satellite itself. t was created specifically for military personnel, particularly pilots and radio operators, for whom a 24-hour ‘military-time’ dial would be invaluable.

The above paragraph was taken in parts from the Ollech & Wajs Early Bird page, and I figured it was easier to copy what they wrote instead of paraphrasing. I have also read it was quite popular with soldiers in the Vietnam War, and apparently only 500 were ever made.

ORIGINAL 1965 OW EARLY BIRD

But let’s turn our attention to the modern Ollech & Wajs Early Bird that we have here. This interpretation uses the modern 39.5mm stainless steel case used on plenty of other models by OW. Now this is not to say Ollech does not have other cases, but I would say this one is used more than others. It’s a slightly blocky case, has a shape like a skin diver, and it is all brushed everywhere you look. It’s not a super fine brushing either, but this is the way OW does it on all their watches. This is a tool watch after all. It has a screw-down crown, 300m of water resistance, and a big ol’ double domed sapphire.

Now I have seen this watch was highly requested by O&W fans; how many fans I do not know, but it was obviously enough to get Ollech & Wajs to make it. And while I have not talked about the dial or movement yet, I have to say, looking at the original and looking at this modern version, I can see the similarities, but I do wish we got an all-new case. While we do have the distinct dual colored bezel and a 24-hour dial, if you have this case with any of the other Ollech models, are the dial and bezel enough to make it truly different in looks?

But let’s talk 24-hour dials. I talk about and show how to use this dial in the video review above, but if you don’t want to watch the video and are not familiar, a 24-hour dial is just that. All 24 hours are shown in military time on the dial, and that hour hand will circle the dial once in 24 hours. 24 at the top is midnight; what would be your 3 o’clock position on a 12-hour watch is 6 am, and 12 at the bottom is noon, and what would be 9 o’clock on a standard dial is 6 pm, and I think you can figure out the rest. So, the right side of the dial will be your morning hours and the left side, afternoon and evening.

The bezel, blue and red(ish) anodized aluminum, and the outer edge of the bezel is all anodized in that blue, a contrast to the original that was all red, is a GMT bezel, of course, so not only do you have a 24-hour dial, but you can use this watch to set a second time zone as well. The bezel is bi-directional, and it is a friction bezel, so it moves without any clicks and does not really lock into place, though I never found it easy to accidentally move it from where I set it.

The dial of the Ollech & Wajs Early Bird is pretty straightforward: a 24-hour dial, the indices and all text are printed on the dial here, and I find the dial easy enough to read; the indices and numbers are as big as they can be without making the dial feel crowded. The hour and minute hand quite large, especially for the size of this watch, and all brushed steel to match the case. Unfortunately though, because of the thin printed indices, the lume is not great.

Of course, we need to talk movement. The base movement of the Ollech & Wajs Early Bird is the Soprod C-125 GMT movement, and this is modified to work with a 24-hour dial. I am not exactly sure what Soprod added or removed from the movement to allow for the 24-hour dial complication. I mean, the GMT hand is obviously reviewed, but I assume Soprod had to adjust the hour hand to click at all 24 spots on the dial, and possibly make a few other adjustments as well. This is a no-date movement, so that disc is removed, and Ollech states this has a 42-hour power reserve, an accuracy of +7/-7 seconds a day, custom screws, and a bespoke 1956 Ollech & Wajs rotor. As you can see below, though, we see none of that because OW opted for the fairly basic case back we have seen before.

Because this case is used for a few different models, I knew what to expect when I put this watch on my 7 1/2 inch (19.05cm) wrist. The 39.5mm case feels slightly larger than its stated specs, and that is mostly due to the 48mm lug-to-lug, which is somewhat long for a watch under 40mm. That crown is large but does not dig into the back of my hand or wrist, and then there is this M-link bracelet…

If you do not select any other strap or bracelet, the Ollech & Wajs Early Bird will come on a black leather strap. There are a few other strap or bracelet choices, but for an extra $356 USD, you can get this multi-link bracelet with a quick adjustment clasp. Overall, I am not a fan of this bracelet. Its all brushed, it does use screws and while the clasp is the older style of tooless quick adjust clasps, it is functional, I do not find it to be ver well finished for its price tag, and while taking it off is easy becuse o the drilled lugs, you will spend quite a few more minutes trying to put it back on due to the lug ends, and just how these lugs fit up to the case. If it were me, I would forgo any bracelet options, and get it on the RAF strap or the leather strap.

