Here is a watch that fascinates me, Jumbo model from the 40s. Case of Ø36, dial opening of Ø33, i.e. a large dial format; Arabic numerals, blued hands, small seconds...... Zenith, €250. It doesn't take more (or less) to turn me away from a current model like the NOMOS Tangente, with similar characteristics, except for the sapphire crystal. But concerning the water resistance (3ATM for the NOMOS), I am not much more of a loser with this one. So a great & responsible watch (not new) that celebrated its 80th birthday with its seduction still intact.

The base

Well, as if the MoonSwatch ad campaign had a wide reach. Having ruled out the Moonwatch experience from my watchmaking projects, no need for the compax, nor a tachymeter bezel, ... in 2022 the word "speedmaster" was repeated endlessly in the watchmaking world.... Having saved €250 on a Moonswatch that I will never buy, I opened up the budget a little more for a Reduced model. The question arose of a less moonlike version, 6/9/15 o'clock dials; and then no, the black compax aesthetic imposed itself. Unlike the moonwatch (Speed' Pro), Arabic numerals animate the dial every 5 minutes (a bit like a flieger type B), directly evoking the OMEGA hand chronographs at many international sporting events. The choice was made. The format is surprising, the asymmetrical case of Ø40mm exposes a bezel reduced to Ø38mm. It's elegant, it's classic, it's sporty, it's timeless, a Speed' (but not a moonwatch, it's a detail for me). Perfect on a steel bracelet, I'm going to try it soon on perforated leather "British Racing Green", for a more automotive evocation, the origin of the Speedmaster model.

Don't ask him for the moon

Having been for a long time only attracted by mechanical watches without complications, 3 hands, no date; by dint of listening to the various influencers, I asked myself "and why not a chronograph" with an emblematic & very connoted finish, even caricatured, the PANDA. This type of watch not having a priority in my collection, I turned to an economical choice, the reissue of the Chinese chronograph from 1963, in a finish under contrasting dials, panda. The watch is nice, blued hands, red chrono second hand, we lose the great elegance, but the compromise is nice. A relatively endearing watch, mounted on a "racing green" strap to bring it back to the automotive world. I wear it little, the 30mn compax counter ultimately finds few concrete daily applications. It does have style, however, it could be replaced by an equivalent LONGINES or UNIVERSAL Genève, panda .... to be seen

Panda

The SKX .... there was a time when getting into watchmaking could be summed up as SKX or Mako? It was Mako for me 5 years ago, finding the SKX too "rustic" & "industrial". I was wrong. The SKX is one of those watches whose bezel Ø is 2mm smaller than the case Ø. This mid-size model with a 37/38mm case therefore has a Ø35 bezel & a Ø27 dial. Which is very small, very refined, perhaps too much for tool use. And so as the title indicates, with its faceted conical bezel, its contained Ø & its jubilee bracelet, this SKX is not so far removed in the broad outlines from a classic OysterDate construction (completely in its place between a 74033 & a 114270). In short, a watch also designed for bike rides, but which takes on so many roles that it can do everything with its SEIKO jubilee bracelet. It is the most complete in my watch box.

DayDate

Ouch Ouch, I can no longer enjoy this watch, but I sense that it is just temporary, the time to put other watches on my wrist, I will one day have to find in this Mako 2 everything that one can ask of a utilitarian watch .... and let's admit it, refined. Because yes, what currently bothers me about the very popular Mako 2 is its shiny, sun-kissed jewel side, with its polished surfaces ..... that's not what I ask of it. Originally, this watch was supposed to accompany me on mountain bikes & other cycling practices. Also a tool watch for tinkering. But in this register, it was too flashy. This watch has the "not expensive enough my son" syndrome. It has a degree of finish that you wouldn't expect at this price. This is the type of watch that raises the critical question "why would you want to spend more on a watch?" I still don't have the answer. Rarity? Exclusivity? Elitist image? "History"? Record? Prowess? Seen in the ad? Seen on a star? Seen on insta? I'm sulking about this watch without fundamentally understanding why; yet it has accompanied me on many outings & it works like the first day. In short, a watch for the long term, with alternating attraction / repulsion phases. What more does a BB58 bring compared to this Mako? I don't know. A small particularity of this watch, its format. Case Ø41.5 / 42, Bezel Ø40 with a large notched part polished steel. The result is a blue bezel with a narrowed diameter of Ø38mm, which contributes to making it elegant. This watch is a witchcraft in itself, bewitched without really wanting to be, it poses a real question on the perception of quality. So much the better.

