I present to you my Bulova lunar pilot reference 96a299 purchased in January 2025.

This is the version I was waiting for, the one that is probably the closest to the original worn in 1971 by NASA astronaut Dave Scott who commanded the Apollo 15 mission, the fourth landing mission on the Moon. At the beginning of the trip, he wore the Omega Speedmaster on his wrist. But Scott, along with other astronauts, had received a prototype chronograph from Bulova to test (reference 88510/01), which he had chosen to wear as a reserve. Indeed, after two laps on the lunar surface, he noticed that the glass of the Speedmaster had come loose. For his third EVA outing, Scott put the Bulova on his wrist.

When I opened the box I said Wow, the dial of this Bulova lunar pilot is simply magnificent, there is a really impressive depth, the design of the case but especially the originality of the wing-shaped push buttons gives it a really atypical and retro 60s look. I come back of course to the dial which is for me the most beautiful success of this watch which of course recalls the Omega moonwatch. The thick glass which protects the integrated tachymeter bezel then the 3 different levels allow it to have a very beautiful relief. For the rest the visibility is excellent, indexes and hands are very effective and finally the watch is ultra precise thanks to the movement equipped with a 3-pin quartz crystal with a frequency of 262 kHz, 8 times higher than that of standard quartz, allowing precision and a loss of a few seconds per year. I would have preferred that Bulova keep the satin finish of the case of the original version and of course a mechanical movement rather than quartz which would be more faithful and even more legitimate, certainly the price would not be the same but we would still be far from the prices of the speedmaster.

This can be a very good alternative to the Omega, but even more compared to a moonSwatch that I owned and quickly resold because their quality-price ratio is really not good.

Last little remark, I have a small wrist but frankly the 43.5 it goes on the other hand the metal bracelet is a little too long even by putting it on the shortest too bad 😉

See you soon!

The other choice that allows you to carry a piece of history

I just bought it in January 2025 so it's going to be complicated to give you a concrete opinion.
I had never had a G-Shock before and thinking about it I found it surprising and a shame especially when you've been collecting watches for 25 years now. So it was time to get the famous CasiOak for my part the bluetooth and solar version model GA-B2100-1AER.
Having been used to wearing GARMIN SmartWatches since 2015, the all-plastic and connected type didn't surprise me but where G-shock makes the difference is to think that for relatively low prices you can have a watch with such impressive specifications and a robustness to all tests.
This GA-B2100-1AER is really cool and comfortable to wear because it is very light, the octagonal shape gives it a slightly seventies look that I like, the sunray dial is very effective and the layout of the opening on the digital screen is harmonious.
Apart from the push buttons that I find much too short for proper use, otherwise it is flawless.
Now that I have fallen into it, I have made a small list of the next G-SHOCK acquisitions, I was weak and quickly fell for the DW5900-1 which appeared in 1998 in the cult film The Big Lebowski (my favorite), and on Walter's wrist who wears the famous DW-5900C-1 that I will receive soon, opinion to follow...


My first G-shock but not the last

I present to you my Seiko skx 009 7S26 bought in January 2024, I wanted it for a long time, between 2010 and 2015 I was looking to acquire one but I had not yet decided and at that time I had bought a good dozen watches and unfortunately it was not part of them.
It has been in my collection for 1 year and quite often on my wrist, it has a superb face that makes you want to wear it often, the shape of the case and the bezel are really original, the horn to horn is relatively short so it is very pleasant and goes well even for a small wrist. What I like the most is clearly the deep blue and matte dial but I especially love the design of the 6, 9 and 12 o'clock indexes then the Pepsi bezel which goes wonderfully.
An addictive diver, a must have, I validate 100%

I finally fell for this iconic watch

Bought in November 2023. It's more of a Red Star 1963, because it's not the official model of Maison Sea-Gull... but it's still legitimate, there is indeed the famous ST1901 mechanical winding movement based on the Venus 175, 38 mm case and acrylic glass, I chose this version to get as close as possible to the original version.
It's a very accessible watch that was a great success on the Internet, I got it very easily at a more than reasonable price.
You always take a risk when buying a watch on the Internet without trying it but frankly it's without regret and at worst it can be resold.
It has a little charm thanks to its bi-compax type chronograph, a pretty champagne dial and gold indexes, for my part I'm not totally a fan of the hands whether in terms of shape or color (a bit cheap) except for the large red second hand which makes sense for a watch coming from China.
The case is relatively basic and the domed glass really gives it that vintage look, the back reveals the ST19 movement which is impressive at first glance but you shouldn't expect finishes worthy of high-end watchmaking movements, but it's still down.
A watch with excellent value for money that is truly endearing and deserves to be in a collection.