I have to tell you, this was a hard one. I have a fondness for Ollech & Wajs watches, and while I do not consider all of the models to be home runs like Ollech & Wajs C-1000 A was, which in my opinion is still one of the best modern OW watches, there’s something about this watch that is just not connecting with me. Yes, the 24-hour dial is niche; hell, the OW website mentions that specifically. There are not many 24-hour watches out there like this. So this is a niche product, and while it was probably a great watch for soldiers and pilots back in the 60s, I am not sure how much something like this would be used today.

I also feel this is quite an expensive watch at almost $2,800 on this bracelet. I understand the movement is modified, but beyond the dial and colored bezel, this is not a new case for Ollech; the friction bezel is used on other watches, this one is just anodized blue and red, and the bracelet is used for other models as well. I like the nod to history, and the Ollech & Wajs Early Bird is eye-catching with that bezel, but I think you would have to really love 24-hour dials, or just want something eccentric in your collection, to grab one of these.

Ollech & Wajs

1 of 18

H.G.P. Diver 300m Automatic Commando

H.G.P., a brand that was resurrected in 2023, is known for the Monnin 844 case. This one here, though, is somthing different. The French brand’s latest model is the H.G.P. Diver 300m Automatic Commando, a watch with a historical reference, and is using the Monnin 980 case. And if you scrolled through the pics already, you may be thinking it looks a lot like a Squale case, and you would be correct, but there are quite a few differences, especially on this modern version. The case is 41.5mm, a mix of brushed and polished stainless steel, and has the iconic “Scuba Dude” on the dial. At this time, there’s only one dial color, black, which matches the vintage model, and no bracelet; rather, a Tropic rubber or nylon strap, and the current price is $616, though that price seems to fluctuate a few dollars every few days.

Specifications

41.5mm Stainless Steel Case

48.5mm Lug to Lug

11.9mm Thick

20mm Lugs

95 Grams

Screw Down Crown and 

Case Back

300m Water Resistant

Sapphire Crystal

120 Click Bi-directional bezel

Aluminum Bezel Insert

Miyota 9039 Auto Movement

C3 Super-LumiNova 

Price $616

https://www.hgp-watches.com/collections/diver-300m-automatic-commando/products/diver-300m-automatic-commando-diving-watch

In the video review above, I give a brief history with some pics of the original H.G.P. Diver 300m Automatic Commando, though that is the name now, as the originals were mostly quartz as far as I have seen. That is at least the H.G.P. versions, as this case was designed by Monnin, produced by MRP SA, and used by many other brands such as Sinn, Dodane, Airin, and quite a few others. Basically, this case and dial got around. Now here we are, over 40 years later, almost 50 years actually, with its rebirth. The original case did look much more like the Squale 50 Atmos, with large curved lugs and case profile, but this modern version has its own identity.

As you can see above and below, the case is very distinct, with much less curve to the lugs than a Squale 1521 case, though it does have the extended block on the case, the bumper if you will, that leads into the crown, as this is what creates the integrated crown guards, keeping the crown safe from knocks and bumps. And unlike the Squale, this crown is not as large and is a little more recessed. The crown action is somewhat unique, and maybe that’s the wrong word for it, but I did find I was not overly fond of the crown action, as it lacked a noticeable click when unscrewing, and it also had no real feedback when pushing it back down into the case. This feels intentional, and maybe it’s just a smoother action of a crown that I am not used to.

The case of the H.G.P. Diver 300m Automatic Commando (man, that’s a long name, isn’t it?) only comes in one case finish, brushed and polished. I say that because these days, the Squale can be had in all polished, all blasted, or even all brushed now. And while choices are great, I do love what H.G.P. did here; the case is mostly brushed, with high polished accents, like on the lugs, where you can see that the polished chamfer flares out and accentuates the lug design. The crown is polished, and the area around the bezel insert is polished, as well as the area in between the lugs.

