StyleFellow

Brellum Duobox

Matti Airaksinen

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23rd December 2016

Brellum is a Swiss company and watch brand, of whose origins and founder I wrote about earlier. This micro brand company’s first watch offering carries the name Duobox, and is, in the maker’s own words, a timeless dress chronograph. I’ve been wearing the Duobox for about two weeks now, so it’s high time we went over its particulars in a bit more detail.

Brellum Duobox DB.CH.100

First, let’s begin by saying that the Brellum Duobox is a highly finished whole, right down to the delivery packaging. The brand has been carefully constructed from the very beginning, which has become apparent starting from the very high quality pre-release teaser photographs shared on social media. It was this marketing that first caught my eye and raised my initial interest in the brand, which turned out to have a beautifully real story behind it.

The Brellum Duobox comes with a leather travel box.

But, returning to the watch, the delivery of which took about a week from order to my door. The watch and box containing it were packed with care into a cardboard box for delivery, with the padding being cut to the exact dimensions of the watch box. With the company focusing solely on direct distribution, this level of attention is a small, yet incredibly important detail.

The Duobox comes in a leather travel box that is housed in a stunning piano-finished wooden case. The case contains a cleaning cloth, warranty certificate and COSC certification. This full set is the definite article, in every way.

Stylish Dress Chronograph

The Duobox is a beautiful chronograph, available in three different watch face colours and many different strap and bracelet choices. I gravitated to the light watch face and black hand stitched leather strap, a classic choice to go with a suit.

The Brellum Duobox fulfills the criteria of a dress chronograph.

The Duobox’s visual appeal is very evocative of the style of past decades, making the watch both elegant and giving it a vintage feel. When looking at the watch face for more than just a quick glance many enticing elements and details come into play, such as the angular indexes, the playful reflections of light from the sunray dial and the blue hand on the stopwatch. The ensemble is crowned by a slightly convex sapphire glass that successfully brings the vintage look to a modern timepiece.

The Brellum Duobox’s side profile is streamlined.

The Brellum Duobox’s movement can be viewed through the sapphire glass base.

Technical Fine Finished Quality

The Duobox is a technically high quality timepiece, whose movement is the legendary, and in this case chronometer certified (COSC) Valjoux 7750. This guarantees that the Duobox will, in myriad conditions stay accurate to exacting standards (-4/+6) meaning it will be no more than 4 seconds slow or 6 seconds fast in a 24 hour period. In the case of the model I had to test, it has been ever so slightly fast, by under a single second over a period of ten days. That is, for a mechanical watch, really impressive.

The watch’s crown has a very sensitive feel to it, making setting the time and date accurately a breeze, though pulling the crown out to its apex takes a bit of bravery. The chronograph function buttons are also quite firm, as is common with Valjoux movements.

The attention to detail is noticeable in the watch’s movement, which can be admired through the sapphire glass on the back of the watch. The blued screws, the perlage or pearl pattern achieved by grinding, Côtes de Genève striping and the Brellum wyvern emblazoned on the oscillating mass all telling signs of the work that has gone into finishing the Duobox.

The Duobox’s leather strap mounting features a quick locking mechanism on the spring bars, meaning the strap can be changed out without the need for any tools. This, of course, demands that the replacement strap has the same mechanism.

The Brellum Duobox’s leather strap is hand stitched.

Conclusion

The Brellum Duobox is a wrist watch that can be a reasoned purchase due to its amazing price to quality ratio, but the true deciding factor behind an acquisition is the philosophy it embodies. A new and untested brand won’t yet be carrying any aftermarket resale value, but the direct from manufacturer to customer without any middlemen philosophy will speak to many. Especially since the watch design is so spot on.

Sporting the Brellum Duobox on my wrist brings me indescribable pleasure, as I know I am one of a very select few.

I can compare this directly with the experience of bespoke tailoring, where the customer is in direct contact with the artisan, without any middlemen. And if my clothes were to need mending or alterations, I could turn to any tailor worth his salt for the service. The same is true for Brellum watches. I can take the Valjoux movement based Duobox to any skilled watchmaker the world over.

Brellum can be found at brellum.swiss/en/

Pros and Cons

+ Timeless design
+ Accurate
+ Excellent price-quality ratio
– Unknown brand
– Resale value unknown

In a Nutshell

Model: DB.CH.100
Movement: BRELLUM BR-750-1 chronometer (COSC), based on the Valjoux 7750 (automatic)
Frequency: 28,800 vibrations per hour
Power reserve: 46 hours
Case material: Stainless Steel (316L)
Dimension: 41.8 mm
Watch thickness: 16.2 mm
Watch glass: Sapphire crystal (anti-glare coating on the inside)
Watch back: Sapphire crystal
Weight: 120 g (with leather strap)
Water Resistance: 50 m (5 bar)
Bracelet width: 22 mm
Watch Strap: Leather with stainless steel deploying buckle

Translated from the original Finnish by Jan Hoffman.

