Intrigued by the Farer brand with its polished and detailed aesthetics, I have been following the productions of the British brand for a while now.

I had never taken the plunge, not out of fear of quality but because of diameters that were perhaps too small for me and without trying, it is risky.

That's when one Sunday afternoon during a visit to the Instagram account, I discovered the Aqua Compressor Endeavour Series II.

41mm titanium case, the double crown topped with bronze, a better finished dial and a quality rubber strap at first glance.

THE diver I need!

Limited to 275 copies, there were only 3 left and after 30 long minutes of reflection. I cracked!

Delivered in quality and tasteful packaging, we immediately discover the attention to detail given by the brand.

As for the watch, what a pleasure to wear it! Light, functional, adaptable to any type of outfit, we are on one of the best watches of 2023 for me.

At less than €1200, it is a pure success.

Equipped with the Sellita SW201, I would only deplore one thing. The 38-hour power reserve.

To find out more, go to YouTube for my review of this magnificent piece

Chrono_Graphe

Risk-free impulse buying

Dialicious, the first customer review platform.
Well, let's talk about User and Customer Experience, in a little more detail.
First of all, this Telemeter 1938 takes up the codes of the model presented in 1938, absolutely vintage from the chamfer to the buckle (to use the terms of a now famous Podcast) except for an increase in its size to 42mm, slowing down lovers of the small diameter.
Automatic movement Valjoux A05.231 equipped with a Nivachron balance spring for better resistance and a power reserve of 68 hours. This piece is equipped with a domed sapphire crystal, for a perfect reading of its dial inspired by vintage chronometers. The fluted crown, too, recalls the sports Chronos of yesteryear.
Its thickness of 13.9 mm gives it the possibility of adapting to all types of use, both sophisticated and easy to wear, this watch is the symbol of a long tradition of sports timing.
Its dial, Telemeter, with red sub-dials surrounded by a blue railroad, matching its hands ..... and this is where the "problem" begins ...
The majority of the brand's communication photos show a piece with blue hands, perfectly coordinated with its railroad, making this Telemeter sublime in my eyes.
This is where the limit of an order on the Internet reaches its limit. I should have waited to see it at my usual watchmaker, rather than making a Day One purchase on the brand's website (too much waiting for my little heart)
Receiving the watch at home, Excitement, Passion, Disillusionment.....
THE HANDS ARE BLACK.....
The watch remains beautiful, always very classy when worn but something is missing... blue perhaps...
First email to the Tissot group who confuses my purchase with that of my Heritage 1973, "the hands cannot be blue"
Second email to get a correct answer "the hands are hand painted and there can therefore be a difference from one watch to another"
I hear the argument, I allow myself to doubt it all the same.. at more than 2K, I hoped for better...
So, I tested, the watch must be subjected to very strong light and/or placed at a very particular angle and there, MIRACLE, the hands turn blue.
I could have sent it back, tried to verify the theory of hand-painted hands, but I had hoped so much for this watch that I could not bring myself to return it.
So we compromise, we adapt, we make concessions and love returns little by little.
I came to wonder if I would not have exchanged it for the black and gold model, but the crush was my Blue Dream.

This blue dream… turns into a restless night

Neil Armstrong, the first man to set foot on the moon, is not associated with any watch brand because his watch remained in the lunar module. 
Buzz Aldrin thus had, although being the first of the last, the honor of being associated with Omega forever. 

However, in 2019, a Skindiver Worldtimer belonging to MONSIEUR Armstrong was sold at auction as the commander's personal watch! 

Looking for a Skindiver, like everyone else, I looked at Vulcain (what an incredible piece) but if I had to opt for a watch that would accompany me to the beach this summer, why not choose color? 

And there, Wolbrook arrives with its Skindiver, green, on Tropic white. 40mm diameter, beautiful readability, it stands out on the wrist, both for its aesthetics and its feel. You can feel the quality! 
Its screw-down crown and solid unidirectional 120-click bezel are additional assets to appreciate this watch.
Its engine? a Miyota 8315 with a reserve of nearly 60 hours.
Perfect for going to the sea, as well as to brighten up a more sober outfit on a summer evening.
Try it and adopt it!

