Last Thursday, our team saw the official launch and opening of Officine Panerai, the 159 year old-Fiorentine-based brand’s very first boutique here (designed by the greatly acclaimed Spanish Architect and Designer, Patricia Urqiola) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. We were invited by Panerai as special guests for the evening, so here’s a brief recap of what we saw, what we wore, and what we experienced that very evening.
I think for me personally, the highlight of the evening was our very own private viewing of the technically impressive Radiomir 940 Minute Repeater Carillon Tourbillon GMT. Check out the photos below.
We also had the pleasure of viewing the beautiful and elusive PAM995 with a military green dial as seen here below.
I’ve also had the opportunity to try on one of my favourite offerings from Panerai – the PAM590 Luminor 8 Days Acciaio. This is a Panerai that is dear to my heart, and for good reason. For me, it is the Panerai to own, because it possesses traits that ties the history and the present for the brand, and it bears a very interesting seal that is seen only on a handful of Panerais to date, which I absolutely adore and find charming. The seal as seen on the 590’s 3 o’clock position “8 Giorni Brevettato”, which means “8 days patented” in Italian first surfaced on a Luminor Submersible produced for the Egyptian Navy back in the mid 1950s. Apart from that, the 590 is technically impressive for its 8 day power reserve, it is also aestehtically simple, casual, and it retains the traditional and iconic aesthetic of a Panerai Luminor i.e patent crown guards, beautiful Sandwich dial, Bettarini case etc which are all features that gradually drew me into the watch.
Overall we had a really fun and engaging evening at the launch, we bumped into some familiar faces and some old friends as well. Truth be told, this actually isn’t my first time in the boutique but being in here that evening felt somewhat fresh but familiar at the same time. Albeit the massive crowd and turn-out, the service was still pretty much top notch and impressive, so on that note, a big thank you to Li Min and Jean Koh from Panerai for taking really good care of us that evening.
In any case, if you’re around Pavilion KL, I highly recommend you pay them a visit.
“…watch collecting is a journey, you want to be in it for the long run.”
Woody (@watchaddictwt)
So what made you buy the last watch in your collection? Was it it’s aesthetics? Was it about how it wears on your wrist? Perhaps the features? Brand reputation? Maybe you have concerns about how you’d be perceived by your peers? Or heaven forbid, was it about value retention?
By some slim chance, could it be its historical significance, heritage or its design?
I, for one, am a believer of learning and understanding a watch’s provenance. And today, I will give you a real-life example of this based on a watch I own. The watch does not scream attention but is one that tends to catch viewers by surprise when they opt to take a closer look, regardless of whether they are watch enthusiasts or not: the Zenith El Primero.
I remember having this conversation with a friend and fellow watch enthusiast. Just by happenstance, he was (still is) a hardcore Rolex fan. He argued that Rolex reached where it is today by building strong stories around its watches, and so Zenith had nothing on the Daytona. The challenge thrown to me: to name ONE story behind the Zenith that makes it better than a Daytona. Little did he know that he had just stepped into the hornet’s nest.
I did not give him one story, I gave him THREE. They are, in chronological order as follows:
1) The El Primero was the first fully integrated automatic chronograph that is still in production today; 50 years later after its initial introduction in 1969, its two other competing rivals in 1969 have since ceased production just a few years after their respective launches.
2) In the mid-70s, Zenith’s then short-sighted owners asked for its mechanical watch division to be dissolved in the face of the Quartz crisis. One engineer named Charles Vermot defied the instruction and proceeded to catalogue and store the El Primero’s parts and machinery with the belief that the brand’s owners would one day be proven wrong. His prediction came true, and it was this particular act of defiance by Mr Vermot that enabled the El Primero to be built again once the Quartz crisis subsided.
3) The El Primero was recognized for its legendary Caliber 4030. It was subsequently chosen by Rolex to be used as the base for its first automatic Daytona. For several years, the Daytona ran on a Zenith El Primero movement whilst Rolex figured out how to build its own similar movement.
I silenced the Rolex fan that day. Thankfully, we remain friends. One thing we have in common is that our love for horology extends beyond any brand’s marketing spiel. This one conversation has since enabled us to jointly discover other watches and gain a further appreciation of each other’s unique tastes and love for timepieces with lineage.
To me, a watch’s provenance is just one part of the appeal of mechanical watchmaking. Some watches have immensely interesting histories. Others have very evident design philosophies in their inception. At times, you can almost feel the passion some independent designers have for the timepieces they have created. The Internet is a rich resource pool for these things and I highly encourage you to search them up.
But what if the watch you fell in love with has no known or marketed history? Does that make it inferior? My answer: Absolutely not. You get to create your own story; to take the time to understand why it tugs at your heartstrings. There is virtue in patience and this journey of discovery. Like what Marshall said, watch collecting is a journey, you want to be in it for the long run.
Once you have that somewhat figured out, I’d then recommend you take another step: Find a meaningful occasion to procure it. It might be a momentous point in your life. Perhaps a promotion. Perhaps it was the watch your better half chose with you. It is this moment in time that will create a bond between you and the timepiece – a connection that no one other than you will value. That will be what makes that watch truly YOURS.
As for me, my reason to acquire the Zenith was simple. I had achieved a career landmark at that point in time and was accorded one of the firm’s top performers. The Zenith was a celebration of that occasion and serves as a poignant reminder to me until this very day. As per the name El Primero, it signified ‘the first’, and the hope of many more to come.
On some days when I have some lingering self-doubt on attaining a pivotal decision from a key stakeholder, I consciously wear it as a good luck charm to remind myself that I’m capable of more than what I think I can do. Silly I know, but hey, it’s my story.
I can’t believe it has already been nearly 4 years since the inception of The Matick Blog. Frankly speaking it all felt like a blur, the year 2015 was also coincidentally around the time when I first began to collect and actively write about watches. I was still somewhat of a little boy back then – a first year undergraduate law student in Oxford Brookes.
For those who don’t know, we were formerly known as Chronomatick back then.
It was a helluva time for sure (mind you, this was wayyy before the implementation of the notorious IG algorithm). Looking back and now that it’s all said and done, it has certainly been a bloody fun ride albeit the highs and the lows, the trials and tribulations that came along the way.
I’ve felt that everything unfolded just the way it should be, although not exactly the way I wanted it to be.
The reason why I am bringing this up today is because I wanted to pay a tribute to the good ol’ days. Back then, I was just a really passionate kid who didn’t cared much about the world around him (except for watches of course), and I would spend hours in South Park (its a huge park in Oxford, google it) during spring, just busking in the warm sun rays, feeling the cool gentle breeze on my face, typing away on my bulky laptop. It was an exciting project back then, my friends (on and off IG) would always tell me how excited they are for our wristalk episodes.
It was definitely a thing that our readers look forward to every week for sure, and I live for those stories.
Origins of #Wristalk
What is #Wristalk? You may ask.
Well, to put it simply, it is a platform that we introduced in order to bring to light untold stories of watches belonging to collectors and enthusiasts alike from all walks of life, by giving everyone in this wonderful community a voice to express and document their love and passion for this amazing hobby.
It is solely because of this particular segment, our humble little watch blog witnessed an unprecedented rapid increase in popularity back in 2015, just a few months after the site was conceived.
Its been 4 years since then, so I guess it’s about time we go back to our roots – to where it all began for us. On that note, we’re going to dispense with the need for a format like we used to adopt. That being said, we’re going to start off with 2 very important watches I recently had the opportunity to acquire. They are the following:
Dietrich Watches – Time Companion TC-1, 1 of 2 pieces worldwide, not commercially available for sale (formerly an unique execution)
Those who know me would know my obsession and affinity with Dietrich Watches. There’s something about the story of the brand, the character as well as the design philosophy that struck a chord within me. Emmanuel has been a real inspiration to me for the past couple years, not just as a designer or a watch brand owner, but also as a human being.
This particular piece right here is no stranger to many of you who follow me on IG. It was previously considered an unique execution, but today it is now 1 of 2 pieces in the world. As we know it, the second piece is in the care of the good hands of Robert Velasquez (@spanishrob on IG)!
Its just one of those watches that I wear so often to the point that I felt like I was sort of the unofficial brand ambassador. Because to me, that watch was more than just a material possession, it came with a story and an important life lesson, and that was the sort of kinship I felt with the watch.
Everytime I look at this watch, it brings back lots of bittersweet and beautiful memories of London, and I received this watch at the very end of my time there, specifically on the day before I got called to the Bar as a Barrister of England and Wales. So to me, this very piece right here represents a form of recognition which validated all the hard work, struggles as well as the sacrifices I’ve made along the way to get to this point.
I wear it quite often actually, its my go-to watch for special occasions. Similarly to my philosophy of collecting, I use watches as reminders, so everytime I put on this watch, it reminds me of the special moments and experiences I’ve had so far.