Big blue

3rd YEMA Superman, Ø39, this time with GMT function. The evocative power of the famous Pepsi color combination (or rather the colors of Superman's underwear in my opinion) with the ideal case for Superman in my eyes. Always this problem of refraction of light from the double domed glass (see photos). It is a watch that I enjoy wearing as a "24h" watch. I follow the GMT pointer throughout the day, the indexing is very readable along the dark hours & light hours; accompanied by the minute hand for more precision if necessary (we could do without the hour & second hands). I wear it on the original steel bracelet or on yellow perlon, for a slightly more festive & less ceremonious/serious look, so the 3 primary colors yellow / blue / red.

Your Peps'

A watch that I have long wanted, because of the blued hands, nicely drawn Arabic numerals, textured white background, historical reminder of SEIKO. For a reasonable budget, I did not deprive myself of it. In the end I now find it at the upper limit of size, Ø40.5, no more is needed on this type of case. Very elegant in its graphics, a little less in its size, a compromise watch. A little austere on its original dark brown leather, I preferred a mounting on orange perlon with patterns, complementary colors oblige, the blued hands stand out fantastically (unlike a blue Jean strap, which completely neutralized the dial). A classic of blued hands to have

Laurel & hardie

The YEMA Superman Maxi Dial Heritage (not called Superman 2). The watch of my 40th birthday, when I was looking for a watch that wasn't precious, capable of taking a bit of everything, a tool, in other words. This watch seems unloved in the old YEMA heritage range. Personally, I find it one of the most successful Superman watches in what it takes from the past & treats it in "today's modernity". A big strong point in my opinion is the almost uninterrupted set "sapphire bezel / flat sapphire crystal". The result is a very interesting large & shiny surface. Very good readability, no problem with the "in-house" MBP1000 movement, Ø40, a watch that goes everywhere & is very distinctive, it's not a sublike or a skxlike. The only modern & successful YEMA diver in my eyes. Only one flaw, which can be remedied, the typo of the date disc, a "Times" residue from another time of the Ambre group. Otherwise, the satin/sunburst black background brings the right amount of sophistication to this great black & white classic. Very good & long-lasting brightness of the dial & bezel indexes. A favorite in the watch box.

The unloved one

A watch from 1995, in the purest ROLEX / TUDOR lineage. A watch from the past, deliciously kitsch & tasteful, an oxymoron, a true figure of speech this watch. Ø34 which goes very well in all circumstances, fine & elegant, Latin numerals for a falsely dated aesthetic. This is the Tudor that should not be missed in my collection, having courageously avoided the "heritage" Royal & BB58 models (without regret!). No real pretense with this one, it is the faithful younger sister of its older sister, the Datejust. Two-tone model on a "faded" jubilee bracelet, the gold is well faded, like faded jeans that have been worn too much (and not bought already with holes), a watch at ease in all circumstances and contexts, from the most solemn to the most casual. A great classic with still some ROLEX attributes (crown, stamped case back). Nothing ostentatious in the end, despite the gold and the facets, a nicely decorated watch faithful to what was done very well 60 years ago.

Uncle's watch

A surprising watch, the Laco by Lacher (LACO = LAcher & CO). Ø36, ETA manual movement. It is a "pilot / flieger / B-uhr / Type B" watch, which I chose to accompany me on my bike. Except that the Type B dial & small Ø do not go well together for an intuitive & syncretic reading of the time. Despite the extreme readability of the dial & its thick indexes every 5 minutes, the whole is loaded and often overlaps (the hour hand partially covers the hour numbers) making reading sometimes difficult. I understood that this tool was mainly developed for pilots & assistant pilots whose flights did not exceed one hour of flight, hence the great precision over 60 minutes and the compromise on reading the hours (To be confirmed). And therefore ineffective for use on a bike, casting error, but very typical & interesting watch in a watch box. It ticks boxes that the others do not. Mainly on leather for an austerity that suits it well.