Neil Armstrong chose them, why not you?

"But yes, I tell you, I know what I'm talking about, go ask him, it's a MoonSwatch, 1000%, you can trust me, have you seen what I have here?"

This happy owner of Daniel Wellington is convinced that I'm wearing a Speedmaster in BioCeramic, it's June April 2022 and the MoonSwatch Hype has never been so high.
However, I am wearing a watch whose brand is unknown to this expert, Bulova.

Two years after the first man on the moon, two new astronauts will return there, during the decisive Apollo 15 mission, on August 2, 1971. This is the first mission carried out with the lunar rover, which allowed the crew to travel nearly 30 km during 3 spacewalks. The Bulova chronograph was then a backup watch, in case there was a problem with the Speedmaster.
And it was David Scott, after realizing that the glass of his Omega had disappeared, who would wear it. The Bulova Moon Watch was then used as a real time control instrument, avoiding any lack of oxygen, water and battery. It also helped preserve the onboard timers during entry into the Earth's atmosphere: a real space chronograph!

This Lunar Pilot has a quartz movement developed by Bulova, the caliber 8136. As you might expect, the chronograph used in 1971 was mechanical - and let's not lie to ourselves, it would be really nice to have such a piece with an automatic movement. However, it is a high-performance quartz displaying a running frequency of 262 kHz, also mentioned in the counter at 6 o'clock.

Thanks to this high frequency, the fluidity of the seconds will hypnotize you. It also provides an incredible tolerance of about 10 seconds... per year!

So I see you coming. If the new pieces released in 2023 in 43mm are too big, what are we going to do with a 45mm? I think I've reached the maximum size my wrist can wear there, but its presence is incredible.
Perfectly readable, it's always a pleasure to wear a watch that has also been to the Moon, for less than $400.
So yes, it is in the shadow of the Speed, considered an alternative......... to the MoonSwatch.
So, don't hesitate, come, join the dark side of the Force.

In the shadow of the Speedmaster

As a fan of The Last of Us games, I have long been looking for the watch that could have served as a model for the piece worn by Joël. 
Tool Watch, sleek dial, Nato strap. 
Several references have appeared, Replicas are even sold on some sites but without the quality that one can ask for a watch that one wants to wear. 
With the release of the series, my research has resumed! 
I also came across the New Zealand brand DRAKEN (the owner told me that he loved the game without being inspired by it) but I fell in love with this Combat B49!! 
Fluted bezel, 24-hour dial, fantastic readability with the light off, I was seduced by this model equipped with a Ronda 515 (yes it is a Quartz but what could be more normal for a watch that must always give the perfect time on the field?)
Once you get used to reading this dial over 24 hours, after a few wrist lifts, the watch is very pleasant. You hardly feel its 43mm.
A real hiking companion, this is a pure military watch whose robustness I love!
With this piece, I am not afraid of anything (or almost)

What more could you ask for?

Looking for my first diver, I naturally did a lot of research, leading me to Panerai.
An imposing watch, its price too, my wanderings on the internet led me to the Panzera website.
I immediately fell in love with this A45-D.
With a diameter of 45mm for this 316L steel diver, it is an imposing piece. Robust, pleasing to (my) eye, perfectly readable.
I took a gamble on this Australian monster, at an acceptable cost for this micro brand.
The movement? A Seiko NH35 fitted into a 45mm case, 13.7mm thick, Dual Crown, of course with its rotating internal diving bezel.
Its blueish lume brings charm to this piece, exotic in my collection.
30 ATM, sapphire crystal
I love this Panzera!