China's first aviation watch for the Air Force

My first vintage watch, dating from 1978 which corresponds to my year of birth, bought for my birthday in November 2023, this little Hamilton pilot GG-W-113 is a watch issued by the US Army during the Vietnam War.

History:
In 1967, the US Army (the US Air Force) began producing the GG-W-113 for its pilots. 3 brands were selected (among others) by the US government: Benrus, Hamilton, Waltham and Marathon. Early examples do not feature any text on the dial, unlike the Marathon watches of the late 1980s. Fifteen jewel movements were required as a minimum, as was the use of tritium luminous material, until the specification was rescinded in 1987.

MIL-W-3818B specifications:
1. A 15/17 jewel hand-wound movement
2. Able to withstand shock and survive a 4-foot drop onto a block of wood
3. Daily accuracy of +/- 30 seconds
4. Must be water-resistant
5. Luminous hands for readability at all times
6. Must be anti-magnetic
7. A hacked central seconds hand
8. A minimum power reserve of 36 hours
Quite a program...

I had been looking for a vintage watch from my birth year for 2 years, I was also looking for a Tissot seastar from 1978 that looks like the PRX but impossible to get my hands on it, so I came across this superb Hamilton whose history I know well, it is in some way the descendant of the khaki field that I particularly like and being a fan of pilot's watches I could only fall for this watchmaking icon.

Technical data:
34 mm parkerized stainless steel case, thickness: 11 mm, lug width: 18 mm
Movement: 17 jewels, ETA 2750, Hamilton caliber 649 manual winding with stop second
functions: hours, minutes and seconds, 24 hour indicator
Hesalite glass, water resistant 30 m

The Hamilton GG-W-113 American Mil-Spec Pilot's Watch

UTINAM ORBIS sinistral watch n°229 purchased at the Philippe Lebru boutique in Besançon during our stay on the road of time measurement. It is a watch with a sinistral quartz movement, it works counterclockwise so we read the time backwards (like in a mirror).

For the record, we had to keep a souvenir of our trip on the road of watches in 2015, because we had started our journey at the Museum of Time in Besançon then direction Villers-le-Lac and the visit of the Museum of Watches and finally Switzerland with the visit of Le Locle and also its magnificent museum of watchmaking and to finish in style the international museum of watchmaking in La Chaux-de-fonds ... an exciting trip for lovers of the ticking clock.

Overall this watch is really atypical and original, the dial with curved edges, the hollowed-out aviator-type hands, the contemporary typography and a case without lugs where the bracelet seems to be an integral part of it, all this gives it an ultra modern Bauhaus look, just a pity that it is not an automatic movement.

Technical data:
Utinam orbis calibre sinister quartz ronda, round brushed and polished steel case Ø 39 mm, matt white dial with white flange, domed mineral glass, 3 sinister hand movement, black leather strap.

Made in Besançon

This review follows that of my Omega Seamaster 300. Also bought in 2008 for the birth of my son, I hesitated with the Omega Speedmaster moonswatch but not the same price, Oris being better placed in terms of price, I fell back on this model which had caught my eye since I saw it in the store.

Thinking back, I tell myself that I should have bought only one, having bought the Seamaster and the Big Crown on the same day in the same store in Switzerland I had the budget for the moonwatch...in short it was necessary to choose so my wife offered me the Seamaster and I treated myself by buying this pretty pilot's watch.

It's always a real pleasure to put it on my wrist, it is really atypical with its telemetric scale bezel, it has a very classic side in the composition of the indexes and numbers, the chronograph is always appreciable and functional, to finish I find it really elegant with these cathedral hands and its slightly guilloché dial background, all this gives it a retro look that makes it timeless.