Brellum – A Swiss Watchmaker’s Dream Come True

Matti Airaksinen

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8th December 2016

2

Brellum – A Swiss Watchmaker’s Dream Come True

When speaking of watches, there is a tendency to equate them with Switzerland. This is quite natural, since the majority of the world’s better known and respected watchmakers are indeed Swiss. The industry has, over the years, become dominated by only a handful of faceless monolithic owners, under whom there had been a repositioning of watch brands, which has, in turn lead to many previously reasonably-priced brands climbing to prices well beyond the means of the average consumer.

Recent developments haven’t all been for the worse, however, as together with the renaissance of mechanical watches there has been a resurgence of new watchmakers in the past few years.

The newest and at the same time one of the most interesting of the new micro watch brands is the Swiss watchmaker Sébastian Muller’s Brellum, whose Duobox Chronograph boasts an impressive claim to fame: a watch based on the Valjoux 7750 automatic movement, COSC certified and finished to top industry specifications for a reasonable price – about £1,800 in this case. (2,390 CHF including worldwide shipping, before national customs charges and applicable taxes.)

The above promise was evocative enough to prompt us to contact Mr. Muller, which began a lengthy correspondence that helped us to understand what is…

… The Brellum Story.

To understand Brellum, one has to look into the past, all the way back to 1885. This is when the Muller family first began their foray into watchmaking; making Sébastien a fourth generation watchmaker. This family background was a major contributing factor, along with prompting and support by his wife Christiane, that lead the 42-year-old Mr. Muller back to his roots after 25 years of various positions within the watchmaking industry. That is to say, both his family’s roots and the roots of quality watchmaking – an uncompromising attitude and pride toward hand-crafting.

Sébastien Muller, the father of Brellum.

The idea, the essence of Brellum, had been incubating in Mr. Muller’s mind for a decade, until one day his wife said he should follow his dream. This prompted a two-year design process for both the Mullers, as Christiane is herself an industrial designer. The couple had a very clear cut division of labour; Sébastien designed the watch and Christiane was responsible for translating his vision into a working 3D-model. This is a working marriage of both classic and state-of-the-art watch design at its finest.

These are the views from Gstaad, where the Muller's finalised their design for the first Brellum watch - the Duobox. — These are the views from Gstaad, where the Muller’s finalised their design for the first Brellum watch – the Duobox.

This is the very cottage in which the dream took wings.

At the final stages of designing the Duobox watch, the Mullers quite literally retreated to the mountains for a week, to a small cabin on the outskirts of Gstaad, to finish the final and crucial details of the watch, accompanied only by the stunning views and jazz music.

At the very heart of Brellum is a foundation of Northern Swiss mountains, the very same ones that run through the heart of the canton of Jura, the watchmaking capital of the world.

A telling sign of Mr. Muller’s uncompromising attitude is that the entire design process has been kept in the couple’s hands, without outside financing. This long route was chosen purposefully, as they wanted to keep the design free of outside pressure and demands. A vision this strong doesn’t call for compromise.

In Mr. Sébastien Muller’s own words, Brellum represents the type of thinking where, respecting traditions, the most cutting-edge production methods are utilized to bring to the consumer the highest possible quality and precision – not forgetting timeless design – and, by cutting out unnecessary middlemen, at a price point that most can afford.

The Origin of the Name and the Symbol

When we asked where the inspiration for the name Brellum came from, the answer came right off the shelf. The letter B stems from Sébastien’s home village, Bonfol, in the Ajoie region, Porrentruy District of the canton of Jura. The rest of the name is Muller backwards. In addition, bellum is Latin for battle or war, which is a fitting reminder that each of us is locked in an ongoing battle against time. The symbol of Brellum is the mythical beast, the Wyvern, which is a common feature throughout the Ajoie region.

The Brellum Wyvern Symbol can be seen on the watch face of the Duobox.

A Few Words About the Duobox

The First watch offering from Brellum is the Duobox, available in three watch face colours and different straps and bracelets. Brellum refers to the Duobox as a dress chronograph, which is indeed fitting in both style and dimensions.

Every detail of the Brellum Duobox Chronograph's design is purposeful and exact. — Every detail of the Brellum Duobox Chronograph’s design is purposeful and exact.

The Duobox's mechanism can be admired through the sapphire glass that makes up the back. — The Duobox’s mechanism can be admired through the sapphire glass that makes up the back.