This watch I adore dearly, and regardless of what people would tell me about the brand, design etc. This is my heirloom to my son/daughter when the time comes.
Mr Jones Watches – King
Mr Jones Watches is an independent London-based brand we’ve been working very closely with ever since the inception of Team Matick. Needless to say, as we started out as nobodies in this crazy and vast world of watches where coverage of the historically established brands i.e Rolex, Omega etc would be considered futile (since there are already online websites/blogs/magazines covering them). I am not going to lie, it was a daunting vision. So given that position at the time, we naturally gravitated towards independent brands such as Mr Jones Watches due to the uniqueness portrayed in the design language of their watches. We wanted to introduce a different approach to watch collecting, and that is by way of story telling.
To be completely frank with you, when I first came across MJW, I was quite skeptical. But today it has become a brand I’ve grown to love and hold dear.
Emily and Crispin were so kind to have given us a chance when we first approached them for our very first review opportunity, and from there onwards, the rest is just history.
The reason why I brought up MJW was because two of my recent acquisitions were actually the King and the Queen (the Queen now belongs to the missus).
Queen – Photo credits: Chloe Wong, shot in Korea, May 2019.
I guess you can say that the royal pairing of the King and the Queen are one of those watches you would buy to commemorate a special day/occasion. What I like about this pair is that it is difficult to imagine one without the other, which somewhat interplays with the dynamics of having a ‘significant other’ in a relationship. I think the watch itself is the ultimate symbol of a relationship between the owner and the watch. To put it simply, the way I see it – it also connects us to those people who matter the most to us in the form of memories.
The dial itself and the time telling mechanism is also very cool. Upon closer observation, the cards symbolises the changing nature of fortune. And if you look close enough, the placement of the King’s/Queen’s hands on their chest area serves as a reminder to keep our cards close to our chest, and to always be bold when fate has dealt us a winning hand.
Rainy afternoon.
I’ve been wearing my King almost every single day ever since the day I got it. And every time I look at my King, I would remember the warmth of my girlfriend’s smile, and that I’m carrying a piece of her close to me everywhere I go, and I felt that it’s a very comforting thought.
To end this entry, I’d like to give a massive shout out to the amazing people I’ve met on this journey so far, I wouldn’t have gotten this far without all of you and I cannot thank you enough for your friendship and sincerity.
James Jackson, Andre Kusni, Daniel Afoke, Ken Munoz, Mo Khan – for your friendship and kindness.
GBK, Covent Garden, London 2018.
Emmanuel, Tristan – for opening your arms and for being so accepting of me into the Dietrich family.
ChoCha Foodstore, Kuala Lumpur 2017.
Charles Devan, Nathaneal Teoh– for giving me the opportunity to discover one of my other passions – Coffee. P.S I was at my happiest when I worked for Ingrained.
Ingrained by Ironwoods, Tropicana Avenue, Petaling Jaya 2018.
Leon and Isa – for your friendship and for accepting me into the BOLDR family.
Ken – for being my best friend and my brother of 11 years, and many more years to come.
Jacqie, Meor and Max – for always being there and keeping it real since ’13.
ATV Adventure, Kemensah, Kuala Lumpur, 2019.
Pete Foo, Jo Huang, KC, Regina, Regis – for your sincerity and for being so genuine. Wouldn’t have made it this far without you guys.
JLC Pavillion, Kuala Lumpur 2019.3/6 of Team Matick when we got featured in a magazine, lol.TMB x FR Time Well Spent GTG Edition 1 ft Ming Watches – Front Room & Kneady Baker, Taman Desa, Kuala Lumpur 2019.
SQ – for your love, kindness, understanding and acceptance of my obsession. And for being the best thing that has ever happened to me. I love you, always.
You guys are a big part of my journey and my art, which has helped shaped me into the man I am today. I’ve said this a million times and I will say it again.
I’ve been wearing the Spinnaker Bradner SP-5057-02 for a good 6 months now, and this is what I have to say ..
Maybe they’re finally taking heed to what the style experts and the more conservative watch aficionados among us have been saying all along: Balance is key. And that to me can only be a good thing.
Every so often, a value-priced product comes along and completely shatters the concept of what one would ordinarily perceive to be achievable at a given price point. One such product is the brand new Bradner, a vintage-inspired diving watch by Spinnaker, a lesser-known, but no less worthy of your attention watchmaker. A brand inspired by the traditionally “manly” concepts of bravery, adventure, skill and ingenuity, Spinnaker designs and produces watches with a combination of features and pragmatic craftsmanship exceedingly rare at their price points.
Upon a brief skim-through of its product range, it shouldn’t take long for one to discover that most of Spinnaker’s designs have a sort of “aquatic” vibe to them, which makes sense really, considering the brand’s inspiration in the world of yachting. Whilst I can’t claim to be anywhere near knowledgeable about what I’m certain is an extremely challenging and equally exhilarating sport, it just so happens that this sort of aquatic-centric design is right up my alley. For reasons difficult to elucidate, there has always been something mysteriously fascinating about the depths of the oceans, and really, what makes the Bradner so special is that it unassumingly reflects many of those reasons so well.
Whilst words seem ever so inadequate to describe the functional beauty of this watch, should one choose to do so, one may designate the Bradner in no more than a handful of words. Yes, it’s a vintage-styled diving watch – that’s just four words isn’t it? Now, I can perfectly imagine the unaffected looks and sighs of boredom when people hear the words “vintage diver” – “oh no, here we go again, another Submariner clone/homage/lookalike”, and there’ll be some of you smart alecs who might go “ah, if not a Sub, it’s got to be a 50 Fathoms clone/homage/lookalike then.” If your train of thought was any permutation or combination of those words, then let me assure you, you have been completely and utterly mistaken. And really, fortunately so, because you’re definitely in for a ride with the Bradner.
As the venerable Mr. Mayer would say, “look closer” . And if you do, you’ll find that the Bradner is really not your run-of-the-mill vintage-style diver.
At the risk of coming across as trying too hard to build anticipation, shall we “dive” right into it then?
Okay, I’ll stop now.
The Bradner
The Spinnaker Bradner, though not based directly upon any one diving watch in particular, draws most of its design inspiration from the under-appreciated compressor diving watches of the late 1950s to the early 1970s. Instantly distinguishing features of such watches are the dual crowns and internal rotating bezel, which is in stark contrast to the “classic” diver design, namely that of a single crown and unidirectional external bezel.
The Bradner is also powered by a pretty standard workhorse Seiko NH35 24 Jewel Automatic movement featuring hacking capabilities and 41 hours of power reserve.
The Case
As a concession to modernity, the case is expectedly larger in diameter than the original watches upon which it is based. Whilst, at 42 millimetres, the Bradner sits right at home on the guys (and girls) with about-average 7-inch wrists, it still manages to not feel out of place on those of us with smaller wrists. I can only attribute this to the well-proportioned lugs which slope down rather dramatically. This gives the illusion of a watch smaller than its size would suggest, and also helps create a better fit too.
In stark contrast to the situation several years ago, it does appear that there has been a trend within the watch industry toward more modest and less jarring proportions, particularly among lesser-known microbrands. Maybe they’re finally taking heed to what the style experts and the more conservative watch aficionados among us have been saying all along: Balance is key. And that to me can only be a good thing.
In short, the Bradner wears well. Take it from the Asian man with 6.3-inch wrists and an aversion to anything above 40 millimetres.
The lugs and case are brushed throughout, no doubt reflecting the Bradner’s utilitarian origins whilst adding to its understated charm. There was also no sensation of excessive sharpness at the outer edges of the case lugs, which is another great feature I noticed about the Bradner, and something which many watches at a variety of price points are too often guilty of.
Though I am in no position to verify Spinnaker’s claim of fashioning the Bradner’s case out of “marine-grade” stainless steel, it does feel as solid as steel watches go, and I wouldn’t have any qualms or concerns regarding its long-term durability.
The dual crowns at the 2 and 4 o’clock positions may seem an unfamiliar feature to many, yet it’s one that is vintage-correct and pays tribute to the original inspiration behind the Bradner’s design. I thought it to be a well-considered feature which allows the Bradner to stand out just a little bit from the sea of watches with crowns at the 3 o’clock position. Save for the lack of characteristic cross-hatching marks, the Bradner’s crowns are very much faithful to the original design in terms of their execution, design and proportions. A signed Spinnaker “yacht sail” logo adds a nice flair to the otherwise plain surface of the 4 o’clock crown.
The Dial
Let me start by saying right off the bat that the Bradner’s dial is easily its most impressive aspect. Yet, because it in itself comprises so many elements which are impressive in their own right, I say this with a degree of reservation. On the other hand, I cannot help but think that this is only the case because all those elements work together to complement and balance each other out so well.
Viewed against the right lighting, the keen observer will notice a subtle sunburst effect which permeates the dial finish, another feature which gives away the fact that the Bradner is not a vintage piece. Though not strictly vintage-correct, the sunburst effect adds an interesting dimension to the otherwise plain black dial. I can imagine the dial developing a very charming ‘ghost’ colouration as it fades out due to repeated exposure to ultraviolet rays as the years go by.