And then we have that dial, that oh-so-awesome dial. Yes, this dial is busy, exactly as the original was, with a lot of text, those giant hour indices, the chapter ring numbers, the 24-hour numbers, and of course, the Scuba Dude. I admit, and many have heard me over the years, I prefer a much cleaner dial generally, but there’s something about this dial. Maybe it’s because it’s a vintage reference, maybe it’s because it reminds me of dive watches I owned back in the 80s and 90s, or because with a matte black (though slightly textured) dial and the white hands, and those massive indices, this is easy to read at a glance, especially coupled with a rare flat sapphire crystal on a dive watch.

The bezel is bi-directional, somewhat odd for a modern dive watch, but it is 120 clicks and has a nice tactile feel about it, and maybe a little more odd, it has a countdown scale instead of elapsed time. Now this is not uncommon; there are many different ways to use a bezel, but I don’t remember offhand the last time I saw both combined. It is a great-looking bezel though, and I do like the matte anodized aluminum insert, as it has that vintage vibe to it, though I am sure some would want a ceramic or sapphire bezel; for this style of watch, I feel aluminum works well.

Around the back, it’s pretty simple: an almost mirror-polished back and lugs, with a center circle that is brushed. I would prefer it to all be brushed, but at least it’s on the back and not the front. The center area shows the serial numbers, and if you look at that right lug, you’ll see the George Monnin stamp, a nice little touch. Inside is the Miyota 9039; that’s the no-date version of the 9015, and I have no complaints with this movement- never have, and unlike many with this movement, I do not hear that rotor loudly spinning around.

This is usually the part of the review I will show and discuss it on the wrist, but I think I will stop making you wait for the lume shots, because I know some are just chomping at the bit for them. As one would hope and expect, the H.G.P. Diver 300m Automatic Commando looks absolutely amazing in the dark. The lume is 7 layers of Super-LumiNova, and it shows. Expect an all-night lume here; no issues seeing the time if you have to do a bathroom break or check on the little one.

Now I am sure I will catch some flak for this, but if you are reading this and always hope that the watch being reviewed is over 40mm, well, jump up and rejoice, as this one is 41.5mm. And even better, it wears like a 42mm! I am sure some guys who love 38mm watches are shaking their fists and maybe even fingers at me right now, and that’s ok, but us guys who still prefer a watch over 40mm need some love now and then as well. I think it’s great all the choices these days, and that guys who prefer a smaller watch, or just have a smaller wrist, have an abundance of watches these days, but for me, just look how great this one looks on my 7 1/2 inch (19.05cm) wrist.

No bracelet options, at least not yet, and that’s somewhat of a bummer as I was hoping for a nice beads of rice bracelet for this one. The choices are the rally Tropic rubber as shown in this review, or a simple nylon strap, for a few dollars less. The Tropic is fine, but I would have loved something with fitted lugs, and while it does fit my wrist, if you have a wrist much bigger than mine, you’ll need to replace the strap. Fortunately, it is a widely available 20mm.

I am pretty much in love with the H.G.P. Diver 300m Automatic Commando, and no, I don’t feel ashamed as a reviewer to state that. This checks a lot of boxes for me personally, with the case design, it being 41.5mm, though still pretty thin at just a little under 12mm, the crazy and funky dial, and of course that lume. It’s an attractive watch; it’s affordable (half the price of a Squale 1521), and though the cases are made in China, they are assembled in France, and to be frank, with this case design and finishing, it could have been made anywhere, and I wouldn’t balk at it, and quite frankly, most cases are made in China these days.

I do have to get used to the more hydraulic feeling and silent crown action, and I do wish there were different straps or a bracelet option, but as is, this is still a pretty good value all things considered, and I hope we will see more variation with this case design from H.G.P. in the future.

H.G.P.

1 of 18

Traska Venturer GMT

Traska, as I am sure many of you know, is quite a popular microbrand. The Traska Venturer GMT may be one of their most popular models as well, and for Version 7, they have upped the ante even more. Taking a lot of design cues from The Chronograph floating disc release earlier this year, this new Venturer has refined dial details, slightly smaller crowns, a new bracelet with polished chamfers, and a new dial color, the one I have in hand, Arctic White. All these refinements and upgrades do come at a cost, a $150 cost, as the previous gen sold at $800, and this one will debut at $950 later this month.