The Duobox Chronometer’s technical specifications are certainly cogent. The refined and beautifully decorated Valjoux 7750 automatic movement, a Swiss icon since its development in the 1970’s, COSC certification and a high quality watch face, with sapphire glass on both sides of the watch; combined with a high quality handmade leather strap or stainless steel Milanese bracelet and the “Swiss Made” marking is a combination that is rarely seen with this kind of price tag.

To ensure quality, only 299 Duobox watches will be sold a year.

Brellum can be found at brellum.swiss/en/

Dress code: Business Casual

News

Matti Airaksinen

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24th October 2016

0

When talking about dress codes, business casual belongs among the least exact ones. Conceived in contrast to the classic and very strict business professional style, it can be said that the boundaries of business casual are quite ethereal. It pays to approach this style by looking at its origins – a style of dress that is both tidy and matter-of-fact enough for business purposes.

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By its loosest definition, business casual is a style for men that is built around no-nonsense shoes, dress trousers or chinos and a button-front shirt. A sports coat also befits the style. Jeans and athletic shoes are too casual, diminishing the credibility of the wearer. More strict interpretations also rule out the use of chinos and polo shirts. All in all, the style should match the field of business of the wearer, placing him on line with customers’ expectations and making him approachable.

For women, the style is easier to define – smart trousers or a knee-length skirt and a collared, sober top.

Regardless of the definition, business casual can be looked at both from the perspective of the dresser and their colleagues.

Business Casual from the Dresser’s Perspective

If your wardrobe is well and even somewhat logically constructed, business casual ensembles are easy enough to construct. A pair of well-kept brown shoes will do for footwear. A staple of clean-cut daily wear – the blazer – is a good starting point along with sports coats, even though wearing a cardigan, other smart knitwear or just a shirt may also be just as acceptable. The shirt may furthermore be chosen rather freely from one’s collection. The same can be said for trousers, provided one steers clear from the jeans.

Pictured are two outfit in the business casual style. The articles of clothing were picked in such a way that any could be swapped between the two outfits and the result would still look good. — Pictured are two outfit in the business casual style. The articles of clothing were picked in such a way that any individual garment could be swapped between the two outfits and the result would still look good.

When choosing accessories, it is important to aspire to a level of relaxedness – it is a casual style, after all. Unsurprisingly, a knitted tie works well in this style, though the tie can be also omitted completely, leaving the top button or two open. For this look, an “American” soft collar button-down shirt is the perfect choice.

The use of a pocket square is not necessary on this style but it is perfectly acceptable to wear it.

Business Casual from the Viewer’s Perspective

An important aspect of the birth of business casual as a style has been its fit into the general nature of the workplace. Thus, a company choosing business casual as their office dress code is endeavoring to communicate a sense of businesslike yet relaxed atmosphere in the workplace. Dressing in a suit in a business casual office is a sign of an important meeting or other “outside the house” event.

One of the key features of business casual dress is the sedate feeling it gives coworkers. With everything too tight and revealing, too athletic or too homely having been weeded out, there is nothing to distract. Business casual outfits are clearly for work, and despite being relaxed, keep thoughts and conversation on work subjects.

Business Casual

A contrast to the strict suit-based business professional style
At minimum a combination of sober shoes, button-front shirt and dress trousers or chinos
Covers the legs and upper body, for men also shins – no shorts
No athletic or revealing articles of clothing, no jeans
A sports coat, blazer or clean blazer is particularly fitting

Conclusions and Recommendations

Being a workplace dress code, the use of business casual for dinner- of weekend parties is to be avoided. If the event is during lunch hour or right after work, the style is quite acceptable – after all, these events are very much “come as you are”.

When setting a dresscode and aiming towards more relaxed atmosphere – particularly in those events that involve drinks on the weekend – it is best to specify the dresscode as “cocktail dress” that handily covers a range from smart sports coats and trousers up to relaxed black-tie and casual suits.

Translated from the original Finnish by Jan Hoffman.

Dress code: Cocktail

News

Jussi Häkkinen

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27th September 2016

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Cocktail suit is a somewhat rare dress code in Finland. Generally, it’s most commonly seen in invitations to weddings and more relaxed parties. Probably the most important aspect of this code is indeed it’s relaxedness – cocktail dress can be viewed as the lightest of the dress codes, informal, yet still dictated by etiquette. Cocktail dress is usually a great solution when ever an invitation stipulates “festive attire”.

For women, cocktail dress means just that, a cocktail dress – usually knee length and often dark. The most versatile article of clothing in ladies’ closets, the little black dress, is apt for cocktails. For men, however, it isn’t quite as simple these days, as etiquette has become rarer and styles varied.