Technical data:
Oris Big crown telemeter Caliber eta 7750 Reference
01 674 7569 4064-07 5 21 56
43 mm steel case, Automatic movement 674 date and chronograph, Hesalite glass, water-resistant 30 m

A favorite

Watch offered by my wife for the birth of our son in 2008. I had hesitated for a long time with the blue version and since my father-in-law had it, I did not particularly want to have the same as him, but I was especially afraid of getting tired of it, regretfully because it is still not the same as the one worn by James Bond.

It is really magnificent, I find that it is very versatile both to leave in sport mode and well dressed for an event, a very comfortable, reliable and functional chic sport model.
I wear it quite often because it is a perfect diver, quite thin because quartz version, top lume, superb wavy dial, domed sapphire and approved by 007.

Technical data:
Omega seamaster Caliber OMEGA 1538 ref 21230416101001
41 m steel case, domed sapphire crystal, water resistance 300 meters, screw-down crown, date, unidirectional rotating bezel, helium valve.

James Bond's watch in black

Watch given in 2000 by my wife 25 years ago and still functional.
I wore it frequently for almost 8 years but since then it has been stored in my watch box and it very rarely returns to my wrist.
At the time I loved wearing red in my outfits, so it seemed obvious to have a watch of this color on my wrist.
It is an unpretentious watch, it is fun with its flashy red dial color, always precise and very practical with its chronograph.
It will always remain in my collection because sentimentally irreplaceable.

Technical data:
Swatch Irony Chrono BULLFIGHTER YCS4010
40 mm aluminum case, plastic glass, chronograph, date, water-resistant 3 m

The first in my collection

The Oris brand was created in 1904 by Paul Cattin and Georges Christian in H&ouml;lstein in Switzerland. From its beginnings, the brand has set itself the objective of producing watches of exceptional quality, combining traditional watchmaking know-how and technical innovation. Oris is renowned for its high-precision mechanical movements, which are developed and assembled in-house. The brand places great importance on the precision and reliability of its watches, ensuring that each timepiece meets the highest standards of Swiss watchmaking.
But Oris doesn&rsquo;t just create watches of exceptional quality. The brand is also committed to environmental protection and social responsibility. In 2010, Oris launched the &ldquo;Change for the Better&rdquo; campaign, aimed at supporting environmental and social projects around the world. Oris is particularly involved in preserving the oceans, protecting endangered species and promoting access to drinking water.
Beyond its environmental commitment, Oris offers a wide range of watches that meet different tastes and lifestyles. From rugged dive watches to functional pilot's watches to classic dress watches, each Oris collection is designed with attention to detail and performance.
The aesthetic of Oris watches is distinguished by its timeless allure and discreet elegance. The cases are carefully designed, the dials are clean and legible, and the bracelets are made with high-quality materials. Oris prioritizes the use of sustainable materials, such as stainless steel and responsibly sourced leather straps.
In conclusion, Oris is a Swiss watch brand that embodies watchmaking excellence, environmental commitment and social responsibility. With its high-precision watches, its timeless design and its attention to sustainability, Oris appeals to watch enthusiasts concerned about the environment and looking for a timepiece combining performance and responsibility.
The range includes models like:
<a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/oris/big_crown_pointer_date">Oris Big Crown Pointer Date </a><a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/oris/aquis_date">Oris Aquis Date </a><a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/oris/divers_sixty_five">Oris Divers Sixty Five </a><a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/oris/williams_f1_team">Oris Williams F1 Team </a><a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/oris/artelier_chronometer,_date">Oris Artelier Chronometer Date</a>
<h2 dir="ltr">How much does an Oris watch cost?</h2>
The prices of new Oris watches change regularly and vary depending on the model. Most cost between $ 2,000 and $ 3,000 depending on the finishes. Price differences can be significant between the brand's different collections. For example, the price of an Oris Big Crown fluctuates between $ 2,300 and $ 4,200 depending on the materials and the presence or not of the Oris manufacture caliber of the 400 family. Some ultra-limited series models fall outside of this range such as the Aquis Sun Wukong Artist Edition offered at $ 26,000. The second-hand market is also an opportunity to look at to buy a cheaper Oris.
Oris is a brand owned by a private group and produces 35,000 watches per year, all models combined. To choose an Oris that suits you best, Dialicious owners&rsquo; reviews are a valuable resource for evaluating each of the different models through real owner experience.
Check out the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/top/the_best_swiss_watch_brands">Ranking of the best Swiss watch brands</a>, including Oris.
(Updated December 2023)