The watch is rated to a depth of 500 feet, which once again differentiates it from the original compressor watches, which most commonly had a maximum rated depth of 600 feet. The notion of the Bradner being able to withstand less the equivalent of 100 feet of water pressure, compared with the original 600-feet rated compressors is one that is insignificant to me, considering that most of us who would purchase the Bradner would rarely ever step foot within 500 feet of a body of water that deep anyway.
The hour indices are appropriately sized squares and rectangles, another feature which makes the Bradner stand out from your common or garden diving watch. The brushed metal trim surrounding the indices pairs well with the brushed stainless-steel case and complements the understated flair of the Bradner.
Unsurprisingly, the inclusion of a date window is bound to bring controversy in any vintage-inspired design such as this. For fear of beating the “to have or not to have a date window” dead horse, it would be remiss of me not to mention that many of the original compressor diving watches on which the Bradner is based had in fact date windows as well. To my relief, it is executed subtly on the Bradner and does not detract from its overall design, and therefore doesn’t bother me much.
The Bradner’s dial is rounded out with classic-looking baton hands, raised silver Spinnaker logo and perhaps most outstanding of all, an inner bezel which turns both clockwise and anticlockwise. The argument here is that because the bezel is located beneath the watch crystal itself and is turned via a crown rather than by hand, there is a much lower possibility of accidentally knocking it out of position, thus eliminating the necessity of making the bezel unidirectional, i.e. turning one way only.
The bezel turning action is smooth overall with some mild resistance, which makes sense really – making the turning action too easy would have rendered less effective the original purpose of a bezel on a diving watch, that is to indicate the length of time a diver had spent underwater.
As really should be the case with any diving watch, legibility on the Bradner is no less than outstanding. There is zero possibility of confusion between the hour and minute hands, and together with the indices, they visually pop against a dark background in the form of the black dial.
Viewed as a unified whole, and to describe it simply, the impression I am getting from the Bradner’s face is a strong sense of dimensionality and multi-layered-ness (I know that’s not a word, but you catch my drift). In addition to giving appeal to an otherwise relatively conservative design, the Bradner’s indices, hands, logo, minute marker ring and moulded inner bezel all add up to a watch captivating to gaze upon and admire.
The Strap
If you, like me, thought the strap which comes with the Bradner was your typical, poor-quality el cheapo leather band, you’d be forgiven for doing so, because quite frankly it does look the part when viewed at a glance. See it in person and feel it on your wrist however, and you’ll see what I mean when I say that this is a fantastic strap. Sure, it’s not as buttery soft as some leather straps go, but it’s made with a sturdiness belied by its appearance – it’s quite a bit thicker than what you’d normally expect for this style of strap, but still manages to be flexible enough to wrap around one’s wrist without issue.
The deep olive-green colour used on this particular colourway of the Bradner is a personal favourite of mine. It matches fantastically well with a variety of casual outfits, and being a customary colour of many military forces from all around the world, it does add a little bit of a ‘tough-guy’ swagger to the wearer as well.
Spinnaker claims that the strap is water-proof treated. I certainly couldn’t tell if this was the case just by looking at it or feeling it, but what I will say is that the strap has shown a remarkable resistance to absorbing grime and stains so far, despite me having worn the watch nearly every day for a number of weeks since I received it. Could this be the water-proof treatment coming into play? I can’t say for sure, but I absolutely wouldn’t be opposed to the idea if it helps keep the strap looking nice and smelling fresh.
Finally, the signed buckle adds a nice touch to the otherwise plain-looking strap. It also appears to be fabricated from the same metal used on the case, hands and indices, and is similarly brushed as well. To me, Spinnaker’s choice of keeping the finish consistent throughout is a sensible design choice which gives coherence to the entire look of the watch.
Lume
This article simply cannot be called a review of a diving watch without at least some mention of lume, can it?
I was very much impressed by the way the Bradner’s dial looked with the lume all charged up. The numerous geometric shapes and symmetrical lines of photoluminescent material kept things visually stimulating. For lack of a better description, it looked as if the watch had somehow awakened from its slumber and “come alive”.
Whilst, after a full charge, the Bradner’s lume makes telling the time in the dark a perfectly possible task, I did feel it had some ways to go in terms of what I feel should be the ideal brightness for maximum legibility of a watch dial under low lighting. And it certainly wasn’t due to an economic decision on Spinnaker’s part either, as the lume used on the Bradner is none other than the world-famous Super-LumiNova brand, used on watches costing many (I repeat, many) more times than the Bradner. Maybe it’s just that I’m so used to the lume on Seiko’s divers, which are renowned for their glaring shine and for being the brightest in the market.
Conclusion
I’ve truly fallen head over heels for this watch. Sure, there’s still a part of me which wishes that it was just a couple of millimetres smaller, yet I am certain it will likely be the Goldilocks “just right” for most.
Part of the reason for the substantial time taken for me to complete this review was because I wanted to commit to the Bradner completely over a period of time, and in doing so, become truly accustomed to the idea of wearing it as a primary piece, which is the kind of target consumer I’d imagine Spinnaker had in mind when designing the watch.
My verdict? Yes, the Bradner is truly an outstanding watch for everyday wear. For a little less than $300, you can own a watch that is a truly legitimate timepiece and attention-grabbing head-turner (in a good way, of course), with a lot of design heritage to boot. And that’s not even factoring in the storewide discounts often advertised on Spinnaker’s website. For those of you who’ve always wanted a sip of the ‘Super Compressor’ Kool-Aid without all the worries which necessarily come with the acquisition of a vintage watch, the Bradner is a hard-to-beat proposition at its price point.
In my mind, @furrywristabroad has an interesting way with his words, today he is going to be talking about a watch he holds dear to his ‘wrist’ – the Omega Seamaster 300 Master Co-axial.
FYI, this is unlike any other regular watch review. In any case (no pun intended), I would describe it as an experience, and its definitely something you’d be seeing us do fairly often in the near foreseeable future. We sincerely hope you’ll like this new review style.
Now go grab your scotch, fire up your YouTube/Spotify, turn up the volume, sit back, relax, ‘cuz its time for another installment of #LookCloser.
Enjoy, guys.
The mission of this review is to inform those who plan on purchasing such a watch to gauge their expectations of these pieces of jewellery accordingly, for they are jewellery, and fragile tools at best by modern standards.
A Love Story:
Long-Term Review of the Omega Seamaster 300 Master Co-Axial Chronometer
The year was 2014. After being unveiled at the Baselworld show, I had set my sights on owning the newly announced Omega Seamaster 300 Master Co-Axial Chronometer. After reading a glowing review of the watch where the journalist took it into the water with him, I knew right then and there that I would be making the purchase the next time I left my house.
What followed were four years of ownership that scaled from pure joy to unbridled disappointment. This review will go over what a real-world ownership experience is of such a product, and the very real relationships we develop with such inanimate objects. Watch reviews from traditional outlets do not do this for they are simply an extension of marketing department efforts by watch brands. Thus, such long-term reviews are not feasible. The mission of this review is to inform those who plan on purchasing such a watch to gauge their expectations of these pieces of jewellery accordingly, for they are jewellery, and fragile tools at best by modern standards.
Simply doing so would not give this watch and my time with it justice, however. What you will read is a love story accompanied by a soundtrack. Hopefully by the end of this article, you will get a greater sense as to whether such a watch is right for you.
Soundtrack track 1: “The Nature of Inviting” by IAMX
The Introduction
This watch was purchased for the purposes of being worn daily and to be dived with on a weekly basis. Having worn an Omega Speedmaster Professional for several years, I had decided on buying a desirable dive watch to accompany me on my dives. I had originally planned on purchasing the Rolex Submariner but found the new larger case and the paragraph of text on the dial to be unflattering. There was also the factor of by wearing a Rolex, making oneself a target for theft and assault almost in every region on the planet. Thus, when this watch was announced at Baselworld, with all of its technological advancements, and its pleasing vintage styling, I had then decided on purchasing this watch as soon as it was available.
I will go over how this watch performed on a daily basis, what went well and what went wrong, and what challenges arose over the four years of ownership. I will then cover how this watch performed while diving, with the specific sets of obstacles that arose in this role and how they were resolved. Lastly, I will carefully describe the multiple servicing journeys the watch undertook. Thus, at the end I hope you can make a correct purchasing decision if you are looking for such a timepiece in this category.
Soundtrack track 2: “Paradise” by Sade
The Basics and How this Love Story Began
There is no denying that this is a beautiful watch. First there are the proportions of the watch which Omega executed perfectly. The case measures at a very modern 41mm and the lug width comes in around 21mm. In fact, they are closer to 20.5 mm and this is reduced for a reason. On one summer evening, an accomplished watchmaker and I were discussing watch design and he mentioned that an accepted ratio for the case to lug width design was that of 2:1. This is the case of this Seamaster 300, and it is beautifully proportioned as a result. I have heard many first-hand complaints about this lug width and even heard one person claim that it was the major factor in his decision to not buy the watch.