Back when suits were the everyday wear of gentlemen, cocktail dress was a simple code to follow. One chose a clean suit that is most befitting for your personality, which may also have been the suit worn at the office. In contrast to the work dress, however, the suit was “dressed up” more in one’s own flavour, rather than what was dictated by office policy.

Understated medium gray wool suit with a white shirt, restrained tie and pocket square - an excellent choice for cocktail wear. — Understated medium gray wool suit with a white shirt, restrained tie and pocket square – an excellent choice for cocktail wear.

These days, this approach is still valid for suit-wearing men. Those who don’t wear a suit to work should approach etiquette with a bit more caution, as many will only have that single suit, meant for formal occasions, hanging in the closet. These suits will require the opposite approach to the way things were done in the past, with a slight “dressing down”. Instead of a gray silk tie, one should pick a tie with a touch of colour and perhaps a subdued pattern to it, the shirt can also be something other than crisp white and the pocket square may be adorned with an elegant pattern.

Sanders Stockholm. Picture: Sanders — Black cap-toe oxfords are the perfect shoe choice for cocktail wear.

Should the chosen suit be black, one might consider swapping the trousers for striped morning dress trousers, creating a highly elegant day suit, the stroller. Stroller plays perfectly with a medium blue tie, which otherwisely would be a stretch to be worn with a black suit. A sports jacket and trousers combination is out of the question, however, being inherently too informal. The strict formality of the dark suit must be carefully tempered with lightness and relaxedness, while still sticking with wearing a suit.

The seminal piece of a man’s wardrobe, the navy blue suit, again shows its versatility in cocktail dress use. It allows for basically any colour combination in shirt and accessories.

Men’s Cocktail Dress Includes:

Dark or medium coloured suit, subdued in pattern
White or light coloured dress shirt
Restrained tie
A pocket square that is harmonious with the dress
Black leather-soled dress shoes (not patent leather!)

Also remember that particularly at weddings, one should never outshine the bride and groom!

Text: Jussi Häkkinen, Anu Rautalin
Images: Matti Airaksinen, Herrainpukimo

Translated from the original Finnish by Jan Hoffman.

Diving Watches for Under 700 euros

Watches

Matti Airaksinen

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6th September 2016

0

Diving watches are enjoying a bout of immense popularity, and for good reason. As the name suggests, diving watches are designed to resist moisture, meaning they are built to stand up to more than just desk diving. Combine these features with the current trend in more casual dress at both the workplace and leisure activities, as well as the traditional “one watch” tactic; these watches fit many a man’s wrist perfectly.

Diving Watches are Excellent Everyday Watches.

The most famous classic diving watch has to be the Rolex Submariner, which is unfortunately priced quite a bit higher than most consumers’ budgets. Luckily, diving watches come in a large variety from myriad manufacturers and price points. The cheapest divers come in at around a hundred euro – and for under a thousand you can get some serious quality strapped to your wrist.

Next we’ll present three different manufacturers’ diving watches, each with top notch price-to-quality ratios. These watches were chosen from the range offered by Suninen Jewelers’ in Finland.

Seiko

The Japanese Seiko watch and precision instrument manufacturer offers a robust range of watches that are a meeting point of technical quality and price. Specifically, the Seiko 5 range offers a fine route to the world of mechanical wrist watches for small change.

The Seiko 5 featured here is a so-called Coke Bezel diving watch with a steel casing, whose water resistance is rated at 100 meters. In short, this means the watch can be left on while showering, swimming and surface diving. The movement is a very reliable and proven 4R36 automatic built by Seiko themselves, which can also be hand cranked.

Seiko K-series watches are built outside of Japan. Watches built in Japan are distinguished by the J model marker.

The Seiko 5 features a day-and-date display in a single window, as well as a hacking feature that allows the watch to be stopped to set the time. Hacking is a useful feature when one wishes to set the watch to exactly the correct time, or to synchronize it with another.

The Seiko 5 is an excellent price-quality ratio diving watch.

The Seiko’s bezel is firm. The crown isn’t screw locked, but is protected on both sides by protruding teeth. The crown’s operation is comfortable, so setting the correct time, date and day is a breeze. The 3-fold clasp and steel bracelet of the Seiko is outstanding, considering the price point.

At under 300 euro, the Seiko 5 is in a category all to itself. If you’re looking for high quality on a tight budget, the sporty Seiko 5 is a grand choice.

