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Basel 2019: Update from Andy
Basel 2019: Update from Andy
Baselworld Fair & Time To Move
Breitling
Baselworld Fair 2019
The star of the show has to be the Breitling Navitimer 806 re-issue of the watch from 1959 that started it all. There are a few very cool key elements of the watch that make it stand out from the pack and add to its authenticity; the beaded bezel, the beautifully busy AOPA logo dial (of course) with a circular slide rule, and a new movement, B09. It’s a B01 chronograph movement that Breitling has converted to a manual wind. Limited to 1959 pieces, this watch is already a big hit and is sure to sell out fast!
The new Superocean II is a robust diver at a great price, under $4000. I love the easily legible white dial version with blue accents. It’s tough to tell in the pictures, but be sure to pay close attention to the new relief bezel with raised numerals; it’s a really nice touch. There are also some great new color options in the traditional ladies size 36mm, also available in 42, 44 and 46mm.
I’m really excited about the new dial options that Breitling announced in their newest collection, Premier. The black eye gray dial looks great on this new Nubuck suede strap. Also, be sure to browse the new special editions that Breitling released in the Premier collection, the Norton Limited Edition watch that commemorates their new partnership with Norton Motorcycles is definitely a highlight with a subtle touch of gold on the dial and a great strap, and the two new additions to the Breitling for Bentley collection that now fall within Premier. We already have the very striking British racing green dial in stock and I have yet to see the wooden dial, but I’m extremely excited to!
Be sure to check out all of the new pieces announced by Breitling at this years Basel Fair and please reach out to Continental Diamond with any questions or be the first to own one by placing a pre-order!
Breitling’s Latest Collections
OMEGA
Time To Move
In case you haven’t heard, there were some changes that took place this year in the way that the Swatch Group, of which Omega is the flagship brand, announced their new pieces for 2019. Rather than exhibiting at the Basel Fair as they’ve done in the past, they instead elected to hold an event for their retailers called Time To Move in Zurich. I was lucky enough to attend, but unfortunately we were not permitted to take pictures of most of the pieces because Omega is planning an additional press event. Stay tuned because I can tell you that (as usual) you will not be disappointed!
Here are a few highlights that I can tell you about:
Apollo 11 – This year marks the 50th anniversary of the moon landing and Omega is (of course) commemorating it with not 1 but 2 limited edition Speedmasters. The first of which we have seen and it’s awesome! The all 18kt Moonshine gold case and bracelet feel amazing on the wrist, the weight is fantastic. There are so many subtle touches that make this watch cool from the onyx hour markers, to the meteorite inlay in the back of the watch, but the two most obvious are the bezel and movement. The burgundy ceramic and gold bezel insert looks beautiful on the gold backdrop and possibly the coolest aspect of this piece is the 3861 movement which is a Master Chronometer version of the 1861 movement traditionally found in the modern day Moonwatch. There is an additional very cool Apollo commemorative piece coming out with a touch of gold on it that I’m really excited about as well, look for pictures soon! Judging by recent limited edition Speedmasters released by Omega, these will be very sought after, collectable and valuable pieces.
On to a few watches that will actually be attainable, Omega has added on to the hugely successful new version of the Seamaster Diver 300 collectionhighlighted by the return of the much loved wave dial and Master Chonometer movement. They did give us a sneak peak of the new intros to the collection with the announcement of the all ceramic case version Seamaster Diver 300M Co-Axial Master Chronometer 43.5 MM which is particularly interesting given the $8100 price tag which is far below the price of previous all ceramic case versions that they’ve released in other collections. Perhaps my favorite new addition to this collection is a striking white dial version with a black ceramic bezel with white numerals, as well as a new chronograph with the in house chronograph Master Chronometer movement…be on the lookout!
They’re bringing back the orange bezel on the Seamaster Planet Ocean, this time in ceramic! The production of this bezel has been rumored to have been in the works for a few years now, but they have apparently finally perfected it and I can tell you that it’s beautiful. I’m a sucker for a touch of color on my watches and if you feel the same, this watch will not disappoint!
Ladies… The new Constellation Manhattan is here in our store to view already! Omega did a great job refining what has become an iconic ladies collection. The entire watch is slimmed down, particularly the iconic “claws” that you see from the top of the case. For fans of the Constellations of the past, you’ll be happy to hear that they also brought back the gold half link, which adds a bit of color in a more subtle way.
Side note: if you’re a fan of world timers, get excited for the new Aqua Terra World Timer!
[Edit 05/17] OMEGA unveils a full selection of this year’s newest watches 2019 Exclusive Preview
ORIS
Baselworld Fair 2019
Bronze has certainly been a theme for Oris over the past couple of years and it has been really popular, so it should come as no surprise that they’re adding on. The new Diver Sixty Five not only has a bronze bezel, but bronze center links in the bracelet. It has a relatively slim case and a very slim vintage style bracelet that makes it extremely comfortable. Of course the price is great at $2350. Lastly, with summer coming, be sure to check out their beautiful collection of Nato straps with a folding clasp, they’re always a big hit with watch fans.
Two cool new additions to the Aquis Dive Collection are the Clean Ocean Limited Edition and the Relief Edition. The 2000 piece limited editionClean Ocean was created to raise awareness for a small organization whose mission is to help rid our oceans of plastic waste. This watch features a very cool blue dial and each piece has a plastic puck that has been fit into the caseback made from ocean plastic. No two caseback pucks are alike, and it’s a fun way to raise awareness for a very worthy cause. The Relief Edition has a beautiful relief bezel that is currently available for viewing here in our showroom.
Oris made a design update to its Big Crown Pro Pilot GMT with the addition of the rotating bezel. I really like the looks of the watch on the bracelet and at $2800 it’s a very accessible watch for everyday wear with some great functionality.
Click here to have a look at all of Oris’s 2019 Basel releases and please reach out for more information and to pre-order.
Oris Latest Releases
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