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Lookbook November 2020
Top Picks For The Yearly Anticipated "Black Friday" Season
Published by: Samuel Ng
Published by: Samuel Ng
Nov 10, 2020
It's time again of the year where we come close to the end of the year. While this year might be an interesting one or the growing despondent feeling inside us with the world crisis, fear not as we pick things up a little. Our yearly affair with the "Black Friday" season remains in our mind, and this year we are back with more assortment of exceptional timepieces from our Gnomon shop.
Now let's enlighten the mood and rejuvenate your watch passion with some highlights of our exuberant selection of watches that will grace your wrist in a celebratory manner. Check out the full selection at Black Friday Sale.
Le Jour Hammerhead Diver Black Ref. LJ-HH-001
While we are still threading on dive watches, another excellent selection would be from a French origin. Le Jour is best known as a European retailer of chronographs manufactured by Heuer in the 1980s. Of course, its fantastic dive watches from a decade or two earlier. After the great success of re-launching their Chronograph - the Mk 1, along with their 60s Vintage Diver collections, After the great success of re-launching their Chronograph - the Mk 1, along with their 60s Vintage Diver collections.
A decade apart from their very first 1963 Superman release ref. 87062, Le Jour took a step further, reliving creatively by incorporating their 70s sports chronograph's cushion case silhouette with their dive watch know-how. The best of both worlds indeed. Chiefly inspired by none other than their 70s Flygraf and racing oriented Le Mans series, where the watch head gets an oblong case with L-shaped lugs and crisp bevelling, only to elevate c bold look and a sporty manner for their wearers.
The clean sunburst black dial and matching ceramic bezel are offset by a two-tone minute that. The mid-case vociferate 70s quirks, beginning with a radial satin-brushed finish on its top surface, only to be broken up by an additional detail of thick yet sleek polished bevel linings run across those lugs neatly, exemplifying how an old-school cushion style watch finished in the 1970s.
In terms of case finishing, the Hammerhead Diver case seems almost like it's straight out of the 1970s era, but with a higher construction level with greater appeal.
Dietrich TC PVD Pure
If you're looking for something a bit more unconventional yet approachable, take a peek at a designer piece from the man himself. Dietrich is a watch brand that's started by Emmanuel Dietrich, who is a fantastic designer. He does not just have an eye for details but also a gift to blend biomorphic elements with a time-ticking wrist machine without dismissing ergonomic and reliability. The latest Time Companion PVD Pure is his testament. The watch comes about through an unprecedented collaboration between him and Ablogtowatch's talented art director Matt Smith-Johnson.
The TC PVD Pure emanates a sporty and stylish look that fits into the current hyped "integrated bracelet steel sports watch" category, yet with a twist from the two men. Instead of the traditional industrial look from other examples in the market, the Dietrich timepiece stands out in its own way with its distinctive shapes. That said, the TC PVD Pure is a creative take on the popular genre that offers versatility with an unforgettable look.
Made from PVD, this watch's faceted bezel is finished with a vertical brush on top, polished at its edges, and satin-brushed on its sides to give it a luxurious sheen. The bezel exudes intoxicating masculinity with eight small screws securing its handsome look on this watch seamlessly. A slim watch that the Time Companion Pure can adapt to any wardrobe with a height of only 9.3 mm. Protected by a custom cut Sapphire glass with anti-glare coatings on both sides, this watch's minimalistic dial displays the purity of its no-frills design.
Paired on a multilink metal bracelet with a secured double clasp and hexagonal links at the center, which sets this timepiece apart from other line-ups. This PVD bracelet is integrated with its case so flawlessly that the watch seems to be a single continuous piece. This appealing trait is seen on many iconic looks, such as the Audemars Piguet Royal Oaks, Rolex Oyster Quartz, and Patek Nautilus. This impeccable blend of the case with bracelet gives this watch the expensive look of luxury sports watches, all the hype.
The TC Pure watch features a unique look on a popular theme, something Dietrich excels at. From the sleek lines on its dial to the distinctive hexagonal links on its bracelet and its vaguely hexagonal case, bestow an almost tessellated appearance to this timepiece, resulting in a satisfyingly organic design. Kudos to Dietrich for releasing a sophisticated biomechanical look with the perfect balance of geometry and elegance, which prevents its sterile nature from being unnervingly forbidding.