Specifications

38.5mm Stainless Steel Case

1200 HV Hard Coating

10.15mm Thick

12.1mm Thick With Crystal

46.1mm Lug to Lug

21mm Lug Width

134 Grams

Box Sapphire Crystal

Screw Down Crowns

150m Water Resistant

Miyota 9075 GMT Movement

21mm Bracelet, Tapers to 16mm. 

Fully Articulated Bracelet

Quick Adjusting Clasp

Price $950
https://www.traskawatch.com/collections/venturer

So, why is the Traska Venturer GMT so popular? Well, the original model, which debuted in 2021, was a more minimalist GMT, as it wasn’t technically a true GMT model, as while it had a rotating 24-hour internal bezel, it lacked a GMT hand. V2 brought the GMT hand, but at the time, it was still a very tidy and compact GMT watch, with that internal bezel instead of a chunky external bezel, and that compactness wasn’t just limited to the dial; rather, it was all housed in a 38.5mm case that was just a touch over 10mm thick, not including the crystal. For those who just prefer a smaller watch or those with smaller wrists, this gave them a new option, one that was not only functional but refined and, dare I say, understated.

With each new generation of the Traska Venturer GMT, there were little tweaks here and there, maybe a new dial color, or a meteorite dial option, and it generally followed suit to what Traska was doing with their other models. That is, until V7, this latest version, where it has received a pretty big overhaul, the biggest to date for the Venturer.

Taking many cues from The Chronograph as Traska refers to it, this Venturer has a new case finishing with concave polished cutouts, faceted hour indices, an applied logo, diamond-cut brushed and polished hands, and that new date wheel design. The bracelet has upgrades as well, and even the lug width has changed, from 20mm to 21mm.

I absolutely love the refinements to the case. The basic design is the same, meaning the mid case still has a similar footprint as previous models, but now with those polished chamfers surrounding a gorgeous brushed case, instead of the prevous polished case sides, it not only looks more refined, but will hide scratches and fingerprints so much better than before. The crown has been tapered a bit, well, both crowns have been every so slightly reduced in size, and of course, they have multiple finishes as well, with a gorgeous polished chamfer between the gear pattern grip and the Traska logo face. Both crowns screw down, allowing you to lock that inner GMT bezel in place.

Speaking of that internal GMT bezel, the diameter has been increased slightly so it’s even more legible, and this Arctic White Traska Venturer GMT has a light grey inner bezel with almost a blasted or frosted finish to it, contrasting against a matte enamel dial.

This dial is lacking in color pop, though. Between the white dial and the light grey bezel, the only pop or contrast is the blue GMT text and the blue around the GMT hand pointer. While it may have been on purpose for a less flashy, or maybe even a very subdued look, I can’t help thinking a blue bezel would have really set this dial off more.

Don’t get me wrong, I love all the other improvements on the dial. The diamond-cut hands are gorgeous, as are the faceted indices, and I do love the date at 6 with the new diamond-cut surround. It’s a stunning dial, and those hands and indices can really sparkle when they catch the light, the same as the new applied Traska logo, again taken from The Chronograph, but currently that means only two Traska models have that applied logo, and it makes sense, I think, to keep it to the higher-tier models like this one and the chrono.

The movement is the Miyota 9075, a movement that has been quite popular with microbrands in the last few years, as it is a very affordable way to get a “true” GMT watch, with a jumping hour hand instead of a moveable GMT hand. This module, though, does delete the quick-set date function, but you don’t have to circle the dial with the hands for a few minutes if you haven’t worn the watch in a week; rather, you can use that jumping hour hand to advance the date quickly.

Around back, you will not see the Miyota 9075 movement. Traska instead decided to keep their very clean and utilitarian case back. I have no issue with this, as I don’t think the 9075 or any of the 9000 series movements are all that attractive, and it appears the case back has the same 1200 HV coating as the wrist of the watch, keeping it scratch-free longer.