Second, the thickness of 15mm makes it fit easily with formalwear and to slip easily in and out of one’s buoyancy compensation device (BCD) before and after a dive. The 48mm lug-to-lug distance also means that it is wearable by many who even have wrist circumferences below 7 inches. The articulated bracelet with an adjustable clasp further aided wearability and promised capabilities of accompanying me on dives by being able to be worn over thinner exposure suits. Couple that with its great vintage looks and that mesmerising ceramic dial that seemingly changes every second while on wrist, and you have one of the most beautiful dive watches ever produced.
The dial is simply a masterpiece and a definite highlight of the watch. The sandblasted ceramic dial changes from black to a glistening grey with the slightest change in lighting conditions. The recessed hourly markers add a depth that is not overdone and adds an element of grace. The silver printing of the second markers, logo, and limited text are tastefully executed as well. The second markers truly do shine in low-light situations. The decision to not have an applied logo is one that reinforces the watch and its elegant design.
The calibre 8400 Master Co-Axial movement also promised greater reliability, longer service intervals, and unrivalled anti-magnetism when compared to the offerings by Rolex such as their Milgauss. This movement is beautifully machine-decorated and a true joy to view. This is one of the great things which mechanically-inclined owners of modern Omegas get to enjoy.
Soundtrack track 3: “Jihad Joe” by Christian Atunde Adjuah:
Daily Duty on Land
The first couple years of ownership of this watch were spectacular. The polished surfaces on the case and bracelet gradually accumulated scratches and scuffs which only made it dearer to my eyes and it never became less attractive to onlookers. For the first year the movement was accurate to +2 seconds a day and in the second year it gradually rose to +4 seconds a day. The winding action throughout had never felt nearly as smooth as other watches in the price range, and the luminescent markers always performed very poorly. They would essentially not be able to hold a charge through a two-hour period while in a movie theatre. This was and is something that my Omega Speedmaster Professional never had an issue with.
Within the first year though, the clasp mechanism (which has a spring keeping it closed) failed and the watch would occasionally come loose. On one comedic occasion I pointed at a friend’s open zipper on his jeans and the watch flew off my wrist and hit the person standing next to him. The very next day I went to Swatch Group headquarters in Toronto and they supplied a replacement clasp very quickly. So, I ordered some custom-made straps and wore my Speedmaster in the meantime while I waited for the replacement clasp. Amongst these straps were a custom rubber NATO made by Alex Moss of YellowDog Watchstraps. Little did I know that my watch would primarily reside on his straps.
Unexpectedly my love for this watch grew during this period for it gave me the opportunity to wear it on a varying number of straps. I had once thought that my Speedmaster was the most versatile watch for pairing with straps. I was mistaken. The vintage beige luminescent markers allowed the Seamaster 300 to adorn even more straps than the versatile Speedy. After getting a few curved spring bars, I fully switched to wearing the watch with NATO and pass-through straps.
What resulted was truly the best thing that watch ownership could offer, a watch that accompanied me to every imaginable event. From formal events to impromptu long-distance sprints home in the rain, to dinners with loved ones, and to seeing the same loved ones lose their lives, this watch became more than just a tool or a piece of jewellery. It became a part of my suit of armour that I wore on a daily basis as I headed out into the world to aggressively attack all of the challenges it threw my way.
As my love affair with this watch seemed to reach heights I had never thought possible, I soon realised that troubled times were ahead.
Soundtrack track 4: “Tell Everybody” by Róisin Murphy:
What Went Wrong
As the third year of owning the Omega Seamaster 300 went into full swing, I was fully in love with the watch. I had gone on a couple of memorable dives with it, it had accompanied me on many milestones, and it was a stable companion, until it was not.
I had noticed that the watch was not only gaining more time every day, but it was doing so at alarmingly different rates. One day it would gain 7 seconds a day. The next day it would gain 15 seconds. Then the following day it would gain 9 seconds. I had recently become a lot more active, but I primarily wore a G-Shock alongside my Polar V800 during my sporting activities, so I was surprised at the change in performance.
As a result, during a beautiful snowstorm I decided to walk many kilometres to the authorised dealer where I had bought this watch for advice. Upon arriving, I was quickly advised to send it in for servicing. Heartbroken, I went out for an hour stroll and went back in to see my beloved daily companion get wrapped and sent off to the Swatch Group Headquarters.
After four months had passed, I finally received the phone call that my watch was ready. I raced to receive my watch and once again wore it lovingly and almost immediately went diving with it again. A few days later I noticed that there were many particles in the clear caseback, so I took a half day off and went down to the Swatch Group headquarters and had them clean the watch. This only took about twenty minutes. After a couple of weeks, I started to notice something troubling. The ceramic bezel was disintegrating. With the help of many on Instagram, I had noticed that this was a problem that was happening to many other Omega Seamaster 300 Master Co-Axial Chronometers and to this day still come across examples that are suffering from this ailment to varying degrees.
As a result, I once again took another half day off and went down to the Swatch Group headquarters and explained to them the issue. At this point I had fallen out of love with the watch and had enough. Too many issues had arisen for a product of such perceived quality, and I simply wanted to move on. I had shown the bezel and pictures of other examples to the truly lovely, kind, and understanding employees at Swatch Group Canada, and they asked for me to leave the watch with them. I initially said that it was fine, and that I would essentially stop wearing the watch most days. Reassuring me that I would be taken care of, I left the watch in Swatch Group Canada’s capable hands and within a few days they informed me that they were sourcing a new bezel free of charge. This was of great relief to me. A new Liquid Metal ceramic bezel for this Omega costs around $900 CDN. With one of the selling features of the watch being that the ceramic bezel would not age and stay perfect for my lifetime, I was truly crushed at this point. Three weeks later the watch was once again back in my hands, and once again I took it immediately on its last dive. A couple of days later I once again found some dust and particles through the exhibition caseback. Taking yet another half day off, the matter was resolved in under a half hour and I was on my way after having another pleasant chat with the watchmaker who cleaned the inside of my watch.
By this time I had moved on to another watch and all the love I had felt towards this watch was replaced with disappointment. It was replaced with a tough professional quartz dive watch by Seiko, the MarineMaster SBBN025.
I had later decided then to wear this watch to my best friend’s wedding. My reasoning for this was that the watch had lumed hands and indicators, so it was the most functional watch I could wear at a formal event. I had many best-man-related duties that required me to make announcements and arrangements at specific times throughout the evening, and the wedding was out in the country. Thus, I needed nighttime legibility. I had forgotten how horrible the lume was on this watch and as night fell, I quickly added a bunch of alarms to my Garmin on my other wrist and didn’t miss a beat.
The consequence of this was even further disappointment and me putting the watch into a safe and not seeing it again for months.
Soundtrack track 5: “Deep Sea Diver” by Bat for Lashes:
Performance Underwater as a Dive Watch
I previously mentioned the winding action was a bit rough from the first day that I had bought it, and this unexpectedly came into play while at depth. On one day with repeated dives to about 60 feet, I noticed that the crown would came loose each time that I surfaced. It never came loose to the point where the gasket disengaged and let water in, thankfully. Apparently, the constant contractions and expansions of my wetsuit were gripping the crown and forcing it open as I began my ascent and resurfacing. I noticed this and kept securing the crown after the first two dives before putting it away. This issue went away with the first servicing of the watch and after going on a couple of dives after, this issue never resurfaced.
I also previously mentioned the horrible performance of the lume of the watch , but this was never an issue underwater. In the few low-light and night dives that this watch experienced, I had sufficient lighting on my kit that the watch was always illuminated. Furthermore, the polished hands made time telling effortless, for they would catch light in every scenario they were exposed to.
Many other reviews of this watch bemoan the choice by Omega for choosing a white seconds hand. This was also something that a couple of owners of this watch I had come across also complained about. This is simply the case of the designers at Omega being smarter than us, and knowing what they are doing. On one occasion where I was helping a diving student go through an exercise where he had his mask removed for thirty seconds before putting it back on, and then proceed to clear the mask, this white seconds hand was brilliant. I would not have the seconds hand designed in any other way than what Omega did here. While sitting in rush hour traffic, I would use this to my advantage as well. By only using my peripheral vision I used the precise seconds hand to do multiple breathing exercises as I slowly made my way to the next destination. We will revisit this topic about watch reviews and their challenges in the conclusion.
I had never taken this watch diving on its bracelet, however. After the clasp failed in such a dramatic fashion, I did not want to risk seeing this shiny expensive watch slowly descend past my depth limits. This is when I stumbled upon YellowDog Watchstraps by Alex Moss in the UK. He simply makes the best rubber NATO straps and can customise them to not only fit your wrist, but that of your varying exposure suits.