Cr&eacute;&eacute;e en 2017 par le designer Nicolas Ducoudert, Beaubleu apporte une dimension nouvelle &agrave; l&rsquo;horlogerie en cr&eacute;ant des montres &agrave; la fois esth&eacute;tiques, &eacute;tonnantes et profond&eacute;ment symboliques. Les aiguilles rondes, signature de la Maison, sont le reflet d&rsquo;une singularit&eacute; et d&rsquo;une simplicit&eacute; sophistiqu&eacute;e. Chaque mod&egrave;le arbore un design d&eacute;licieusement contemporain, o&ugrave; chaque d&eacute;tail, chaque surface, interagissent avec la lumi&egrave;re.
Cassant les codes de l'horlogerie traditionnelle en apportant une vision nouvelle du temps, les montres Beaubleu sortent des sentiers battus en arborant des aiguilles rondes et &eacute;vid&eacute;es, inspir&eacute;es des travaux de Galil&eacute;e dans sa compr&eacute;hension du syst&egrave;me solaire. Ces aiguilles affichent de mani&egrave;re po&eacute;tique les heures, qui ne pointent pas un index ni une graduation, mais qui indiquent une position, un instant depuis le centre du cadran.
<h2>Quels sont les principaux mod&egrave;les de la marque Beaubleu ?</h2>
Beaubleu vient d&rsquo;annoncer le 5 juin 2024, le lancement d&rsquo;une nouvelle collection en s&eacute;rie limit&eacute;e nomm&eacute;e <a href="https://www.dialicious.com/beaubleu/seconde_francaise">Beaubleu Seconde Fran&ccedil;aise</a>. Une belle innovation esth&eacute;tique et po&eacute;tique comme en a le secret la marque., avec une aiguille volante des secondes et un calibre fran&ccedil;ais de France &Eacute;bauches. La Beaubleu Seconde Fran&ccedil;aise fait partie des nomin&eacute;s au Grand Prix d''Horlogerie de Gen&egrave;ve 2024.&nbsp;
La collection <a href="https://www.dialicious.com/beaubleu/ecce">Beaubleu Ecce</a> reste la collection permanente de la marque lanc&eacute;e en octobre 2023. Malgr&eacute; sa jeune histoire, Beaubleu a d&eacute;j&agrave; commercialis&eacute; 3 collections en s&eacute;ries limit&eacute;es :
<a href="https://www.dialicious.com/beaubleu/b01">Beaubleu B01</a> <a href="https://www.dialicious.com/beaubleu/union">Beaubleu Union</a> <a href="https://www.dialicious.com/beaubleu/vitruve_date">Beaubleu Vitruve Date</a> et <a href="https://www.dialicious.com/beaubleu/vitruve_gmt">Beaubleu Vitruve GMT</a>
<h2>Quel est le prix d'une montre Beaubleu ?</h2>
Le prix des montres Beaubleu &eacute;voluent et diff&egrave;rent selon les mod&egrave;les. La plupart co&ucirc;tent entre 800 &euro; et 1,600 &euro; selon les r&eacute;f&eacute;rences. A titre d'exemple, une <a href="https://www.dialicious.com/beaubleu/ecce/vesperal">Beaubleu Ecce Vesperal</a> est propos&eacute;e &agrave; 890 &euro; sur le bracelet cuir et la nouvelle collection <a href="https://www.dialicious.com/beaubleu/seconde_francaise">Beaubleu Seconde Fran&ccedil;aise</a> est vendue &agrave; partir de 1,490 &euro; sur bracelet cuir &eacute;galement. <a href="bit.ly/4abJPrn" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tous les prix Beaubleu sur le site de la marque</a>.
La marque Beaubleu est ind&eacute;pendante et vend plusieurs milliers de montres par an, tous mod&egrave;les confondus. Pour choisir le mod&egrave;le Beaubleu qui vous correspond le mieux, les <a href="https://www.dialicious.com/beaubleu/seconde_francaise/20.24_gris_perle/review/66607be37f15bc103d620fe3">avis clients Dialicious sur Beaubleu</a> sont une pr&eacute;cieuse ressource pour &eacute;valuer les diff&eacute;rents mod&egrave;les &agrave; travers l'exp&eacute;rience r&eacute;elle des clients de la marque.
Consultez le<a href="https://www.dialicious.com/top/les_meilleures_marques_de_montres_francaises"> Classement des meilleures marques de montres fran&ccedil;aises</a> dont Beaubleu fait partie.
(Mise &agrave; jour Novembre 2024)
&nbsp;