Glycine Combat SUB 42 Bronze Green Ref. GL0281
First, we picked one of the hot brands from our collection - the Swiss brand from Bienne. The brand started as a small-caliber manufacturer in 1914, gradually growing throughout the years to offer reliable tool watches and then some. We had taken our time to uncover this brand's rich military past through its military dive watches instead of its iconic aviation Airman series, as we believe they are as good.
In 1967, this Swiss watchmaker replicated the Airman's success by launching its second line specially crafted for land troopers known as the Combat watches. Along with the field watches, the brand manufactured SCUBA watches from the early 60s to the late 80s. And in the early 2000s came the military Glycine divers, better known as the Combat SUBs, which established a prominent watch industry presence.
One recent example would be the Combat SUB 42 Bronze Green Ref. GL0281 with its unique bronze case and gradient dial. Entirely hand-finished and Made in Switzerland, the Combat SUB exudes a satin-brushed finishing throughout to a very high standard, synonymous with Glycine. Bronze patinates naturally as it oxidizes so that each watch will take on a unique finish over time. Made from marine grade bronze material, CuSn8, the CombatSUB creates a patina over time unique only to the owner.
The Combat Sub is water-resistant to a modest 200m. It measures at 42mm and 11mm thin for unsurpassed comfort on all wrist sizes. The short lugs to lugs length of 49.5mm and the unique downward curving lugs meant the watch wraps around the wrist like a pair of gloves.
Even as this Swiss watchmaker's timepieces follow the diver formula, they stand out with their excellent quality and unique designs at reasonable prices (right now, all watches are below one thousand dollars).
Dievas Marine 500
Now, what if our playful self kicks on an occasion where you want the best of both worlds, in terms of a dive watch and a Flieger. Well, we have got you covered - the recently updated Dievas "Vortex" collection might fit the bill. In 2007, young Dievas designers working in Gnomon explored a bona fide German-engineered piece for tool watch aficionados. This concept was born out of these designers' wealth of experience through years of handling Germanic, military-oriented watches. Where form follows function, Vortex is indeed a useful tool watch that can be worn under extreme conditions.
Springing from extremely positive reception, the original Dievas Vortex, Dievas Watch Company, went on the exact route of cumulating the highest engineering specifications and product design to present the latest series with.a total of four models, built with the same philosophy. Scoping down on one of them, the Marine 500 runs a term synonymous with fluid dynamics consummating an integral part of the field/pilot and dive watch design.
Its hybrid-designed case measures 41mm wide from top bezel, while 39mm at its mid-case section, and from the bottom to the top again at a remarkable 13mm in height. What's more, the angular lugs, a signature for the Dievas collection, only have a lug to lug distance of 46.5mm, resulting in exceptional wearability for wearers of any wrist size. Emulating the hard-lines displayed by its predecessor's casing and sturdy lugs, the Marine 500 is expertly finished as a bona fide tool watch with Teutonic form. The case is further treated with a special coating to provide scratch-protection and extra corrosion resistance.
The Vortex Marine 500 has fluid dynamics that are synonymous with its accentuated "field explorer" theme. Following its predecessor's early design DNA, it decided that since the watch will be preferred and used as an accurate timing instrument by military personnel, only a less unorthodox, no-nonsense, uncluttered, and highly legible design is deem fitting. As such, large, oversized Arabic alphabets in Dievas font (seen previously on their Reaper) at 12, 3, 6, and 9 o'clock, set with double-digit minute markers applied meticulously on the rehaut every 5-minute increments, all done for the first time.
Therefore, the Dievas new 7th-Gen of Vortex line presents irrefutably seductive timepieces. Like the Marine 500, a fine exemplar of classic German watchmaking.