Feel free to read my review of these wonderful straps here:
Because of these straps, this watch only left my wrist for workouts, runs, showers, and sleep.
The bezel was easy to use using wetsuit gloves and never caused any issues with becoming accidentally moved. The only occasion where this could occur is when the diver is either first putting on or taking off his or her BCD. If the diver comes into contact with anything during the dive, let alone something that would adjust the bezel, either his buoyancy needs work, or he is having an emergency underwater. Thus, some of the other more substantial dive bezel designs such as by Oris with its locking mechanism are not helpful. In reality these bezels only create an obstacle for dynamic time keeping while at depth.
This is a very serviceable and enjoyable watch to take diving with you, especially if you are a recreational diver. If you are loading and moving all the equipment including multiple gas tanks, you may want to take the watch off or wear something that is quartz-powered. This is the only time where impact can affect your mechanical watch during scuba diving activities. As a side note, the most common watches I have seen on seasoned divers’ wrists are solar-powered Seikos. Most of them enjoy the fact that it is simply a piece of reliable gear which they never have to think about maintaining.
Because this is a luxury watch that is very eye-catching, I did leave it at home when diving in areas where security was a concern, ranging from northern Canada to the Caribbean. A lot of people notice this watch. A lot of untrustworthy people can easily attach a price to it thanks to the ever-growing marketing campaigns by Swiss watch groups, and because the prices are now on the websites as well. One of these watches on the used market can easily pay for up to three months of rent for someone living in a rural area. This is something that you should be aware of when taking such a timepiece diving, or anywhere with you for that matter.
Soundtrack track 6: “Amazing” by George Michael
The Conclusion
Ever since I started writing this review (this is the fifth version) I started to wear the Seamaster again just to make sure I did not forget anything. Besides the watch utterly failing in low-light conditions, proving to be a lot more fragile than I had thought, and initially giving me cause for alarm while at depth underwater, I am still in love with it. With regards to the low-light performance, many people including myself have concluded that this and other quality control concerns are due to my example being an early production model. Seeing first-hand the performance of other examples only supports this. This may also explain why my watch had to go in for service at the two-year mark. Many others had to have theirs serviced around the three-year mark which raises an interesting point.
Both Rolex and Omega have gotten into an arms race where they are increasing the number of years offered for their warranties. The prices of their watches have also gone up significantly over the last five to ten years. If someone wears these watches with any regularity and pays close attention to how accurately it is keeping time, he or she will inevitably be forced to service the watch well before the warranty due date. Swatch Group and Rolex know this. Thus, it is fair to say with near certainty that these companies are building in the first service of your watch of this price range into its initial purchase price. By doing so, they are making such warranties effectively fictional since you are already paying for the service. Once again, this is a point that is not brought up in any other publication. Luxury car companies do this by building it into the vehicle’s purchase or lease pricing and it is well known. For watches however, little attention is given to this practice.
As promised earlier when discussing the white seconds hand, we shall now go over common watch reviews and a reoccurring problem with them. Take note of watching and reading watch reviews when the writer, blogger, or some person with a camera starts complaining about a watch and its features. Ask yourself why someone, or in this case, an entire department of people who dedicate their lives towards designing watches, would make such a design decision. This is something that I find that barely any writers or presenters ever do. I fear that the amount of time that a reviewer has with a watch does not allow for such insights to be gained and that this may be the reason why most do not do this. A week of just wearing this watch around to work and back, or just going on a couple of dives is not enough to gauge its real-world performance and test all of its design features. Unlike cars, or any other consumer goods outside of glasses for instance, a watch may have the possibility of being worn by the owner for almost every moment of their lives. Thus, these short-term reviews and impressions of only wearing the watch for a brief period of time could be misleading for the lay person looking to pay a sizeable sum for a timepiece.
Overall this is a beautiful, capable and functional dive watch that can accompany you on some of your adventures and makes a great watch to be worn every day. What makes me recommend this watch however also has to do with the people behind this watch.
Swatch Group Canada and their customer service is ultimately why I recommend this watch. If you reside in Canada, or near any certified service centre, and can visit them yourself and speak to them face to face, you will be taken care of. It is because of those who work at the Swatch Group headquarters that I am still wearing this watch. If the faulty bezel, or the multiple visits to their centre had not gone well, I would not be recommending this watch.
For the price that we are willing to pay for a timepiece like this, customer service is what can make or break your purchasing decision. Furthermore, the people working at this establishment really care about these products and their customers. This is true for everyone that I have encountered working there. Whether they are a manager, a front desk coordinator, or a watchmaker, the passion and care that every individual put into their work is immediately evident. In this case, if you can personally hand in your watch for the service and maintenance to your local Swatch Group headquarters, explain to them what your expectations are, I highly recommend this watch.
It will give you years of joy, and as long as you are prepared to part with your watch for many months every two to four years for servicing, you will be happy with your purchasing decision.
“I never thought I’d ever be so excited to see a grown man cry.”
– Wes of @noduswatches
Marshall
Today we thought we tell you a little story – a detailed account of what transpired over the past 2 months. Prior to publishing this, I’ve read the draft over and over, and all I can say is that what we’re about to tell you pretty much sums up in a nutshell, what watch collecting means to us at Team Matick – the camaraderie, friendships you forged over sharing the same passion over these beautiful little objects that ultimately outlast us at the end of the day.
I’ll never forget the warmth of this wonderful community, nor will I ever take it for granted.
So before you jump into this #FieldNotes entry, here’s a little bit of a background to give you a bit of context. Sometime around Christmas of 2018, our mate KC unfortunately lost his beloved Nodus Contrail, which was the trigger for this ‘expedition’, our friends from all over the globe (mind you, humans from several continents were involved. Absolutely amazing.) decided to give our dear buddy a little push and to present him with something even better.
So without any further ado, the story goes a little bit like this …
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“A Christmas Tragedy: How Friends from Across the Globe All Came Together to Help Their Friend KC”
Written by: Furry Wrist Abroad (@furrywristabroad) & KC (@the.watchdoc)
Disclaimer: real names and locations of participants and events will be left anonymous and/or will use their Instagram handles.
Prologue:
(by Furry Wrist Abroad in Canada)
It was a pleasant Christmas Eve for many of us. Some were finalizing their plans for family dinner parties. Some had just gotten back from a long scuba diving trip and were furiously getting ready for Christmas parties. Some were sobering up from one Christmas party as they gathered up the strength necessary to go to another party. Some had finally gotten the chance to sit back and relax for the first time in what seemed like months. However, all our collective attentions were immediately drawn to our phones when we read the following in our group chat. For it was not all quiet that Christmas Eve. A little mouse was certainly stirring, and his name was KC.
Act 1: “The Band of GDMFE”
(by Furry Wrist Abroad in Canada)
“Worst Christmas Eve Ever,” wrote the ever-lovable yet always dramatic KC.
We were used to such statements from KC before, but this time it very well may have been his worst Christmas ever.
“It was in a watch pouch in my bag. I don’t know if somehow I dropped it, misplaced it, forgot it, or if someone nicked it, but it’s gone,” KC explained to us as he had either lost his beloved Nodus Contrail, or had it stolen.
KC’s long lost Contrail.
Even though we all held out hope that the watch would be found and returned to KC, within minutes we started a separate chat that did not include the victim in this tale. The chat included thirteen members who all had come together through their love for watches. We all had gotten to know each other through Instagram and all resided in different countries, states, provinces, and cities globally. Even though watches are what brought us together, we only talked about watches some of the time. Matters such as work, family, nutrition, and many other topics were openly discussed thus creating a safe haven for a group of people who quickly became good friends.
One member even offered KC his own Avalon after offering his condolences.
“Sigh, it’s fine,” replied KC. “Worst case, time to buy an Avalon?”
“Do you want my Avalon?”
“Lmao no man. It’s very generous of you, but no thanks.”
Without hesitation, all members agreed to chip in and buy KC a new Nodus Avalon to help fill the void left by his missing Contrail. When you get to talk with someone for over a year on a daily basis, you get to innately know when someone has been wounded by an experience, and we all knew it. This would later be confirmed by KC speaking with one of the founders of Nodus, Wes Kwok, a full month later about how devastated he still was about the loss of the watch.
@Jwit94, a member of the group who is close to Wes, brought him into the fold and very quickly we got to work choosing the right colour of the watch. Some of us within the main chat went along and did some digging and some investigative work into discovering his preference. Unfortunately, whenever the topic of a Nodus came up, KC stopped making any sense and said that he would love to have any colour variant. When asked about his chance to get a new one in the future in case Nodus ever re-released the Contrail, he again would fall into a panicked emotional state.
“It’ll never be THAT Contrail though,” KC wrote followed by a long and desperate silence.
The other chat in the meantime was anything but silent.