The Tool

Mechanical watchmaking has been increasingly talked about in recent years, and old institutions are being rediscovered. It is not only Switzerland and Japan that are ensuring the market, the Germans of Glashütte are also part of the game. It is with this curiosity that I looked into the Nomos case. Tangente or Club? The choice naturally fell on the modern reinterpretation of the 30s/40s/50s of watchmaking that the Club model highlights. Gateway to the Nomos range, clearly displayed in the brand's sales pitch as an end-of-study gift or other events marking youth, this Club is both modest and modern, simply reflecting an international watchmaking tradition, an icon. It is certainly the most "touching" of my watches. Ø36, long lugs, perfect hold. After having associated it with many bracelets, from colored perlons to more austere leathers, it is finally on a duck blue tropic sport that this watch waterproof to 10ATM will follow me as a watch ready for anything (children's bath, sea, hiking, ...). In short, an everyday watch, family, utilitarian, with features of great delicacy. One of my favorites.

Back to basics

The bronze finish of my watch case, a success on this steel case. The Superman bezel/case assembly is in my eyes one of the most successful in the world of divers, with a very fine notch between bezel & case. Everything could be going well if it weren't for 2 personal & recurring problems that I have with the "modern" Yema. I won't mention the unjustified utility block bezel that I forced in order to leave the bezel free to use. 1 _ The printed indexes are too "dry and entry-level", without nuance (hour dots & minute/second dashes). By observing the old models, I realize that this uncompromising aesthetic is a guarantee of good reading of the time in all circumstances, I learn to put things into perspective & integrate this point... 2_ The double-domed sapphire crystal. I like it when form follows function, here, form flees function, from the slightest tilt of the watch, the bad refraction of the glass comes to opacify the glass & close the dial, after a short parasitic / charming distortion (depending on the mood) of the indexes. In short, a real bottle bottom that harms good reading and which implies a vision of the time restrictive to the normal, at the zenith of the dial. It's a shame, these Superman are in many ways endearing, but it smells like the bottom of the box or even the definitive exit.

Bijou ?

The watch quickly integrated into the beginnings of my collection, in order to save me for years of time spent waiting for the question ROLEX / NOT ROLEX? 2018, when we could still negotiate... Essential watch, the boss of the box, professional synthesis watch under the appearance of a chic dress watch. Everything has been said about this classic, the entire heritage of ROLEX in one watch, the best of both worlds for those who accept the art of compromise. 114270, Ø36, between lugs 20, only on Oyster bracelet for me. Sometimes a little shunned in the watch box, in favor of models arousing my curiosity of the moment, but it is ultimately one of the watches that I wear the most, the one that imposes itself when I do not know what to wear.

The One Ring

My first Swiss watch, Alpina, "Sport segment" by Fréderic Constant, while maintaining a certain independence. All-steel model (case / bezel) and glacier blue sunray dial, in the large family of all-steel watches with blue dial. Bidirectional bezel that reminds me of an engineer "Genta" for the look. A watch that reconnects with the spirit of the first sports watches with rotating bezel indexed on 60mn before this accessory was the almost exclusive preserve of divers and in a more restrictive way (unidirectional). In short, a watch that has everything to please me, except its Ø44 bezel & Ø45 case, which makes it a little uncomfortable on my 17.5 wrist. A sports watch does not need such a big Ø to be effective. The same in Ø40 and it could be my unique & ideal watch .... it could

Great Glacier

Hello, One of my favorite watches, because it's complex. Tag Heuer Professionnal 2000 Automatic (200m) from 1987, Heuer/Tag transition (Heuer buckle & crown), chronograph & diver. Small format (Ø38 case / Ø36 bezel), "monochrome" satin gray on all its parts, which gives it a lunar aesthetic evoking John Glenn (first Swiss chrono in space, 1962). To summarize, a great elegance of materials & proportions on a very typical 80' case at TagHeuer, a bit outdated but a taste of come back to it. Quite difficult to find a coherent bracelet for it, but it's finally done. _ I specify that all my watches have a functional purpose, namely to read the time easily; and not a decorative object on my wrist.