Seiko Presage Crown Automatic Black - Ltd Ed 1964pcs Ref. SARX073
There have been many vintage reissues coming off from Seiko recently, and the Japanese watchmaker is adept at churning them out. Specifically, the brand's three-hander Presage Crown Automatic Black is perhaps the best in all the memory. The SARX073 is the company's first attempt at redesigning its first Chronograph in 1964, but with a clean aesthetic. During that time, Seiko introduced a 12-ligne, hand-wound, single-pusher chronograph movement known as Caliber 5719, produced by their factory, Suwa Seikosha, and placed it in the Ref. 5719-8992 Seiko Crown. Fifty or so years later, Seiko decided to rekindle the "Crown" ethos to another level with a new limited edition, time-only watch that modeled after the same vintage piece.
The SARX073 is the company's first attempt at dismissing a vintage chronograph format into a neater time and date display. All that while delivering an unmistakable Seiko flair is much to Seiko prowess in rekindling its own archives. The watch is heavily based on the first Chronograph they manufactured in 1964; 5719-8992. The case has been beefed up from 38mm to 41mm with a thickness of just 11mm, but slimmer than its previous Chrono variant at 42.3mm wide and a thickness of 15.3mm. The watch kept its DNA, having full polished mid-case and case-back, straight old-school beveled lugs style with the whole black 1-minute bezel makes 5719-8992 distinct.
Further, though the vibe of the SARX073/SPB131J1 feels nostalgic and sixties, the finishing is impeccable with Seiko's Zaratsu polishing throughout the whole case, alternating satin-brushed finishing on top and full gloss polished on the sides and bevels. Underneath the domed-shaped sapphire crystal showcases Seiko's prowess in dial work. The center has applied tiny Lumi Brite blocks on the inner pie-pan dial, which paired with the applied faceted hour markers. The hour markers are a significant throwback of 5719-8992, keeping the 60s look. The no-nonsense black dial further bears multi-finishings with circular patterns around the inner dial where the hour markers sit. At the same time, the rest of it features a matte finishing.
While the front is all thing vintage, what's within is the definition of modern works. Flipping the watch over, the Presage Crown Automatic Black is powered by Seiko's all-new top-end automatic caliber, the 6R35. As one of the pioneers to have a new movement; powered by Seiko's latest automatic caliber, 6R35, which is an upgrade from the workhorse 6R15. It still operates at 21,600 BPH (3 Hertz) with hacking and hand winding capabilities. Its main updates are the increase of jewels to 24 and a power reserve of 70 hours from 50 hours on previous versions.
Although we acknowledge Seiko dive watches are usually on top of our mind when comes to the brand, the Seiko Presage Crown and the Presage collection as a whole, hold a special place in the heart too, for countless watch lovers thanks to their heritage and refinement.
Aristo Navigator Vintage 42 Type B - 7H118 - Sapphire
How can we end the season with mostly dive watches? Therefore, to complete our top selections, we knew we couldn't leave out a fantastic brand with authentic ties to the original pilot watch from Germany. Founded in 1907 by Julius Epple in Pforzheim, jewelry, and watchmaking in the Black Forest, Germany, Aristo has been making incredible timepieces that include the pioneering of German fliegers for their military pilots back then. The Navigator Vintage 42 Type V Ref. 7H118 is a concrete example of the band's effort to continue the tradition.
The watch measures the right size of 42mm, lug-to-lug length of 48mm, a thickness of 10.5mm, and a lug width of 20mm. The 316L stainless steel case is well finished by hand with a full satin brushed on the top and sides of the case to give it a robust, tool watch feel. . In continuing the Flieger appeal, a sizeable sand-blasted crown with pronounced grooves enlivens the Aristo Flieger Vintage much utilitarianism.
The Aristo Navigator Vintage is clearly inspired by the Type B Flieger (German for Pilot) watches from the 40s created for the Luftwaffe. In a "Type B" model, the dial is sectored into two, with an outer ring for minutes and seconds and an additional inner circle for hours.
The dial is clean and sticks to the basics, only to have a date display at 3 o'clock, along with minimal texts that imbued a refreshing manner. In keeping the vintage theme, Aristo uses the "Old Radium" SuperLuminova for both the numbers on the dial and the hands, contrasting with the white 360 markings. Best yet, the periphery minute markers are done so in a way that brings one to mind of a "railway track."