“You guys are a bunch of dirt bags,” typed @ralphman5000.
“No, YOU’RE crying!”
“Nobody did anything like this when I lost or got my Speedmaster Alaska Project stolen. (It’s not too late to do the right thing),” typed the man known as the “Future Cat Laser Man” because of his hilarious Instagram profile photo.
One of his closest friends (or rivals depending on the day), @thechronotrooper chimed in as well. “As horrible as he is to me, I’m in.” Little did he know that this venture from all of us would be dramatically transformed because of his close relationship with KC.
Act 2: “The Hunt for the Finishing Touch”
(by Furry Wrist Abroad in Canada)
When asked whether we could get a custom engraving on the watch for KC, Wes surprised all of us by springing into action by resolutely saying yes, and that he would cover the costs for the engraving. At this point, all of us were extremely involved emotionally, so when it came time to decide what the engraving should be, the suggestions came raining in.
Our not-so-gentle giant of the group @ea8 first chimed in. “Lose this one and we send @camronlaz for your hand. Love yah.”
“Don’t bloody lose this one,” offered @tritiumballs.
Future Cat Laser Man himself @ralphman5000 offered his suggestion which resulted in a roar of laughter. “If you can read this, you run the risk of losing it! Put it the heck back on your wrist, son!”
As the laughter died down, we were then treated to comic gold from KC’s close friend @thechronotrooper. “Lose your virginity, not your watch.”
It was perfect. After about twenty minutes of causing twelve other grown men to be reduced into tears laughing across the globe, we all agreed that this should be the engraving on the back of the watch.
Wes quickly leaped into action getting the watch engraved and sent out to @wiswc, KC’s other close friend who lives nearby. The watch surprisingly arrived on KC’s birthday. However, after a vote we decided to wait until more of his friends could be there when he received the watch, and to give him and his lovely lady some privacy on that special evening.
As the days went on, many of us kept the chat open and talked about how excited we were about our KC receiving the watch.
“He is going to lose his poop when he receives the watch by the way,” I said. “He kind of has a negative outlook towards humanity which is why this watch would mean so much to him.”
“I never thought I’d ever be so excited to see a grown man cry,” said Wes, resulting in instant laughter.
There was never any pressure added by any members of the group for others to contribute funds. Many actually contributed too much which resulted in us adding a couple of straps as well.
There has been a lot of talk about smaller watch companies and their place within the horological world. This experience would not have been possible without the help and enthusiasm from Wes Kwok and Cullen Chen of Nodus. Much has been made of the status of “micro-brands” but this is proof that categorizing these companies under such a title is not doing them the justice they deserve. With a level of care and passion for their consumer base that larger and established companies usually feign through marketing campaigns, Nodus has shown us the true value of their company. Not only are their watches on par, or as their new release the Avalon has shown, superior to its established competition, the people behind the company truly care about their work. More importantly Cullen and Wes care deeply about the people who wear their hard work daily in the real world.
In a discussion surrounding the engraving, Wes went on to tell us, “Also, I just want to say that I know you guys are doing something nice for KC, but it was a reminder of why I started this crazy venture with Cullen in the first place. Crazy how these little objects can bring people together.” Needless to say, all of us are indebted to Cullen and Wes and are eternally grateful.
To many outside this hobby, such an effort from more than a dozen people globally would seem awfully strange. They do not know that even though the watches are what brought us together in the first place, we became friends because of who we are outside of our shared hobby. All of us come from vastly different backgrounds, hold different jobs, are in our early twenties, or are so old that others continually make fun of us, some have large families, and some of us are single. Yes, we all love watches. More importantly though, we all are people who put others and their concerns ahead of our own without hesitation.
On the day of the hand-off of the Nodus Avalon to KC, we received a picture from @thechronotrooper of himself and KC on their way to meet @wiswc. Some of us grabbed an alcoholic beverage to celebrate. Then we waited.
Act 3: “Through the Lens of the Victim”
(by KC in Malaysia)
I am, for better or worse, a rather sentimental person. Perhaps that’s why I haven’t sold a single watch, although I have gifted several pieces to friends and family. Perhaps I subconsciously attach memories and meanings to my watches. Or maybe I’m just a hoarder.
The Nodus Contrail, however, really was something special to me. It was the first micro-brand watch I had ever purchased. It was also the first watch that I bought purely based on the recommendation and testimony of my friends. Friends I’d never actually met in person, but whose opinions and tastes I trusted. It also helped that we, as a group, talked about way more than just watches, and we were always on the same wavelength even when our opinions differed.
Buying the Contrail was also my first contact with Wesley Kwok, one of the co-founders of Nodus Watches. I think I harassed the poor man for days before making my purchase, but he did an excellent job of tolerating my persistent harrying. And when he told me that the Laguna Sand was close to selling out, I bit the bullet and made the purchase.
My experience with the Nodus Contrail was no secret; I made my love affair with that watch rather public to the watchfam on Instagram. I fawned over the thoughtful design, unique aesthetics and excellent ergonomics. And when I’d gotten over the honeymoon period, I found that I was still in love with it. I had already expressed my opinion on the piece in several short posts on social media, but I figured it was about time for me to write a full review.
Alas, it was this full review that led to my downfall. On Christmas Eve, I spent my day at a café in a shopping mall to work on my review, while I waited for my better half to get off work. I had my camera bag with my Olympus E-M10 Mk III, the Nodus Contrail in its canvas pouch, and my iPad + keyboard cover with me. As I sat in the café, I put my thoughts to electronic paper and took several pictures of the Contrail.
Shortly after, two close friends gave me a call and said they were nearby and asked if I’d join them. Agreeing to do so, I packed up my things and made my way over. It is at this point that I believe my memory must be failing me. I have a distinct recollection of placing the Contrail back into the pouch, and the pouch back into my camera bag. But several hours later, when I wanted to show off my new camera to my friends, I realised the pouch was missing.
I was immediately crestfallen. My friends often call me needlessly pessimistic, but I had a feeling that I would never see the Contrail again. Nonetheless, I went through the motions; I retraced my steps and dropped by all the local lost & founds, as well as all the cafes and stores that I had visited. No luck. The Contrail was gone.
Heartbroken, I sought out my support group on WhatsApp: the GDMFE. Of course, they offered me the support I needed. And helped confirm that I wasn’t crazy for losing my mind over losing “just a watch.” Or at the very least, that I wasn’t the only crazy one. As for the conversation going on behind my back, I hadn’t the slightest inkling.
Fast forward a couple of weeks and a couple of whiny reminiscing posts later, and the Avalon was weighing heavily on my mind. Yes, I did want another Nodus, and the reviews were universally positive. But no, I couldn’t make up my mind: the blue and green both looked stunning and I couldn’t decide between them. I decided that was a sign that I simply wasn’t ready to purchase one just yet. I was still talking to Wes, and he mysteriously dropped hints about future models that I might like (as is his wont to do), so I decided to bide my time. I knew I would get another Nodus, I just didn’t know what or when. I figured time would tell, but maybe in a few months. Definitely by the end of the year. I had no idea just how wrong I was.
With @thechronotrooper back in the motherland, he invited me and @wiswc out for drinks. But with some complications with the timing, we ended up settling for a quick lunch. I picked up @thechronotrooper from his place and we headed to the agreed location a little earlier than planned. Once we were there, we engaged in our usual banter. After about an hour, @wiswc strode in and took his place.
The scene was set. A small, brightly lit café. I sat with my back to the counter, with the two of them in front of me. As I got up to turn around and place an order, @wiswc took out a package wrapped in green wrapping paper and thrust it towards me.
“Open it,” he said. Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted @thechronotrooper pointing his phone towards me.
“The hell is this?” I asked.
“Just open it la,” said the both of them.
As I held the box in my hands, a thought flashed through my mind. The size of the box, the weight of it, it all felt familiar. Something I’d felt just a few short months ago.
“Guys, no way-”
“Just open it la, damn it!” cried the two of them in unison.
I whipped out my Swiss Army Knife (much to the approval of @jwit94) and opened up one side of the packaging. Pulling on it slowly, a familiar looking black box presented itself to me, shortly followed by the Nodus logo with one simple word below it: AVALON.
LOL KC
After several minutes of me being speechless, jaw agape and generally making a fool of myself, I composed myself sufficiently to take a look at the gorgeous Clover Green Avalon before my eyes. But while I was busy looking at the dial, @thechronotrooper suggested I take a look at the back.
Flanking the vine-wrapped Excalibur in relief on the caseback were the words:
Specially addressed to KC. Someone tell ’em!
If that doesn’t sum up the relationship that we GDMFEs have, I don’t know what does. Words utterly fail me in expressing my gratitude to this family that I’ve never met. I am touched, thankful, and utterly humbled by this gesture. It has become one of the most precious watches in my collection, and I can’t wait to build more memories with it on the wrist.