Model: SRP557K1
Movement: 4R36 (automatic)
Frequency: 21,600 vibrations per hour
Power Reserve: ~ 40 hours
Casing: Steel
Dimension: 44mm
Watch thickness: 13mm
Glass: mineral (Hardlex)
Water Resistance: 100m (10 bar)
Bracelet width: 22mm
Bracelet: Steel, 3-fold clasp

Tissot

The Swiss company Tissot has a long history of quality watchmaking, with their Seastar 1000 model being the purebreed diving watch of this article. Easily legible and with a high luminoscity watch face, 300 meter water resistance, screw lockable crown, high quality rubber bracelet and a whopping 80 hour power reserve on the movement all combine to make the Tissot Seastar a highly attractive package.

The crown needs only a feather touch. The bezel works to exacting standards and the design makes for excellent gripability. It could even be said that moving the bezel wearing heavy gloves underwater would be possible. Not that we went so far to test it, of course!

The downward curvature of the rubber bracelet makes for an extremely comfortable wearing experience.

Party due to the rubber bracelet, the watch is also light, at a mere 96 grams, allowing it to be virtually unnoticeable while wearing. The style language of the Seastar is practically made for casual and outdoorsy activities, being right at home while boating, at the beach or in the countryside. Switching the 19mm rubber bracelet for a leather one, the Seastar will make an excellent everyday watch. At about the 500 euro price point, the Tissot is a steady choice.

Model: T066.407.17.057.02
Movement: Powermatic 80 (automatic)
Frequency: 21,600 vibrations per hour
Power Reserve: 80 hours
Casing: Steel
Dimension: 42mm
Watch thickness: 12.4mm
Glass: Sapphire crystal
Water Resistance: 300m (30 bar)
Bracelet width: 19mm
Bracelet: rubber / silicone

Certina

Another Swiss entry, the Certina DS Action Diver Automatic is the most traditional diver of the lot, based around the legendary and tried-and-tested, highly reliable ETA 2824-2 movement. Of special note, Certina specifically mentions the watch to meet the strict requirements given to diving watches in the ISO 6425 Standard.

Traditional, in the case of this Certina, means all the positive aspects that are required of a diver. The bomb proof ETA movement, sturdy casing, readily legible watch face with bright luminosity, adequate water resistance (200m in this case), firm bezel, easily operable screw-locking crown, rounded off by a quality steel bracelet with a good clasp that needs both dexterity and a bit of strength to open.

The stunning blue of the watch face is surrounded by a highly legible orthodox bezel, that only turns counter-clockwise.

The style of the Certina is the most versatile of the three divers presented in this article, owing to the pragmatism of its design. Changing to a leathern bracelet (remembering the 21 millimeter width!) the Certina becomes a very stylish business watch and with a Nato strap it transforms into a light sports watch. At just about the 600 euro mark, the DS Action Diver is the choice du jour for fans of the traditional diving watch.

Model: C013.407.11.041.00
Movement: ETA 2824-2 (automatic), with hacking
Frequency: 28,800 vibrations per hour
Power Reserve: 80 hours
Casing: Steel
Dimension: 43mm
Watch thickness: 12mm
Glass: Sapphire crystal
Water Resistance: 200m (20 bar)
Bracelet width: 21mm
Bracelet: Steel

Conclusions

Three different watches, three different manufacturers. If your budget is tight, look no further than the Seiko. If you are looking for more personality, the Tissot offers value for money with its style language. And if you’re on the market for a more traditional diving watch, the Certina is your surest bet.

Seiko, Tissot and Certina all offer value for money.

Tissot, Seiko and Certina - Three quality diving watches. — Tissot, Seiko and Certina – Three quality diving watches.

Just three diving watches is barely a scratch on the surface, but provide a glimpse into the vast array of good choices available on the market today. The watches presented above are all from manufacturers whose ranges offer a variety of models in different price ranges, so familiarizing oneself with the ranges and trying different watches on will surely yield the perfect candidate diving watch for all. If you happen to have deeper pockets, we highly recommend checking out what Oris has to offer.

Translated from the original Finnish by Jan Hoffman.

Longines Heritage Diver

Matti Airaksinen

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29th July 2016

1

Longines is a traditional Swiss watch manufacturer, whose image has been tarnished this past decade by a sort of lack-of-oomph, but which is seeing a resurgence – at least partly due to the continuing wake of the heritage boom. Longines has brought back old watch models as re-issues and these have really spoken to today’s watch buying crowd – most likely due to the fact that prices have been kept reasonable.

This is where Longines’s strength – and weakness lie. As the re-issues have rolled onto the market, the newer watch models have been left in their shadow, at least metaphorically. The truth, as always, is somewhere in between, but currently Longines offers most to the buyer who is enticed by the classic and retro look. In some ways, Longines is a watch brand that doesn’t kid around.