Flipping the timepiece over, it comes with a display back for us watch enthusiasts admire the SW200-1 at work. The size of the case, coupled with the sturdy short lugs that curved nicely to conform one's wrist comfortably, makes this a great fit on all wrist sizes. All that being said, the Aristo Navigator Vintage draws you in with its iconic Type B look with a rugged allure. This pilot watch carries the utmost German watchmaking tradition, with modern reliability and finesse that Aristo continues to behold.
Now let's enlighten the mood and rejuvenate your watch passion with some highlights of our exuberant selection of watches that will grace your wrist in a celebratory manner. Check out the full selection at Black Friday Sale.
Le Jour Hammerhead Diver Black Ref. LJ-HH-001
While we are still threading on dive watches, another excellent selection would be from a French origin. Le Jour is best known as a European retailer of chronographs manufactured by Heuer in the 1980s. Of course, its fantastic dive watches from a decade or two earlier. After the great success of re-launching their Chronograph - the Mk 1, along with their 60s Vintage Diver collections, After the great success of re-launching their Chronograph - the Mk 1, along with their 60s Vintage Diver collections.
A decade apart from their very first 1963 Superman release ref. 87062, Le Jour took a step further, reliving creatively by incorporating their 70s sports chronograph's cushion case silhouette with their dive watch know-how. The best of both worlds indeed. Chiefly inspired by none other than their 70s Flygraf and racing oriented Le Mans series, where the watch head gets an oblong case with L-shaped lugs and crisp bevelling, only to elevate c bold look and a sporty manner for their wearers.
The clean sunburst black dial and matching ceramic bezel are offset by a two-tone minute that. The mid-case vociferate 70s quirks, beginning with a radial satin-brushed finish on its top surface, only to be broken up by an additional detail of thick yet sleek polished bevel linings run across those lugs neatly, exemplifying how an old-school cushion style watch finished in the 1970s.
In terms of case finishing, the Hammerhead Diver case seems almost like it's straight out of the 1970s era, but with a higher construction level with greater appeal.
Dietrich TC PVD Pure
If you're looking for something a bit more unconventional yet approachable, take a peek at a designer piece from the man himself. Dietrich is a watch brand that's started by Emmanuel Dietrich, who is a fantastic designer. He does not just have an eye for details but also a gift to blend biomorphic elements with a time-ticking wrist machine without dismissing ergonomic and reliability. The latest Time Companion PVD Pure is his testament. The watch comes about through an unprecedented collaboration between him and Ablogtowatch's talented art director Matt Smith-Johnson.
The TC PVD Pure emanates a sporty and stylish look that fits into the current hyped "integrated bracelet steel sports watch" category, yet with a twist from the two men. Instead of the traditional industrial look from other examples in the market, the Dietrich timepiece stands out in its own way with its distinctive shapes. That said, the TC PVD Pure is a creative take on the popular genre that offers versatility with an unforgettable look.
Made from PVD, this watch's faceted bezel is finished with a vertical brush on top, polished at its edges, and satin-brushed on its sides to give it a luxurious sheen. The bezel exudes intoxicating masculinity with eight small screws securing its handsome look on this watch seamlessly. A slim watch that the Time Companion Pure can adapt to any wardrobe with a height of only 9.3 mm. Protected by a custom cut Sapphire glass with anti-glare coatings on both sides, this watch's minimalistic dial displays the purity of its no-frills design.
Paired on a multilink metal bracelet with a secured double clasp and hexagonal links at the center, which sets this timepiece apart from other line-ups. This PVD bracelet is integrated with its case so flawlessly that the watch seems to be a single continuous piece. This appealing trait is seen on many iconic looks, such as the Audemars Piguet Royal Oaks, Rolex Oyster Quartz, and Patek Nautilus. This impeccable blend of the case with bracelet gives this watch the expensive look of luxury sports watches, all the hype.
The TC Pure watch features a unique look on a popular theme, something Dietrich excels at. From the sleek lines on its dial to the distinctive hexagonal links on its bracelet and its vaguely hexagonal case, bestow an almost tessellated appearance to this timepiece, resulting in a satisfyingly organic design. Kudos to Dietrich for releasing a sophisticated biomechanical look with the perfect balance of geometry and elegance, which prevents its sterile nature from being unnervingly forbidding.