The bracelet of the Traska Venturer GMT has a lot of upgrades as well, with new shorter links, all brushed with a polished chamfer on the sides, that again, really gleam in the light and give the bracelet some added dimension and pop. The links are still held together with one-piece screws, which have an actual stopping point, so no worrying about ruining the screw heads with over-torquing, and of course, there’s the on-the-fly adjustment clasp, perfect for the days when your wrist swells.

The lug width, and of course the bracelet width at the top, has changed, though, to 21mm, which means the case width at the lugs is every so slightly wider, and now the bracelet being wider as well, it gives the impression of a slightly larger watch, while still retaining the 38.5mm case. The downside is, of course, finding a replacement strap, be it rubber or leather, if you want to take off the bracelet. Oh, taking the bracelet off is easy, though, with quick-release bars on the back of the end links.

Between the case back, the new shorter links in the bracelet, and of course the bracelet links still being fully articulated, the Traska Venturer GMT is a joy to wear, even on my 7 1/2 inch (19.05cm) wrist. I do not mean to infer that it wouldn’t be comfortable on my wrist, as I knew it was going to be, but more so that even at this smaller size, it doesn’t feel tiny to me like some under 40mm watches do. While more of that bracelet is on my upper wrist than I would like, I still think this watch is completely doable for me at this size. Would I still prefer a 40mm? Yes, I would, but it doesn’t matter as this watch will probably be just as popular as the prevous models, and many prefer a smaller watch like this.

The lume is still Grade A BGW9 Super-LumiNova, and even with a small dial and small areas for the lume to be applied, this Venturer GMT glows really well, very bright initially, and should last around 3-4 hours in the dark. The inner GMT bezel is lumed as well, but don’t expect that to be visible for those 4 hours; it fades rather quickly.

It’s hard to argue that the Traska Venturer GMT still holds a lot of value. Yes, the price has increased, but so has the case finishing, dial finishing, the bracelet has pretty much been completely redone, and well, Miyota 9075 movements are not cheap right now, and Miyota is extremely backed up with orders, many of them not arriving till 2017 for brands who recently placed an order. This is still a compact, clean and classy GMT,  one that can easily be worn every day at the office and for travel or even on weekends, just because.

It will be a perfect everyday watch for many, and all the refinements are very apparent. The Arctic white dial is not my favorite color; I wish it had more pop, but I know the black dial and steel blue will probably sell out quickly, as they are staples of this model, and for good reason. If you are interested in this model, and this is not a sales tactic, I don’t do that here, make sure you join the waitlist on their website so you get notified when they are in stock. If the past is any indication, these will sell out really fast.

Traska

1 of 20

Vuclain Skindiver GMT

Vulcain has 3 variations using their Skindiver case: the standard Skindiver, a Chronograph version, and this one, the Vulcain Skindiver GMT. It takes the same 38.3mm case used for the diver, but adds a new dial, a GMT complication with date, by the way of a Soprod C125 automatic movement, and its available in a few different color ways, black with white, black with beige, and a white with beige, as well as two limited edition models, a purple dial, and this one, the blue dial, the only one to have a sunray dial instead of a matte low gloss dial. What’s interesting is that, because this started as a dive watch, it still retains a screw-down crown and 200m of water resistance, and of course, there’s a domed sapphire and a ceramic bezel insert. MSRP for this LE of 100 is $2,330. 

Specifications

Limited Edition Blue Dial

38.3mm Stainless Steel Case

12.2mm Thick

44mm Lug to Lug

6.3mm Screw Down Crown

78 Grams

Domed Sapphire Crystal

Ceramic 24 Hour Bezel Insert

Soprod C125 Automatic GMT Movement

Blue Tropic Rubber Strap (As reviewed)

Swiss Made

MSRP $2,330 USD

https://vulcain.ch/products/skindiver-gmt-bleue

A little less than 2 years ago, I took a look at the Vulcain Skindiver and was blown away with the overall look, the case design and finishing, and that vertical brushed dial. This Vulcain Skindiver GMT retains that same case but loses a bit of that vintage aesthetic with this sunray dial, vibrant ceramic 24-hour bezel insert, coupled with white indices and numbers, instead of the beige. Some will, of course, like the modern approach here; others will yearn for the vintage appeal of the standard Skindiver. 