Created in 2017 by designer Nicolas Ducoudert, Beaubleu brings a new dimension to watchmaking by creating watches that are aesthetic, astonishing and deeply symbolic. The round hands, signature of the House, reflect singularity and sophisticated simplicity. Each model features a deliciously contemporary design, where every detail, every surface, interacts with light.
Breaking the codes of traditional watchmaking by providing a new vision of time, Beaubleu watches go off the beaten track by featuring round, hollowed-out hands, inspired by the work of Galileo in his understanding of the solar system. These hands poetically display the hours, which do not point to an index or a graduation, but which indicate a position, an instant from the center of the dial.
<h2 dir="ltr">What are the main models of the Beaubleu brand?</h2>
Beaubleu has just announced on June 5, 2024, the launch of a new limited series collection called<a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/beaubleu/seconde_francaise"> Beaubleu Seconde Francaise</a>. A beautiful aesthetic and poetic innovation as the brand has the secret, with a flying seconds hand and a French caliber from France &Eacute;bauches. The Beaubleu Seconde Fran&ccedil;aise is one of the nominees for the 2024 GPHG (Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Gen&egrave;ve).&nbsp;
The collection<a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/beaubleu/ecce"> Beaubleu Ecce</a> remains the permanent collection of the brand launched in October 2023. Despite its young history, Beaubleu has already marketed 3 collections in limited series:
<a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/beaubleu/b01">Beaubleu B01 </a><a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/beaubleu/union">Beaubleu Union </a><a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/beaubleu/vitruve_date">Beaubleu Vitruvius Date</a> And<a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/beaubleu/vitruve_gmt"> Beaubleu Vitruve GMT</a>
<h2 dir="ltr">How much does a Beaubleu watch cost?</h2>
The prices of Beaubleu watches change and differ depending on the model. Most cost between &euro; 800 and &euro; 1,600 according to the references. As an example, a<a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/beaubleu/ecce/vesperal"> Beaubleu Ecce Vesperal</a> is offered at &euro; 890 on the leather strap and the new collection<a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/beaubleu/seconde_francaise"> Beaubleu Seconde Francaise</a> is sold from &euro; 1,490 on a leather strap as well. All Beaubleu prices on the brand's website.
The Beaubleu brand is independent and sells several thousand watches per year, all models combined. To choose the Beaubleu model that best suits you, <a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/beaubleu/seconde_francaise/20.24_gris_perle/review/66607be37f15bc103d620fe3">Dialicious owners' reviews on Beaubleu</a> are a valuable resource for evaluating the different models through the real experience of the brand's customers.
Check out the<a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/top/the_best_french_watch_brands"> Ranking of the best French watch brands</a>, including Beaubleu.
(Updated November 2024)

Oris Big Crown Telemeter Chronograph Owner Review : Elegant, gorgeous and atypical

A favorite

Pros & Cons for this watch

Where to buy your Oris?

YOU ARE :

Other reviews published by Le Duc

Bulova
Lunar Pilot

Casio
G-Shock

Seiko
SKX

Sea-Gull
1963

Hamilton

Utinam Besançon
Orbis Senestre

Omega
Seamaster Diver 300M

Swatch
Irony

Customize your Oris with our selection of accessories:

ABP Concept

Oris Big Crown Telemeter Chronograph Owner Review : Elegant, gorgeous and atypical

A favorite

Pros & Cons for this watch

Where to buy your Oris?

YOU ARE :

Other reviews published by Le Duc

BulovaLunar Pilot

CasioG-Shock

SeikoSKX

Sea-Gull1963

Hamilton

Utinam BesançonOrbis Senestre

OmegaSeamaster Diver 300M

SwatchIrony

Customize your Oris with our selection of accessories:

ABP Concept

Bulova
Lunar Pilot

Casio
G-Shock

Seiko
SKX

Sea-Gull
1963

Utinam Besançon
Orbis Senestre

Omega
Seamaster Diver 300M

Swatch
Irony