I think we are always looking for the different watch, the one that we will not see at the next table, the one that brings something more than what we already have. From time to time we find it. I stopped on this dial that I had never seen anywhere else. Two sizes of hour markers, two dial heights and a segment in two sides for each hour, a modern pan pie.
Without further ado, I rushed to the site and discovered perfect proportions for my wrist (38mm and lug to lug of 46), a Swiss engine (Sellita) and a Philippine origin, what could be more exotic? Ordered immediately, I waited a while for its arrival which allowed me to torture myself a little on the why of this impulsive purchase and its interest, coming to regret it. But all that evaporated when I put it on my wrist. A fairly classic design at first glance for a "sport-chic" but a magnificent and ultra comfortable integrated bracelet, a circular brushed bezel on the surface with a polished chamfer, a case that looks like it is embedded in the bracelet and of course this original dial in a captivating matte black that echoes the name of the model. The chamfer that starts from the base of the case and runs along the bracelet brings a touch of elegance and distinction. The downsides, we always find some, a crown that is a little small, but screwed which ensures water resistance to 10atm, an open case back that is not particularly useful because on a simple decorative movement and reduced readability when the light decreases. All this is ultimately not very important in view of the incredible look of the beauty.

And why not?

When you decide to own several watches, I think we all make a list of what we would like to have, if only to bring a little reason into this irrational act. For me, very early on, it was obvious to have a Zenith, a chronograph, an El Primero, a moon phase, a full calendar and Roman numerals. If some boxes have been filled over time, it would never have occurred to me that they could all be filled with a single watch. However, that is what happened this summer when I came across this beauty during a walk. I was not looking for anything, I had no budget but I knew that it was useless to try to resist. With it I feel like I am setting foot in another range of watchmaking, like I have opened the door to fine watchmaking. The finishes are incredible, as long as the sun is out, the show is permanent. So yes it is a bit "loaded" but since the calendar is in German it's okay and then it is less than its 40mm. From 2001 it has become vintage and assumes it thanks. I take a mischievous pleasure in letting it stick out more than reason from my shirt sleeve during certain meals and immediately the conversation starts.

Unavoidable 

There are things that linger in the background of our minds for a long time. They are there waiting for their time while guiding us when necessary without us realizing it. A feeling that we cannot verbalize. This Ebel is the embodiment of it. I did not have the brand and its inimitable design in mind but I often found myself thinking that something was missing from a watch that I was considering purchasing. And then one day, while I was consulting a book on watch advertising, I saw it and everything came flooding back. Don Johnson in Miami Vice, André Agassi at the US Open, Alain Prost before the TAG period. This watch is class. For me, it appropriates chic sport without copying it. It is better known and esteemed in its El Primero version but this Le Modulor version, which refers to the history of the house and its headquarters installed in the Turkish villa designed by Le Corbusier, arrived later and is not without interest. It has a Lemania caliber improved on two points: the winding with a system close to Seiko's Magic Level and the precision with a system that guarantees a constant torque when using the chronograph, ensuring chronometer certification even for short times. Charm, comfort, presence, it is a bourgeois sports car that quickly transforms into a sassy bourgeois, equally at ease with a blazer, a t-shirt or a tennis polo shirt. I looked for it for a while and since I have it I can say without hesitation that Ebel is my favorite brand. I already dream of reuniting the family with a Discovery and a Voyager on the same 6-screw design. Yes 6 screws, look at the crown. Appropriate without copying.

The taste of the 90’s

Perhaps the ideal watch. A direct descendant of an era when it officially shared most of its components with its cousin in the crown, it has been reborn by wonderfully marrying history and modernity. Its distinctive and magnificent blue also links it to the versions intended for the French Navy. It is also this color that made me fall in love, it made me forget the Snowflake that I have since learned to appreciate. For the rest, no surprises. Precision, robustness, comfort and elegance are there. The blue rubber suits it wonderfully and alternates with the original NATO because the steel did not convince me.

The Heiress

Since the reissue was released recently, I can't help but pay tribute to the original from '69. A GMT with a non-disengageable third hand, the second hour reading is done thanks to the bi-directional bezel. This old traveler has more than one trick up its sleeve: a contained diameter, in line with today's fashionable standards, a gray dial with incredible reflections, finesse and comfort of the highest order and an automatic movement that does not require winding the crown to start it. You take the watch in your hand and off you go. The Seiko bracelet, which must be period but not original, has a little play which gives a relaxed side in the genre: "I've seen some, and I still have some under the hood". Everything you expect from a vintage.