Glycine Combat SUB 42 Bronze Green Ref. GL0281
First, we picked one of the hot brands from our collection - the Swiss brand from Bienne. The brand started as a small-caliber manufacturer in 1914, gradually growing throughout the years to offer reliable tool watches and then some. We had taken our time to uncover this brand's rich military past through its military dive watches instead of its iconic aviation Airman series, as we believe they are as good.
In 1967, this Swiss watchmaker replicated the Airman's success by launching its second line specially crafted for land troopers known as the Combat watches. Along with the field watches, the brand manufactured SCUBA watches from the early 60s to the late 80s. And in the early 2000s came the military Glycine divers, better known as the Combat SUBs, which established a prominent watch industry presence.
One recent example would be the Combat SUB 42 Bronze Green Ref. GL0281 with its unique bronze case and gradient dial. Entirely hand-finished and Made in Switzerland, the Combat SUB exudes a satin-brushed finishing throughout to a very high standard, synonymous with Glycine. Bronze patinates naturally as it oxidizes so that each watch will take on a unique finish over time. Made from marine grade bronze material, CuSn8, the CombatSUB creates a patina over time unique only to the owner.
The Combat Sub is water-resistant to a modest 200m. It measures at 42mm and 11mm thin for unsurpassed comfort on all wrist sizes. The short lugs to lugs length of 49.5mm and the unique downward curving lugs meant the watch wraps around the wrist like a pair of gloves.
Even as this Swiss watchmaker's timepieces follow the diver formula, they stand out with their excellent quality and unique designs at reasonable prices (right now, all watches are below one thousand dollars).
Dievas Marine 500
Now, what if our playful self kicks on an occasion where you want the best of both worlds, in terms of a dive watch and a Flieger. Well, we have got you covered - the recently updated Dievas "Vortex" collection might fit the bill. In 2007, young Dievas designers working in Gnomon explored a bona fide German-engineered piece for tool watch aficionados. This concept was born out of these designers' wealth of experience through years of handling Germanic, military-oriented watches. Where form follows function, Vortex is indeed a useful tool watch that can be worn under extreme conditions.
Springing from extremely positive reception, the original Dievas Vortex, Dievas Watch Company, went on the exact route of cumulating the highest engineering specifications and product design to present the latest series with.a total of four models, built with the same philosophy. Scoping down on one of them, the Marine 500 runs a term synonymous with fluid dynamics consummating an integral part of the field/pilot and dive watch design.
Its hybrid-designed case measures 41mm wide from top bezel, while 39mm at its mid-case section, and from the bottom to the top again at a remarkable 13mm in height. What's more, the angular lugs, a signature for the Dievas collection, only have a lug to lug distance of 46.5mm, resulting in exceptional wearability for wearers of any wrist size. Emulating the hard-lines displayed by its predecessor's casing and sturdy lugs, the Marine 500 is expertly finished as a bona fide tool watch with Teutonic form. The case is further treated with a special coating to provide scratch-protection and extra corrosion resistance.
The Vortex Marine 500 has fluid dynamics that are synonymous with its accentuated "field explorer" theme. Following its predecessor's early design DNA, it decided that since the watch will be preferred and used as an accurate timing instrument by military personnel, only a less unorthodox, no-nonsense, uncluttered, and highly legible design is deem fitting. As such, large, oversized Arabic alphabets in Dievas font (seen previously on their Reaper) at 12, 3, 6, and 9 o'clock, set with double-digit minute markers applied meticulously on the rehaut every 5-minute increments, all done for the first time.
Therefore, the Dievas new 7th-Gen of Vortex line presents irrefutably seductive timepieces. Like the Marine 500, a fine exemplar of classic German watchmaking.
Seiko Presage Crown Automatic Black - Ltd Ed 1964pcs Ref. SARX073
There have been many vintage reissues coming off from Seiko recently, and the Japanese watchmaker is adept at churning them out. Specifically, the brand's three-hander Presage Crown Automatic Black is perhaps the best in all the memory. The SARX073 is the company's first attempt at redesigning its first Chronograph in 1964, but with a clean aesthetic. During that time, Seiko introduced a 12-ligne, hand-wound, single-pusher chronograph movement known as Caliber 5719, produced by their factory, Suwa Seikosha, and placed it in the Ref. 5719-8992 Seiko Crown. Fifty or so years later, Seiko decided to rekindle the "Crown" ethos to another level with a new limited edition, time-only watch that modeled after the same vintage piece.