Heritage Collection

Longines’s answer to the heritage boom was their Heritage collection, that features timepieces for many aspects of life, from more formal situations all the way to leisure time pursuits. In Longines’s own words, their collection is made up of watches that have been tested on the ground, the sea and in the air. As one looks at the collection, this is plainly evident, with the diving watches being highlighted in a positive way.

The most well known of the Heritage range is the Hour Angle, designed by the first man to fly over the Atlantic, Charles Lindbergh in 1931, that has been an undeniable hit in its re-issue.

Longines Heritage Diver

The Longines Heritage collection features diving watches from many time periods, but we’ll be looking at the Longines Heritage Diver, whose background is towards the late 1960’s – or more exactly, to the Longines Ultra Chron model. The watch is easily recognizable from a distance due to it’s period typical c-shape steel casing, which is rather slimline compared to today’s diving watches. Due to this, the Heritage Diver suits smaller wrists and can even slip under a shirt cuff without hassle.

The casing has been imbued with an interesting 12-faceted pattern – the positioning of which, according to photos, varies from watch to watch. This would seem to be purposeful, giving each watch a sense of uniqueness.

The watch face has, unlike most diving watches, been constructed in a way that the bezel is located behind the glass, instead of around it. This, in part, ensures that the position of the bezel isn’t inadvertently changed. In this case, it’s mostly due to the design of the timepiece, where an inner bezel just looks better.

Usually the bezel only rotates counter-clockwise, its purpose being to mark the end time of a dive while scuba-diving – with the counter-clockwise rotation preventing accidental overtime dives.

The racing-spirited Longines Heritage Diver found its place in a Jaguar.

The watch face itself has a black background, which has been given some 1970’s racing flare with a British Racing Red minute hand and inner bezel lining. The hands and indexes are coated in Super LumiNova treatment, giving them an excellent phosphorescent luminosity. The crown-operated bezel curves upward to the glass, bringing a delightful three-dimensionality to the watch.

The Luminosity of the Longines Heritage Diver

The satin finished watch face has had all unnecessary texts and markings omitted, leaving just the date window and a crisp and understated look. The driving mexhanism is a specifically modified ETA 2824-2 movement, that has been labeled as the L663.5.

The top crown (to the right) is used to turn the bezel, while the lower crown adjusts the time and date, as usual.

The watch sports two thread-lockable crowns, one for turning the bezel and the other for the usual time and date adjustments. The movement on the crowns is light and using the hacking method adjusting to the correct time is a breeze, despite a slight oversensitivity.

The Longines Heritage Diver design is reminiscent of the 1960's Ultra Chron. — The Longines Heritage Diver design is reminiscent of the 1960’s Ultra Chron.

Watersports in mind, the weakest link of the Heritage Diver is the synthetic bracelet, which should really be replaced for a rubber one when swimming. If the watch is going to be dunked regularly, it can also be ordered with a rubber strap. Naturally a third-party substitute can also be procured, from say Hirsch.

Multipurpose Chronometer

When comparing the Heritage Diver to today’s mainstream diving watches, it stands out as a very stylish, dressy watch. The first thought that springs to mind is, dare one swim, let alone dive with this?

The answer is – yes. The Heritage Diver is just that, a diving watch, whose 300 meter water resistance rating guarantees that one can, quite without worry, shower, swim and dive with the watch on. Of course very active divers will find more suitable watches on the market, but the Longines isn’t afraid of the water.

The Longines Heritage Diver also works well with a suit.

Due to its moderate size, the watch works well with many types of dress, from the beach to the office. Although the watch features those emotion stirring red facets, it has been found to be sedate enough to be worn with a suit. The Heritage Diver does really become more relaxed outfits, bringing that classy and sporty finish to an ensemble. For formal occasions, when wearing a dark suit, it is best to go with a more modest dress watch.

In Conclusion

The Longines Heritage Diver is a vintage spirited diving watch that can be used in a variety of day-to-day wear situations. The Heritage Diver and other Longines watches are sold in Finland by the Suninen jeweler’s.

In a Nut-Shell

Model: L2.795.4.52.0
Movement: L663.5a modified ETA 2824-2 (self-winding)
Frequency: 28,800 vibrations per hour
Power reserve: 38 hours
Case material: Stainless steel
Dimension: 43mm
Glass : Scratch-resistant sapphire crystal
Water resistance: 300m (30 bar)
Bracelet width: 22mm
Bracelet: Synthetic, steel buckle

Translated from the original Finnish by Jan Hoffman.

A Versatile Weekend Bag – QWSTION Weekender

News

Matti Airaksinen

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5th June 2016

0

There’s always demand for good luggage. Traditional suitcases are rather too bulky for trips just lasting a day or two, and most won’t allow for swiftness while flying. These facts have been noted by multiple manufacturers and a market of so called weekend bags has arisen.