I will be buried with this Nodus Avalon. Partially because I truly do love this gorgeous watch. Partially also because I’ll never hear the end of it if I meet these guys in the afterlife without it.
Epilogue:
(by Furry Wrist Abroad in Canada)
Addressing the vibration on my wrist I looked at my Garmin and saw a message from KC. Because of his insane work hours he would often be conversing with us on the other side of the planet during our work hours.
Upon unlocking my phone I read the full message from the adorable Good Doctor. “Hey, can you keep a secret?”
Intrigued I responded as quickly as I could. From experience some of the conversations that I had in the past that started out this way turned into something serious down the line. “Of course, what’s up?”
“Well, it’s regarding the Avalon,” KC instantly replied.
“Is something wrong with it?”
As with most instant messaging applications, I could see that KC was furiously typing away. After a couple of minutes I got the response.
“KC, are you serious?” I asked.
“Yes.”
“Does this look like what I think it looks like?”
“Yes it does unfortunately. But, no one could have seen this coming,” KC replied in his attempt to relieve my newly found concern.
As KC went on to explain what the issue was and that it had nothing to do with the Nodus Avalon that we gifted him, and that he was totally in love with it, I grew silent.
I finally gave in and asked.
“Oh no! KC, what have you done?”
– To be continued
P.S.
Special thanks to everyone collectively involved in making this happen.
*Note: Before we begin, I highly recommend you tap play on the embedded YouTube link below before you start reading this entry – for a more ‘immersive experience’. Thanks guys.
Marshall
It has been a while since I last did an entry for Field Notes. For the most part of 2018, I had been taking some time off the blog and watches, I was busy focusing on my career and just trying to get better as a person every single day. I’m not sure about you guys, but for me 2018 was a year of countless trials and tribulations, it left scars on me, I lost count of the number of times I burnt out, and I’d be lying if i told you here and now that I’ve completely gotten over 2018.
But on the bright side, 2018 was a huge year for me in terms of my pursuit for wisdom, inner peace, and personal growth.
I’ve always been the guy who hides under his shell when it comes to things that I don’t necessarily feel comfortable with, I mean – Don’t get me wrong, I love adventures, but for a person like myself to actually put in the extra effort i.e travel 3 hours to a location (Gopeng, Perak) I have literally never heard of to participate in an activity I had zero experience with i.e whitewater rafting.. Let’s just say I had my doubts, and here’s my story.
28.12.2018 – Gopeng, Perak
I was recently invited by a friend named SQ to whitewater rafting and we both travelled to a little faraway town 182 kilometres up north of Kuala Lumpur. Whitewater rafting has always been at the back of my mind for months now but I never really thought too seriously in giving it a try. So this time, I thought I take that step when the opportunity came around. I literally just jumped on it, it was indeed a huge step out of my comfort zone.
For a long time now, I guess I grew tired of being stagnant and idle for the most part of the year and feeling inadequate about where I’m at with my life. But when this opportunity came around, I felt like it was the perfect springboard to get myself back out there, in search of my purpose and to regain control over where my life was heading, my mental and emotional state. For once, I wanted to do something for myself different for a change, so I figured a little spontaneous adventure like this one could very well sooth and recharge my weary mind, body and soul.
As usual, I started off the day with my daily routine of having my self-made cup of coffee.
I have this habit of sitting in this particular corner of my house and slowly sipping on my usual cup of Capp.
We embarked on the 3 hour drive to Gopeng, Perak and arrived sometime around 2pm in the afternoon. For the most part, the ride was peaceful, relaxing and it was filled with laughter, and an engaging conversation between ourselves about the most random things we could think of at the time.
I remembered feeling the scorching heat on my skin, the blazing hot sun hanging above our heads, we didn’t think much, we got off the car, and we were immediately briefed by our rafting instructors. After equipping ourselves with rafting gear, we were transported over to the rafting site via a 4×4 truck in the most rugged fashion possible – 8 of us were jam-packed from shoulder-to-shoulder, hip-to-hip like a can of sardines at the back of the said 4×4, with the rafts stacked and hanging above our heads from the top of the 4×4 – that was somewhat of a icebreaker for all of us.
So its all good.
Starting point of the rafting site.Here’s SQ!
Our rafting journey started off pretty slow, as we being instructed to familiarize ourselves with the strength of the rapids and the flow of water current, as well as the different ways to approach oncoming impact on the rocks, how respond to different commands and how to adapt to different situations.
Throughout the journey, I believed our raft capcized at least 4 times. It’s all good though, ‘cuz your boy knows how to swim. I survived (Y) (so did SQ).
SQ holding it down while our instructor takes a short break (lol)
There was a fleeting moment during the journey where I felt everything coming to a complete standstill, the current was smooth and there was a momentary absence of turbulence in the water, and it was then I felt that I was completely immersed in the particular moment. I surrendered myself entirely to the calming sounds of the river flowing, birds chirping, the gentle breeze on my face and the smell of fresh air filling my lungs.
Yes, this was that moment.
At that point in time, my troubled mind and heart was at ease. It felt like a big hug by mother nature, and I, without hesitation, embraced it entirely.
My trusty SRP773 Turtle was my companion on this adventure – For those who don’t know, I got this when I got called to the Bar back in March ’18.Turtle in action.
I think, yes, that was the highlight of the trip for me.
We spent a total of 4 hours on the river, it was such a liberating experience.
Our journey eventually came to an end, at around 6pm the skies started to dim gradually and rumbling thunder was being heard as well. We packed up the raft and the equipment, and was subsequently transported back to base camp once again.
Overall, I couldn’t think of a better way to spend a Sunday afternoon. The entire journey wore my entire body to its core, but it was well worth it. That night, I swore that I haven’t had a sleep that good in years.
It was indeed an extremely rewarding adventure. I guess what they say is true, you meet different people in different phases of your life for different reasons.
So a big warm thank you to SQ, for inviting me on this spontaneous adventure, which helped me renew my perspective on life and myself and for your contagious positivity. SQ was indeed a very special and warm human being, at least in my eyes.
Squad for the day!
For once in 2 years, I felt different and rejuvenated, but most importantly, I felt focused and refreshed, and its safe to say, I feel like I’m now ready to take on any challenge, personally, career wise, and for Team Matick.
2019 is going to be a huge year for Team Matick – you’ll see.
On that note, I’d like to end this entry with a recommendation –
“One OK Rock – Wasted Nights”
This is one hell of a song, the lyrics are very inspiring, and ultimately, I completed this entry with this track on repeat.
PS. Before we dive into this one, I just want to take this opportunity to wish our friends Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Here’s to 2019!
“It was, to paraphrase the oft-quoted saying, organised by watch enthusiasts for watch enthusiasts..”
Credit: Cedric Hansen
KC
A little bit over a month ago (sorry guys.. work..), and after a very long time (we know!), we finally hosted Edition 2 of #TimeWellSpent at our unofficial home base at the Front Room & the Kneady Baker, a cosy little space located in the unassuming neighbourhood of Taman Desa. Unlike the inaugural edition, which was done in collaboration with Ming Watches, we opted for a more casual theme for this particular iteration.
Marsh, Max, KC. Credit: Cedric Hansen
The evening kicked off with us greeting our guests with a bottle of beer which was followed by the mandatory “Hey, so what’s that on your wrist?”. And as expected, when you put a bunch of watch geeks (well, maybe around 20+) in a cozy little space with some light booze and amazing homemade food (those pizzas are bomb, by the way), that little greeting and handshake would then subsequently escalate into a full-blown (and shameless) geek-out session between like-minded individuals, and that was pretty much the case for the entire evening.
As such, the watches on display and topics of conversation emerged organically and naturally from the attendees themselves. Although several distinct groups were initially formed along the lines of their social circles, it didn’t take long for those lines to becomed blurred, and soon enough there was but one circle of friends surrounding a tray of watches.
That tray of watches was perhaps one of the highlights of the night. It started off innocently enough; Marshall and I placed a simple wooden tray lined with various canvas watch rolls and placed the few watches we had brought along on them. It was simply meant to be a part of the general decor on the night, but everyone who walked in felt a strange draw towards it. Soon, there were so many watches that we even had to whip out a second tray.
I don’t know what it was about those trays, but in my mind the mingling of those watches seemed to represent the overall feel of the night: in the same way that Seiko 5s and Nodus watches were literally rubbing shoulders with a Moser and Jaeger-LeCoultres, newbies and veteran watch collectors alike were doing likewise. There was no regard for price tags or status, simply a genuine and heartfelt appreciation for this indulgence we call watch collecting. All we can say was that the camaraderie and the atmosphere for Edition 2 was simply amazing, and it is and will always be what we at The Matick Blog strive to cultivate and achieve.
EAT YOUR VEGGIES!
To cap it all off, Pete and Jo, the good folks behind the Front Room, served up a magnificent series of handmade gourmet pizzas that were gobbled up as quickly as the pair could churn them out. With hearty toppings on a crust that was simply divine, paired with a few ice cold beers, we were thoroughly pampered by our gracious hosts.