The SARX073 is the company's first attempt at dismissing a vintage chronograph format into a neater time and date display. All that while delivering an unmistakable Seiko flair is much to Seiko prowess in rekindling its own archives. The watch is heavily based on the first Chronograph they manufactured in 1964; 5719-8992. The case has been beefed up from 38mm to 41mm with a thickness of just 11mm, but slimmer than its previous Chrono variant at 42.3mm wide and a thickness of 15.3mm. The watch kept its DNA, having full polished mid-case and case-back, straight old-school beveled lugs style with the whole black 1-minute bezel makes 5719-8992 distinct.
Further, though the vibe of the SARX073/SPB131J1 feels nostalgic and sixties, the finishing is impeccable with Seiko's Zaratsu polishing throughout the whole case, alternating satin-brushed finishing on top and full gloss polished on the sides and bevels. Underneath the domed-shaped sapphire crystal showcases Seiko's prowess in dial work. The center has applied tiny Lumi Brite blocks on the inner pie-pan dial, which paired with the applied faceted hour markers. The hour markers are a significant throwback of 5719-8992, keeping the 60s look. The no-nonsense black dial further bears multi-finishings with circular patterns around the inner dial where the hour markers sit. At the same time, the rest of it features a matte finishing.
While the front is all thing vintage, what's within is the definition of modern works. Flipping the watch over, the Presage Crown Automatic Black is powered by Seiko's all-new top-end automatic caliber, the 6R35. As one of the pioneers to have a new movement; powered by Seiko's latest automatic caliber, 6R35, which is an upgrade from the workhorse 6R15. It still operates at 21,600 BPH (3 Hertz) with hacking and hand winding capabilities. Its main updates are the increase of jewels to 24 and a power reserve of 70 hours from 50 hours on previous versions.
Although we acknowledge Seiko dive watches are usually on top of our mind when comes to the brand, the Seiko Presage Crown and the Presage collection as a whole, hold a special place in the heart too, for countless watch lovers thanks to their heritage and refinement.
Aristo Navigator Vintage 42 Type B - 7H118 - Sapphire
How can we end the season with mostly dive watches? Therefore, to complete our top selections, we knew we couldn't leave out a fantastic brand with authentic ties to the original pilot watch from Germany. Founded in 1907 by Julius Epple in Pforzheim, jewelry, and watchmaking in the Black Forest, Germany, Aristo has been making incredible timepieces that include the pioneering of German fliegers for their military pilots back then. The Navigator Vintage 42 Type V Ref. 7H118 is a concrete example of the band's effort to continue the tradition.
The watch measures the right size of 42mm, lug-to-lug length of 48mm, a thickness of 10.5mm, and a lug width of 20mm. The 316L stainless steel case is well finished by hand with a full satin brushed on the top and sides of the case to give it a robust, tool watch feel. . In continuing the Flieger appeal, a sizeable sand-blasted crown with pronounced grooves enlivens the Aristo Flieger Vintage much utilitarianism.
The Aristo Navigator Vintage is clearly inspired by the Type B Flieger (German for Pilot) watches from the 40s created for the Luftwaffe. In a "Type B" model, the dial is sectored into two, with an outer ring for minutes and seconds and an additional inner circle for hours.
The dial is clean and sticks to the basics, only to have a date display at 3 o'clock, along with minimal texts that imbued a refreshing manner. In keeping the vintage theme, Aristo uses the "Old Radium" SuperLuminova for both the numbers on the dial and the hands, contrasting with the white 360 markings. Best yet, the periphery minute markers are done so in a way that brings one to mind of a "railway track."
Flipping the timepiece over, it comes with a display back for us watch enthusiasts admire the SW200-1 at work. The size of the case, coupled with the sturdy short lugs that curved nicely to conform one's wrist comfortably, makes this a great fit on all wrist sizes. All that being said, the Aristo Navigator Vintage draws you in with its iconic Type B look with a rugged allure. This pilot watch carries the utmost German watchmaking tradition, with modern reliability and finesse that Aristo continues to behold.