Personally, I travel mostly one-day or overnight trips. Day trips see my work briefcase house my laptop and an extra shirt and tie, in case of food or coffee stains. This doesn’t work as well when you need to include full changes of clothes, toiletries and perhaps a camera, which I have usually ended up toting in a canvas bag, leaving me trapped with two bags.

After struggling with the situation for a time, I ended up on the market for a weekend bag, and after a bit of research, my choice landed on the navy blue QWSTION Weekender. The deciding factors were style, versatility and the possibility of using it as the only bag on a trip. A reasonable price-tag and availability in Finland did also play a part.

QWSTION is a Swiss brand whose products are manufactured in a small factory in the city of Huizhou, in the Hong Kong district.

QWSTION Weekender

First impressions of the bag were positive. The construction is sturdy, with the bag being made of high quality cotton fabric with attention to details. Not a single piece of loose thread or scuffed button to be found. The first thing one notices about the interior is the number of different sized zippered pockets for storing a variety of things.

The pockets allow the storage of a sunglass case, watch roll, wallet and all your power cords in separate pockets. There’s also an outside pocket for a water bottle, which may come in handy. There is an interior separation along the other long edge that will fit a laptop or binder, that will readily fit the Macbook Folio I have to protect my computer.

QWSTION-Weekender-kantokahvat-olkahihna — The carry handle snaps together with a snap fastener. The carry system has been designed to be multipurpose, with the shoulder strap transforming into backpack straps.

The versatile shoulder strap transforms intobackpack straps. — The versatile shoulder strap transforms into backpack straps.

The carry mechanism has been thoroughly thought out and implemented. The shoulder strap can work in the traditional way, as well as be used as backpack straps, allowing the bag to be carried on the back. This is particularly handy if you are traveling by bike. The backpack mode is made even better with two snap fastenable cushion pads for the straps.

Positive User Experience

I’ve made about a half dozen trips with the bag now, and my experience is that the bag has earned its keep and fulfilled expectations with regard to functionality. The bag fits a pair of shoes, smallclothes, toiletries, towel, a change of suit including shirt, and a laptop and all manner of small items. When packing wisely, the laptop can be removed without disturbing the clothes. This is helped by the top opening all the way with the help of zippers on both sides.

The Weekender will comfortably fit necessities for a couple of days.

The top of the bag fastens with a quick-swivel that prevents the bag from opening on its own. The water bottle pocket is handily located just behind the lock.

A minor defect I noted was that the snap fastener on the carry handle wouldn’t stay closed when carrying heavier loads, but would spring open. It’s not really a big deal, since the bag is to be carried from both handles, anyway, but it might be pretty easily overcome by switching to a two-snap fastening.

The QWSTION Weekender is a boon companion

If you’re on the lookout for a stylish overnight or weekend bag that will serve as the only one you’ll need to carry, the QWSTION Weekender is a good choice. It won’t do as a suitcase for the whole family, due to its size, but will serve one person beautifully.

QWSTION Weekender bags are sold in Finland by the Mukama online store.

Vintage Watches are a Great Entry Point into the World of Watches

Watches

Matti Airaksinen

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12th April 2016

1

Vintage Watches are a Great Entry Point into the World of Watches

The world contains two kinds of watch enthusiasts; collectors and users. This of course applies to a great many hobbies, my personal social circle for example contains collectors of cameras and photography equipment, and a few ex-collectors, who woke up to the realization that cameras can be used to take pictures, too.

When it comes to watches, it is incredibly easy to fall into the quagmire of collecting, and I do note some of these obsessive characteristics in myself, as well. As with any other hobby, one needs to pay their dues with watches; but luckily, the amount is something you can affect.

There are plenty of good quality Omega watches around, and for decent prices, too. — There are plenty of good quality Omega watches around, and for decent price, too.

One of the ways to control your collection is to figure out your personal taste in watches – which does tend to fluctuate constantly, damn it – through vintage-watches. As a general rule, used watches over 30 years old tend to be in a very affordable price range for those on a tighter budget. They are also rather easy to get rid of – or if not, due to the affordable price, it isn’t such a shame if they end up in the back of the drawer.

Things to Consider when Buying a Vintage Watch

When buying used watches, you will inevitably run into a pig in a poke situation; how do you know if the watch even runs and if it will immediately require some lengthy and expensive servicing? Really the only way to avoid these situations is to only buy from reputable sources, the kind that have documentation on maintenance and service the watches have undergone. This will ensure the watch provides you with years of carefree use.

This Seamaster serviced by Omega has made an excellent day-to-day watch.

A good place to buy vintage watches is a local dealer who is, or employs, a skilled watchmaker.