The watch of paradoxes

The Alpina brand was created in 1883 by Gottlieb Hauser in Winterthur, Switzerland. Originally known as the Corporation of Swiss Watchmakers, it brought together several companies in the sector (manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers) with a simple objective: to consolidate purchases and reduce costs to develop new movements. The concept met great success and the Corporation quickly developed its own calibers.
<h2 dir="ltr">History of the Alpina brand</h2>
However, it was not until 1908 that the name "Alpina" was registered by its members as a watch brand in its own right.
The brand's logo is inspired by the shape of the Matterhorn, an alpine peak that rises to an altitude of 4,478 meters. Alpina is recognized as one of the pioneers in the production of modern sports and adventure watches, particularly for activities such as mountaineering, scuba diving and skiing. Indeed, it offers a concept of accessible luxury watches for robust and quality sports watches.
The range includes models such as the<a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/alpina/alpiner_extreme">Alpina Alpiner Extreme</a>, l'<a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/alpina/alpiner_extreme_regulator">Alpina Alpiner Extreme Regulator</a>, l'<a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/alpina/alpiner_4">Alpina Alpiner 4</a>, l'<a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/alpina/seastrong_diver_300_heritage">Alpina Seastrong Diver 300 Heritage</a> and the<a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/alpina/startimer_pilot_chronographe">Alpina Startimer Pilot Chronograph</a>. The Alpiner 4, launched in 1938, was the favorite watch of mountaineers, air force pilots, divers, sailors and soldiers in general.
The brand is also known for signing partnerships with many players in the mountain world, such as the partnership with the Chamonix-Mont-Blanc ski resort.
<h2 dir="ltr">How much does an Alpina watch cost?</h2>
The prices of new Alpina watches change regularly and vary depending on the model. Most cost between $ 1,000 and $ 1,500. An entry-level Alpina like an Alpina Startimer Quartz costs $ 950, while an Alpina Alpiner Heritage Carr&eacute;e 140th anniversary is offered at $ 5,400. Prices also fluctuate depending on the distributor, and promotions sometimes allow you to benefit from a more competitive price. The second-hand market is also an opportunity to look at to buy a cheaper Alpina.
<h2 dir="ltr">Alpina: A historic brand that has everything of a great</h2>
Alpina belongs to the group<a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/citizen"> Citizen</a>, in the same way as brands<a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/frederique_constant"> Frederique Constant</a>,<a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/bulova"> Bulova</a> And<a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/arnold_&amp;_son"> Arnold &amp; Son</a>, and produces around 15,000 watches per year, all models combined. To choose one that suits you best, the Dialicious owners' reviews are a valuable resource for evaluating each of the different models through real owner experience.
Check out the <a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/top/the_best_swiss_watch_brands">Ranking of the best Swiss watch brands</a>, including Alpina.
(Updated March 2024)