Simply put, this get-together was, in my humble opinion as a fellow watch enthusiast, a joy to both organise and attend, and we at Team Matick can’t wait to bring you the third edition of #TimeWellSpent in 2019. So keep your eyes peeled, we’re hoping to make this next one even more special!
It’s been a really interesting and challenging year so far for The Matick Blog. The past few months have been somewhat quite difficult to say the least, simply because of the fact that some of us are currently experiencing a transition period in our lives and our respective careers. New jobs at new places, new responsibilities come with new priorities, and to be completely honest, a couple months ago, we realised that we were all struggling to even make time for the Blog.
So last week, right after Edition 2 of our #TimeWellSpent GTG, I sat down with the team and had a long chat over coffee about the future, and we collectively decided that it is time to shake things up a little bit. And today, as the founder of this team in pursuit of this passion project, I couldn’t be happier to welcome two fresh new faces to the team.
KC is a doctor who’s currently based in northern Malaysia, Kedah. I’ve known KC for some time now (surely many of you do too) and I’ve always been intrigued with his approach to watch collecting. KC is very opinionated and a focused enthusiast/collector, and most importantly a good friend of mine.
Vincent is one of the more passionate guys I know within my circle of enthusiast-friends and he is currently based in Melbourne, Australia. Like myself, he’s also pretty much into coffee, high-end audio as well as all things related to lifestyle.
KC and Vincent would be joining us as content writers for the team and we’re now already working hard to prepare for some really exciting stuff in store for 2019. Man, I can’t wait (*ahem* for Edition 3).
Anyway, I couldn’t be happier to welcome these guys to the team. You’ll be hearing a lot from them really soon.
If you’d like to know more about KC and Vincent, click here and scroll downnn.
Never would I have thought that there would be a time where the art of watchmaking and the fabled gilding technique would come together as a unified whole. Case in point, the Nuage by Mr Jones Watches embodies exactly the spirit and synergy of that seemingly unlikely union. For those not versed in French, the name ‘Nuage’ means ‘clouds’, which tells the story of the artisan behind the creation of the watch, Ms Marion Labbez.
The term ‘gilding’ refers to a number of traditional methods used in decorative work, by applying fine gold leaf or powder to solid surfaces such as wood, metal or stone. In the case of the Nuage, a thin coating of gold is to be found on its crystal. Needless to say, gilding is an intensely laborious process, and to create something like the Nuage requires no less than the highest levels of artisanal skill and patience.
The Nuage as seen on Maxine’s wrist.
What can I say? The Nuage is by far one of the most elegant and beautiful watches I have had the pleasure of wearing. Dreamy to gaze upon, it is a true masterpiece and is easily one of my favourite creations coming off from the MJW workbench, the reasons for which I will explain in the following passages.
Aside from being one of the most elegant pieces in my collection, at 38mm wide, the Nuage is also one of the most diminutive. As of late, I have also found myself leaning towards more modestly sized watches, as they provide me with refreshing contrast to my more contemporarily-sized watches; my Dietrich OTs come to mind.
… the collaborative spirit between MJW and extremely talented artisans, such as Marion Labbez, transcends gender-specific design fixations.
-Marshall on wearing feminine-looking watches
Overall Design
I think the appropriate adjective to describe the Nuage’s overall design is ‘majestic’, and perhaps even avant-garde to a degree. The sense of elegance portrayed is one of a conscious effort, and in a way, the Nuage feels like a watch from a different realm. It is one of those watches which pique your curiosity when you see it on someone else’s wrist, and if you’re a shamelesss watch geek such as myself, you would then swiftly proceed to ask for a closer look. It is difficult for me to express in words how I felt when I first saw the Nuage in the flesh, but I suppose ‘breathtakingly beautiful’ would not be too far off.
A quick visit to the MJW website reveals that the Nuage was designed to be a companion piece to the no less wonderful Chinoiserie and Ka 火. Observably, all three watches share a familial design DNA. For me though, and once again, MJW has knocked it out of the park with the Nuage.
Dial and Gilding Technique
The star of the show here is with little doubt the exquisite gilding by Verre Églomisé (the process of applying both a design and gilding onto the rear face of glass to produce a mirror finish) artist Marion Labbez, whom is one of only a handful of Verre Églomisé specialists working in the UK. Marion is also the artisan behind the Chinoiserie and the Ka 火.
Marion has meticulously put together a beautiful landscape depicting clouds shrouding a clear blue sky. The clouds are made from 22-carat gold and silver palladium leaf, whilst the blue sky is crafted from tempered carbon steel, which transforms into a rich blue tone when heated to scorching temperatures of about 300 degrees Celsius. Finally, because every Nuage is hand-painted by Marrion Labbez herself, every piece is one of a kind, differing ever so slightly from the next.
Movement and time telling.
Powering the Nuage is a humble Swiss Ronda Quartz 515-24H.
When curious onlookers set their sights upon the Nuage, almost invariably, their responses would be words along the lines of ‘wow, this looks fantastic, followed by a ‘how in the world do I tell the time?’
Truth be told, the unconventional method of reading time on the Nuage did not surprise me one bit, but that came along with the understanding that such a way of doing things is MJW’s charm and goes to their very identity.
Telling the time on the Nuage may seem like a complicated task, but it really isn’t too different from the Sun & Moon watch, should one be familiar with it. One simply tracks the hour by observing the position of the sun/moon in the sky. The opening crescent of the sky represents 12 hours (am/pm interchangeable) in a day starting from left to right (6am to 6pm then to 6am again). As the sun rises from the 6 am position at the left, it would eventually set at the 6pm position on the right, and as it sets, the moon would rise from the left and the cycle continues until 6am on the right. Midday – 12am/pm would be represented when the sun/moon arrives at the centre position of the crescent.
As for the minutes, one simply reads it the usual way at the centre of the dial.
Got it? No? Me neither. Don’t worry, for time-telling is probably one of the last things you would care to do on a watch as gorgeous as this.
credit: theawesomer.com
Strap
Not to be outshone, the Nuage is complemented by a beautiful tanned leather strap made by Hirsch, which is a perfect match for the dial’s earthy tones. Those of you who are strap geeks like us will know that Hirsch is renowned for the quality and comfort of their straps. Those virtues are to be found here as well, as the Nuage’s strap was supple and soft to the touch. I simply cannot think of a more elegant choice of strap for the Nuage.
Wearability
Given its relatively modest proportions, bright colours and intricate design, you won’t be faulted for thinking that the Nuage is a watch that leans towards the feminine end along the gender continuum.
But in a world of watches where most makers prioritise designing watches for men over women, it takes a certain level of confidence for a young male, such as myself, to wear a watch like the Nuage. Regardless, I am more than willing to be seen with the Nuage out and about. There are only very few feminine-esque watches in my book which I am willing to wear without hesitation, and the Nuage is one of them.
Although I may be inadvertently conveying the impression that the Nuage is a watch meant only for ladies’ wrists, one has to realise that MJW has always produced small watches relative to the modern norm, which I believe is a conscious effort on their part to preserve and highlight the nimbleness and intricacies of each handcrafted piece.
Controversially, MJW is to me a brand which can be placed amongst the likes of Faberge (have a look at the Lady Compliquée Peacock) – watchmakers which make me fall head over heels for even their most feminine pieces. In the case of the Nuage, and many of MJW’s other offerings, the collaborative spirit between MJW and extremely talented artisans, such as Marion Labbez, transcends gender-specific design fixations. Other brands could take a page (or several) out of MJW’s book in this regard.
On a lighter note, the elegance articulated by the Nuage is not by any means overbearing. The Nuage has a somewhat preppy aesthetic, whilst effortlessly maintaining its mysterious demeanour, thanks to its unconventional way of time-telling. Although I do not consider myself the kind of guy who ‘dappers’ himself up all the time (more of a T-shirt, jeans, and bomber jacket kinda guy due to tropical-weather constraints), I would still happily wear the Nuage on laid-back weekends, paired with matching sneakers and shorts. One does not need to possess a level of confidence such as that of Gianni Agnelli (the elderly Italian gentleman whom was the principle shareholder of Fiat, whom also wears a watch over the cuff of his shirt) to wear a watch like the Nuage; all one needs is an appreciation for the finer things in life. And if one considers themselves a watch enthusiast, the odds are high that they would fulfil that criterion anyway.
Final thoughts
Wrapping up, the Nuage is by far my favourite watch from MJW so far. Considering how much I enjoy their designs, that is not a statement I make lightly.
The Nuage brings to the table a carefully crafted watch of elegance and uniqueness. As is the case with most of MJW’s creations, you are given the opportunity to wear fine art on your wrist for a relatively small amount of money.
Thank you MJW for this opportunity, till next time!
I would also like to extend a very warm thank you to the lovely Maxine for participating in our photo shoot for the Nuage.