Another good way to cover your behind is to arrange the trade at a reputable dealer’s, who can check the mechanism and give an appraisal and asses the need for repairs. This usually costs a bit, but they will often discount that cost from any repairs you leave the watch in the shop for, after the deal.

Remember to check the spring pins! No matter how good the rest of the watch may be and how recently the mechanism was serviced, always check the spring pins. Nothing is as much of a disappointment as a watch that breaks because a spring pin, worth just cents, fails.

The third option is to just trust the seller’s word and do the deal, after which you will want to take the watch to have a once-over by a professional. This is where the greatest wisdom of vintage watches comes in – a quality used watch is practically a forever piece – provided it has been maintained regularly. This is why the buyer should always be prepared for extraneous servicing expenses, which can climb into the hundreds of euros if the work done is more than just peeking under the lid.

Even a cheap vintage watch find can be a valuable watch to wear. This Citizen I found at a flea market had the worst scratches buffed out by yours truly, and works well enough not to need to go into the shop at all.

Then again. If the purchase price was just a few coins, you might as well use the watch as long as it lasts and then get another one – unless of course the watch comes with memories attached, when you know you’ll take it to the shop, no matter what.

There are many finds to be had among vintage watches. This Certina was found for a few euros from a tailgate flea market, after which it was serviced fue to some misalignment. — There are many finds to be had among vintage watches. This Certina was found for a few euros from a tailgate flea market, after which it was serviced due to some misalignment.

A quality watch is always worth getting checked out and serviced, if only to make sure you have a return on the original investment, or even make a profit. And most importantly, a working watch is the best wearable watch!

Translated from the original Finnish by Jan Hoffman.

Seiko Orange Monster, a watch for the summer man

Matti Airaksinen

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22nd February 2016

0

Seiko Orange Monster, a watch for the summer man

Summer is the best day in Finland, as the old proverb says. Should it be raining or, if you’re lucky, the weather is hot and you decide to head to the beach to enjoy some summer sun and splashing waves, a sturdy wristwatch is in order. A good choice for such carefree days of summer (OK, so there might be more than one…we hope) is a Seiko Orange Monster.

Seiko Orange Monster is a beast in the water.

Seiko Monster

The Monster is a true Seiko classic. A diver’s watch that is sturdy and imposing by appearance, yet rather moderate in size by today’s standards. It’s guaranteed to gather attention to its bold design and appearance. The Orange Monster is perhaps the most widely recognized version in its blazing orange colour. If that particular color isn’t for you, there are a wide range of colorways, with an addition of some truly stunning special editions. A selection of bracelets and straps, giving a possibility to easily personalize the watch, is also available.

When purchasing a watch it is often advisable to choose a steel bracelet model, as it is most cost-effective. The aftermarket price of a steel bracelet is higher than the price difference between the steel bracelet and rubber or leather strap watch models.

A precise and durable movement

The movements of Monster watches are made by Seiko, making it a true in-house watch. Updated to second generation models (SRP309), the heart of the watch is a fine 4R36 calibre, which features a day and date views and, as an update to earlier models, a hacking feature. The benefit of hacking is that the watch may be stopped to a chosen second, making it easier to set the precise time.

Clear dialer is a diver watch a virtue. — A clean, readable dial is a necessary feature for diver’s watches

A noteworthy feature of the Seiko Monsters is the easily readable dial, boosted with a stellar lume, making it easy to tell the time even in darkness.

The power reserve is often a much discussed feature when talking about automatic watch movements, meaning the time that the watch shall keep running without winding or wearing it. Seiko Monster has a power reserve of 40 hours – enough to keep the watch running for a day and two nights, should you wish to wear an another watch in day between.

Monster is the Finnish summer weather at home. — Seiko Monster – a watch to survive the Finnish summer

The stainless steel case, thick mineral glass, antishock-protected movement, 200 meter (20 ATM) water resistance and the screw down crown are some of the features that make the watch a great choice for active lifestyle. However, going to sauna should be avoided, as the movement shouldn’t be subjected to extreme heat.

A stylish leisure watch

Having a notable, bulky style, the Monster is clearly a sports watch. It goes perfectly with a casual outfit and is at home in lively bars, leisurely activities and in summer holiday. The appearance of the watch is easily adaptable by switching the metal braceles to a fabric NATO strap or to a diver’s classic – rubber strap.

Seiko Orange Monster (SRP309) received a lighter look to NATO strap. — Seiko Orange Monster (SRP309) with a color coded Nato strap

The great thing with Monster is in the easiness, allowing you to go chopping wood, boating, swimming or diving, sun bathing or even playing beach volleyball and not worrying about your watch. In short, the Seiko Orange Monster is an ultimate summer watch.