Immediately, even though it’s on a sporty tropic rubber strap, I felt this Vulcain Skindiver GMT has more of a casual/dress watch look and feel, and would probably look right at home with a nice leather strap, and there are bracelet options, but more on that in a bit. The sunray dial is one of the big highlights here, and while a sunray dial isn’t really anything special in the watch world, it does differentiate this model from the others in the lineup. 

All the other Skindiver GMTs use a matte dial, and from what I can tell from pics on their website, it has a fine eggshell texture. This blue limited edition uses a beautiful sunray dial that, of course, shimmers in the light, bouncing between a radiant and then a darker shade of blue. In contrast with the white indices, the polished steel hands, and the lighter blue GMT arrow, it really is a striking dial. The GMT text is in that lighter baby blue to match the GMT hand, and this version of the Skindiver does get a date wheel, which is nicely framed in a blasted and polished steel border. 

Initially, there were some glitches on the Vulcain website concerning pricing, and I thought this model was priced much more than the other models, even more than the Purple LE. While the pricing seems to be rectified for the most part, I was trying to find justification for the higher price tag. 

While the Purple and Blue are both Limited editions and $110 more than the standard versions, only this blue dial comes with a sunray patterned dial, and it also has a matching blue ceramic bidirectional bezel insert. The purple has a black bezel. Action is sufficient for a bi-directional bezel, never as fun as a dive bezel, but it does click nicely on each number and has a nice solid feel about it. 

Same with that crown, a screw-down crown, along with that 200m of water resistance, for a dressier GMT watch. I know this is using the same case as the diver, but Vulcain could have easily gone with 100m of water resistance or a non-screw-down crown, as so many do. The crown operates both the standard and GMT arrow, and because of the Soprod C125 GMT movement, it’s pretty much the same as an ETA or Sellita GMT, a caller’s GMT if you will. You will set your time, and then push back to the first position, and you can adjust both your date and the GMT hand. 

The case is very finely brushed, with a polished chamfer that runs the top of the case, and this is just beautiful finishing, very much in line with the price tag. The case has a cutout under the bezel as well, so the bezel actually sits into the case, not on top, allowing for a thinner case overall, which is nice considering how thick that domed sapphire is.

You can see the aforementioned Soprod C125 movement through the sapphire case back, unlike the black and white dial models, which have the same solid case back as the dive watch. Both the Purple and Blue Limited editions get the sapphire case back, showing off the movement, with a nicely decorated rotor and that blue enamel Vulcain logo. 

The Vulcain Skindiver GMT comes on a 20mm blue vulcanized rubber Tropic-style rubber strap, but does not list a bracelet option. Apparently, early on, there was a BOR bracelet option, but that is no longer available. You can purchase the Acier bracelet for $400. Where it gets odd is that if you click on the other versions of the watches that do offer the Acier bracelet as an option, there are different prices. The Purple shows at $2,450 if you choose the bracelet, but the others at $2,671. Seems there is still a glitch going on with the website. 

The blue tropic rubber is a really nice rubber strap, the color matches pretty well to the dial and bezel, and of course, has quick release pins like most straps do these days, and I had no problem fitting it to my 7 1/2 inch (19,05cm) wrist. And on that note, yes, 38.3mm does feel a little small for me; actually, it is small for me as I do prefer a watch 40mm or larger. I will admit, I do love how it looks and feels on my wrist, despite my wishing it were slightly larger. 

And just because it’s a GMT, it doesn’t mean Vulcain forgot about the lume. Sadly, the bezel numbers are not lumed, and that is not needed, but it would have been a nice touch. The indices and hands do glow brightly and last about a good 4 hours. 

I very much do have an affinity for these Skindiver models from Vulcain. I love the case design and finishing, and they seem to get everything right, down to the small details. I am not sure why a bracelet is not offered directly on the site as an option; hopefully that will be rectified soon, but this Vulcain Skindiver GMT is a really nice example of a vintage case style with a modern-style dial and bezel. It is about $500 more than the regular Skindiver, but it, of course, has a more expensive GMT movement, a blue sunray dial, and a sapphire case back, as well as being limited to 100 pieces. The only thing I would change? Make one in 40mm. 

Vulcain

1 of 19