We are kicking off this round-up with one of our special car-and-watch reviews. If you love the roar of large V8s, then you will enjoy this one because we have a very special car, a Superformance Shelby Cobra, which is an almost perfect replica of the legendary Shelby Cobra. In addition, we also have the Baume & Mercier Capeland Shelby Cobra Limited Edition, a watch made to celebrate the victories of Caroll Shelby. That aside, we will also be checking out new watches from Seiko, IWC, Graham, and Bulgari. There’s something in here for everyone.
New watches aside, we are also turning a spotlight onto HMT. Once a titan of Indian watchmaking, HMT closed its last factories earlier this year. And in this round-up, we will be taking a look at the rise and fall of HMT watches. Finally, we will be wrapping things up by taking a look at some of the pitfalls of vintage watches.
1. Car & Watch Review: Superformance Shelby Cobra / Baume & Mercier Capeland Shelby Cobra Limited Edition
Carroll Shelby is one of the most influential motoring personalities in the world. His work on the Shelby Cobra, later the Shelby Daytona Coupe, and the Ferrari-beating Ford GT40 made him a legend in American motoring history. If you are fan of the original Shelby Cobra, the good news is the Superperformance Shelby Cobra 289 FIA is a near perfect replica of the legendary Shelby Cobra. Better yet is that there’s a watch to match, and that is the Baume & Mercier Capeland Shelby Cobra Limited Edition – a special watch created to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Caroll Shelby’s victory in the 1965 FIA International Championship of GT Manufacturers.
Source: aBlogtoWatch
2. Grand Seiko Black Ceramic Limited Edition Chronograph SBGC017 Watch Hands-On
I have a tip for buying Grand Seikos. Always look out for their limited-edition pieces. They almost always look nicer, and the premiums on limited-edition Grand Seikos are usually quite reasonable, making them, in my opinion, the better buy. And here is the limited edition Grand Seiko Black Ceramic Chronograph SBG017 watch for your consideration. It’s a chronograph that also has the GMT function, making it very practical. Furthermore, it also has Seiko’s ultra accurate hybrid electro-mechanical Spring Drive moment. However, the magic is really the dial, which features a really unique “green tree” pattern. See more of the watch by hitting the link below.
Source: aBlogtoWatch
3. IWC Big Pilot’s Heritage Watch 55 Hands-On
Every year, IWC focuses on updating a single collection, and this year was the year of the Pilot. The new Pilot watches have been very well received; and some, such as the Pilot’s watch Mark XVIII and Pilot’s watch chronograph 3777, have been selling like hotcakes. But for me, one of the most interesting new Pilot watches is the massive Pilot’s Heritage Watch 55. Measuring 55mm large in diameter, the Pilot’s Heritage Watch 55 was designed to be a replica of the old pilots’ watches that IWC used to make for German pilots during the last World War. This is not a watch for everyone, nor do I think it is suitable for daily wear, it’s a novelty item through and through, but more importantly, I think it demonstrates IWC’s unpredictability and its willingness to be bold and controversial.
Source: aBlogtoWatch
4. Graham Chronofighter Vintage Watch Hands-On
If you like large watches with unusual case designs, then you should definitely check out Graham. Their Chronofighter watches are perhaps the most distinctive in their collection, thanks to the oversized chronograph triggers. But don’t think these triggers are mere visual gimmicks. They work. But more importantly, they do have historical significance because historical pilot chronograph watches have been found to have these trigger mechanisms for easier activation of the chronograph. If you are keen to find out more, the Chronofigher Vintage is one of Graham’s newest Chronofigher watches and it combines the unique style of their Chronofighter case with vintage-inspired looks.
Source: aBlogtoWatch
5. Luxury Watches Inspired By Star Trek
Star Trek fans should be a happy bunch now. Star Trek Beyond is showing in theaters now and it has been well-received by critics and fans alike. And if you are a Trekkie that also happens to love watches, well, you are in for a treat. Because what we have here is a list of high-end watches and clocks that have been inspired by the Star Trek franchise.
Source: aBlogtoWatch
6. The FHH’s Ambitious Mission To Conclusively Define ‘Haute Horology’ Watches
This article addresses two questions that I think are pertinent to readers. First, what is the FHH? And second, what exactly is haute horology? While trying to spoil the story too much for readers, the FHH (Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie) is an organization that seeks to promote fine watchmaking. And one of its most pressing tasks is to clearly define what fine watchmaking is, what it should encompass, and what are the values that it should strive to uphold. It’s not as simple as you might think.
Source: aBlogtoWatch