A45-D

Having recently bought the Alpina Seastrong and disappointed with the Lume offered by the brand, I was naturally drawn to Mitch Mason's promises.
A Dual Crown watch, compressor with a simple and readable dial. All the qualities I was looking for in Alpina BUT, in addition to the sunray of this dial, offered in many colors (what's better than an ocean blue for a Diver?!) a Lume "designed to be your torch in the dark, whether on your bedside table or in the depths of the ocean".
A promise kept by this model from the Singapore brand.
Their wish: to bring timeless and durable watches to our wrists thanks to vintage-inspired designs refreshed with a contemporary purpose.
Light, sober, I very quickly put it on a Cordura strap, thanks to the quick pumps. The brand also offers a NATO strap, coordinated, which I was unable to order due to the summer stock shortage.
I quickly returned to the metal bracelet which brings robustness and a sporty chic side to this watch.
A maelstrom is an aquatic phenomenon that presents the fierce power of water, formed by opposing currents. Apart from its powerful nature, it is also a spectacle to behold.
The case back attempts to represent this energy by 3D printing a whale diving.
40mm diameter, 12mm thick, it will be forgotten that your wrist is there until nightfall.
Equipped with a Myiota 9015 high beat, it does what it is asked to do, it tells the time, with style. Be careful, upon delivery, customs fees are to be expected.

Maelstrom: Maeconnü, wrongly

In the early 1960s, motor racing was in its heyday and a subculture was developing around café racers. Willy Breitling wanted to capture the speed-oriented style of the era with a fresh interpretation.
This free spirit of the 1960s is back today thanks to a new Top Time collaboration between Breitling and the Triumph motorcycle brand.
This model is widely known as the “Zorro”.
Its dial is made with a brushed finish that creates a play of light and texture. The unique ice blue color has two main archival references: a blue Triumph Thunderbird 6T from 1951 and a rare ice blue Breitling Top Time Ref. 815 from the 1970s. (Ref Breitling)
Its 41mm dial makes it highly wearable by anyone with an interest in the winged brand, Triumph motorcycles or a love of watches.
The calfskin strap is very comfortable and surprised me with the folding clasp facing the wearer of the watch rather than outwards.
A hypnotic dial, a contrasting tachymeter scale providing clear readability of the speed readings and oversized mushroom pushers that allow easy control of the stop, start and reset systems of the chronograph make up this piece that has everything to become iconic.
Deus, Shelby Cobra, Mustang, Chevrolet Corvette, are the other partnerships that make up this Top Time range.
All iconic but the centerpiece for me will remain this Triumph version.
We will regret the packaging of such a sublime watch, in comparison with a Speedmaster, a Longines but positive note for the Triumph book offered by the brand when purchasing the watch full of sublime photos of these incredible machines offered by Triumph since 1883.
You will have understood, I love it and I have two or three friends ready to receive it for the holidays.

Top Time Triumph 

Mido SA is a Swiss watchmaking company, founded in 1918 in Solothurn by Georges Schaeren. Known for being a pioneer in precision watchmaking, it is part of the Swatch Group and is currently based in Le Locle. Its products are the self-winding Multifort (1935), the central chronograph (1943) and the Mini Mido (1967), the smallest automatic watch ever produced on an assembly line.

Despite everything, the brand does not benefit from the exposure of Tissot, perhaps due to products with less accessible prices.
Underrated, unloved, unknown, Mido designs beautiful pieces that deserve greater visibility. Twin sister of Tissot and its Heritage range, the brand offers beautiful models ranging from dressy pieces to more sporty pieces.
Attracted by the mask, I took the plunge for the sporty, orange-toned Multifort Chronograph model, which had been catching my eye for several years before discovering this more precise model.

This Swiss watch is a tribute to the brand's oldest and most iconic chronograph: the Multichrono from 1937. It has a domed dial placed under a sapphire crystal and is equipped with a tachymeter scale with red sub-indexes, with a beautiful effect.
At the heart of this chronograph, the Caliber 60 automatic movement offers a power reserve of up to 60 hours.
Neo vintage in all its splendor.
The ideal companion for formal outfits, this chronograph is the detail that will finish off an outfit without being ostentatious. It is one of those watches that we never tire of looking at.
Try it and adopt it!