La marque Ollech &amp; Wajs a &eacute;t&eacute; cr&eacute;&eacute;e en 1956 par Joseph Ollech et Albert Wajs &agrave; Zurich en Suisse. Albert &eacute;tait charg&eacute; de la conception, de l&rsquo;ing&eacute;nierie et de la fabrication des montres, tandis que Joseph s&rsquo;occupait du marketing et de la vente au d&eacute;tail. Avant de cr&eacute;er leur propre montres sous la marque Ollech &amp; Wajs, ils ont commenc&eacute; leur activit&eacute; en 1954 en fabriquant des bracelets en acier pour d&rsquo;autres marques.
La marque est connue pour avoir distribu&eacute; des montres &agrave; des unit&eacute;s de l&rsquo;arm&eacute;e am&eacute;ricaine pendant la guerre du Vietnam et pour avoir gagn&eacute; sa renomm&eacute;e aupr&egrave;s des plongeurs et pilotes du monde entier.
Apr&egrave;s 12 ans de n&eacute;gociation et apr&egrave;s avoir &eacute;t&eacute; son distributeur pour le march&eacute; fran&ccedil;ais, en 2017, Charles Le Menestrel, un passionn&eacute; d&rsquo;horlogerie, rach&egrave;te la marque. La gamme actuelle comprend des mod&egrave;les comme la Ollech &amp; Wajs P-101 et la <a title="Page Ollech &amp; Wajs P-104" href="https://www.dialicious.com/ollech_&amp;_wajs/p-104">Ollech &amp; Wajs P-104</a>, la <a title="Page Ollech &amp; Wajs C-1000" href="https://www.dialicious.com/ollech_&amp;_wajs/c-1000">Ollech &amp; Wajs C-1000</a>, la <a title="Page Ollech &amp; Wajs Ocean Graph" href="https://www.dialicious.com/ollech_&amp;_wajs/ocean_graph">Ollech &amp; Wajs Ocean Graph</a> et la Ollech &amp; Wajs Navichron.
<h2>Combien co&ucirc;te une montre Ollech &amp; Wajs ?</h2>
Les prix des montres Ollech &amp; Wajs &eacute;voluent et diff&egrave;rent selon les mod&egrave;les. La plupart co&ucirc;tent entre CHF 1,500 et CHF 2,000 selon les mod&egrave;les et les finitions. Comptez CHF 1,456 pour une Ollech &amp; Wajs 350CI et pr&egrave;s de CHF 2,300 pour une Ollech &amp; Wajs Navichron Chronographe. Le march&eacute; de l'occasion est &eacute;galement une opportunit&eacute; &agrave; regarder pour acheter une Ollech &amp; Wajs moins ch&egrave;re. Les mod&egrave;les Vintage notamment les Ollech &amp; Wajs Navichron et&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dialicious.com/ollech_&amp;_wajs/astrochron">Ollech &amp; Wajs Astrochron</a>, sont tr&egrave;s pris&eacute;es des collectionneurs et ils convient de bien se renseigner sur le vendeur avant de franchir le pas de l'acquisition d'une vintage.
Ollech &amp; Wajs est une marque de montres ind&eacute;pendante et produit plusieurs centaines de montres par an, tous mod&egrave;les confondus. Pour choisir une Ollech &amp; Wajs qui vous correspond le mieux,&nbsp;les avis clients Dialicious sont une pr&eacute;cieuse ressource pour &eacute;valuer chacun des diff&eacute;rents mod&egrave;les &agrave; travers l'exp&eacute;rience r&eacute;elle des clients.
Consultez le <a href="https://www.dialicious.com/top/les_meilleures_marques_de_montres_suisses">Classement des meilleures marques de montres suisses</a> dont Ollech &amp; Wajs fait partie.
(Mise &agrave; jour Octobre 2024)

The brand Ollech &amp; Wajs was created in 1956 by Joseph Ollech and Albert Wajs in Zurich, Switzerland. Albert was responsible for the design, engineering and manufacturing of the watches, while Joseph handled marketing and retail sales. Before creating their own watches under the brand Ollech &amp; Wajs, they started their business in 1954 making steel bracelets for other brands.
The brand is known for distributing watches to units of the American army during the Vietnam War and for having earned its reputation among divers and pilots around the world.
After 12 years of negotiations and after having been its distributor for the French market, in 2017, Charles Le Menestrel, a watchmaking enthusiast, bought the brand. The current range includes models like the Ollech &amp; Wajs P-101 and the<a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/ollech_&amp;_wajs/p-104"> Ollech &amp; Wajs P-104</a>, the<a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/ollech_&amp;_wajs/c-1000"> Ollech &amp; Wajs C-1000</a>, the<a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/ollech_&amp;_wajs/ocean_graph"> Ollech &amp; Wajs Ocean Graph</a> and the Ollech &amp; Wajs Navichron.
<h2 dir="ltr">How much does an Ollech &amp; Wajs watch cost?</h2>
The prices of Ollech &amp; Wajs watches change and differ depending on the model. Most cost between CHF 1,500 and CHF 2,000 depending on the models and finishes. Expect to pay CHF 1,456 for an Ollech &amp; Wajs 350CI and close to CHF 2,300 for an Ollech &amp; Wajs Navichron Chronograph. The second-hand market is also an opportunity to look at to buy a cheaper Ollech &amp; Wajs. Vintage models including the Ollech &amp; Wajs Navichron and<a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/ollech_&amp;_wajs/astrochron"> Ollech &amp; Wajs Astrochron</a>, are very popular with collectors and they should find out about the seller before taking the step of purchasing a vintage one.
Ollech &amp; Wajs is an independent watch brand and produces several hundred watches per year, all models combined. To choose an Ollech &amp; Wajs that best suits you, Dialicious owners' reviews are a valuable resource for evaluating each of the different models through real owner experience.
Consult the<a href="https://preprod.dialicious.com/en/top/the_best_swiss_watch_brands"> Ranking of the best Swiss watch brands</a> of which Ollech &amp; Wajs is part.
(Updated October 2024)

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