Multifort Patrimony Chronograph

A diving watch is a watch designed for scuba diving that has the characteristic of having a water resistance greater than ten atm, the equivalent of 100 meters of water column, as well as a unidirectional movable bezel allowing the relative measurement of the dive time.
This is the definition given on Wikipedia. This bezel represents exactly what I don't like in the aesthetics of a watch, it is the reason why I have never set my sights on a diver's watch... Until I set my sights on the Dual Crown! It was quite naturally that I became interested in this Alpina Seastrong. Available in several colors, I opted for green, very fashionable in 2022.
Sunshine and refined dial, luminous case, pretty presence on the wrist, this watch could perfectly pass for a dress watch. As good a companion to a shirt as to a more casual outfit, it is a perfect piece for everyday life. Resistant to 30 ATM, it is a respectable diver but one quality is lacking. Its too weak Lume will not make the most daring among us want to dive with this pretty Alpina. The indexes stand out very little and for too short a time to be a reference. Overtaken by a few micro marks, this is THE point to improve on a next version. Otherwise, in my eyes, it deserved a 10/10

Sea…Strong….but on the surface

The Longines Spirit collection is expanding with a new chronograph in grade 5 titanium. This lightweight piece comes on a black synthetic strap with neon green stitching, matching the matte black hands and Arabic numerals on the dial, coated with Super-LumiNova for optimal visibility. Its 42 mm titanium case houses an exclusive COSC-certified automatic movement (L688.4) with a silicon balance spring. The case back is engraved with “PIONEER EDITION”. Some will find it too thick, due to its thickness of 16.5 mm, but I have no problem pairing it with a shirt. The lightness of the titanium makes it imperceptible on the arm, but the green indexes make it impossible to avoid looking at it. Beautiful lume, resolutely sporty chic synthetic strap, it’s a big yes for me. Can you fall in love with a watch? The answer is YES. COSC-certified, its price was already considered high and has just increased by 10%. I am happy to have taken the plunge in time.

Pioneer Edition

Founded in 1883, but fallen into disuse due to the quartz crisis, it was mainly through the Alpiner Extreme Regulator - at the time called the Avalanche Extreme Regulator - that Alpina found its way back to the top in the early 2000s. The Alpiner Extreme Regulator is a watch that accompanied the brand's rebirth and still helps it reach a new level today thanks to its unique look: a new, more compact and vigorous case and a dial whose color and pattern make it unique. Presented at the Geneva Watchdays 2022, this model caught my eye in the first second. Complication, look, color, Alpina has created the ideal watch to add to the collection. Atypical, precise, devilishly successful, this watch very quickly reached the top 3 of my watches (or even first place but shhh). The watch is now available in a 41 mm diameter - compared to 48 mm previously.
In the dial, the superposition of the triangles captures the sun's rays to shine a specific light on the dial, allowing their reflections to blend and bring it to life and relief. Produced in granite gray, reflecting the mountains where Alpina comes from, this dial offers a perfect contrast with the blue hour and second counters on which the luminescent indexes turn.
For the first time, it is perfectly conceivable for a person to wear their Alpiner Extreme Regulator Automatic in all situations, men and women. This diameter of 41 opens up new horizons for it: any terrain and anyone!
I am a fan and if I had to keep only one... shh 😉

« Time to get Extreme »

Longines, partner of some of the greatest names in our history, wanted to mark the occasion and honor one of the first exploits of Man. The Master Collection model therefore serves as the basis for this watch limited to 100 pieces, celebrating Magellan and the 500th anniversary of the first circumnavigation of the world by the Navigator, who was unable to complete his journey. Love at first sight, it had to be included in my collection.

Longines honors the first round the world race

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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Other reviews published by Chrono_graphe

FarerAqua Compressor

TissotTelemeter 1938

WolbrookSkindiver Automatic

BulovaLunar Pilot

PanzeraAquamarine Pro Diver

Mitch MasonMaelstrom

BreitlingTop Time Triumph

MidoMultifort Patrimony Chronograph

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AlpinaAlpiner Extreme Regulator

LonginesMaster Collection

Farer
Aqua Compressor

Tissot
Telemeter 1938

Wolbrook
Skindiver Automatic

Bulova
Lunar Pilot

Panzera
Aquamarine Pro Diver

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Maelstrom

Breitling
Top Time Triumph

Mido
Multifort Patrimony Chronograph

Alpina
Seastrong Diver 300 Heritage

Longines
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Alpina
Alpiner Extreme Regulator

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