GMT by Seiko

For a long time I said that I didn't understand the craze around vintage watches and that it would end up confining creation to the redesign of historical models. I understood even less the "hype" concerning patinas and other wear and tear that we began to consider as treasures. And then I came across this Superman, certainly one of the first series, and its incredible dial that hypnotized me. I felt like I was in the cockpit of the Millennium Falcon and going into hyperspace. The Bakelite bezel finished making me capsize and this graceful granny became the first of a beautiful series. Passed through the expert hands of a watchmaker from the Saint-Ouen Flea Market, I wear it regularly without problem. With its diameter and its ultimately very modern design, it has nothing to be ashamed of compared to reissues.

My first vintage

We often talk about the design of the 70s but in the 90s it was not bad either. 
I lived for a long time with the fond memory of a Bertolucci that an uncle proudly wore at the beginning of that decade. More than the watch itself, it was the bracelet that marked me. The all-articulated links take up the design of the pebbles of the Tuscan beach on which the young Remo Bertolucci spent his holidays and where he met his Swiss wife. This bracelet with a unique design combining strength and softness is incredibly beautiful, its comfort royal. So when I came across this model my heart skipped a beat. The asking price being modest, the deal was done. So for sure, I would have preferred to find the gold/steel automatic chrono but the commodity is so rare… Nevertheless with this one I feel like I'm 18 again and that's magical.

The best bracelet in the world

This is the one that started it all. Acquired in 1989, when I was 16, with the salary from my first summer job, it satisfied the desire to be older. At the time, I think we talked more about Breitling and Cartier than Rolex. I had the opportunity to buy this quartz model for 3,000.00 francs and since then, despite all the criticism I have heard about its reliability, it has only had two servicings and battery changes. Worn daily for 10 years, and still today when nostalgia arises, in the city as well as at the beach, winter as well as summer, in quiet as during my National Service in an Infantry Regiment, it has never let me down. It had the particularity of being sold new with different variations of bezel (graduated in one direction or the other, with the cardinal points in compass style, etc.). Obtained with a bracelet called "nautical shark" which did not last, I quickly abandoned the steel acquired at a high price at the time because it was much too heavy and uncomfortable. Today the bracelet, which I still have, must be worth more than the watch but yet it will be the one that remains when the end comes and I will have passed on the others.

The first

What do you look for when you own several watches? For my part, I try to combine aesthetic pleasure and icon. This Chanel J12 ticks the boxes perfectly. Iconic, with its white ceramic case, it suddenly gave Chanel its letters of nobility as a watchmaking house. On the aesthetic side, even if its design is quite classic and can recall other productions, it is of a rare elegance. However, I could not be satisfied with the "basic" model unfortunately too connoted feminine so I opted for this "marine" variant which will certainly never obtain its ISO 6425 certification but what does it matter. The touches of blue brighten up the whole and make it more masculine. The rubber strap is very comfortable but is a little sensitive to yellowing. I love the milky side of the white of the ceramic which sublimates once you are a little tanned. An atypical summer watch for men.

A fantasy

I was looking for a GMT and had decided to buy it new, a first in a long time. The question of who I was going to "give" my money to quickly arose. Two brands and two models quickly emerged and after going to Serica and talking to the creators there was no longer any doubt. I was drawn into their approach and wanted to be part of their story. The watch has a unique design even if it uses well-established codes. It enhances the eclecticism of the references by not falling into lukewarm syncretism. In addition to that, it has exclusive features such as the lollipop GMT hand or the Ante and Post meridian markings on the bezel. Comfortable, sexy and COSC, it invites you to travel, what more could you ask for? The only thing that took me some time to get used to was the bracelet. It is very well made but 20/14 is atypical and disconcerting when you are not used to it. That said, like a lunar watch celebrity, it can wear anything and magnifies all bracelets.

As good as before

I saw this watch about fifteen years ago in a shop window and fell under its spell, but it wasn't the right time. When I found it at a second-hand dealer, I didn't hesitate for a second. It has an incredible look and this orange accentuates its size even more. A chrono on a diver is incongruous but we don't care. Its dial is congested but we don't care. The date is useless and illegible but we don't care. The helium valve is not the most graceful but we don't care. Diving is not extreme enough for it. When I wear it, I imagine myself as Red Adair going to fight an oil rig fire. Nothing can resist it, not even its original orange calfskin strap which has given up the ghost. Today it is on a thick nylon NATO because I couldn't find the rubber that was available as an option at the time.

The Beast

You can say what you want and hate it for fun, it remains the reference. Its qualities are no longer to be demonstrated, discussing them is almost an outrage. It is the archetype of the diving watch and the one that gave a generation the desire to be interested in mechanical watchmaking again. It is the watch of superlatives as it has no flaws. Obviously there are flaws but they are rather created by our gaze. This all green version, called HULK, was given to me by my wife for a decade at the time when this configuration did not meet with great success and remained in stores at retailers who advised customers to wait a little for the black ones to come back. Fortunately she knows me well and knew that I would love this shade attached to the history of the brand. Since we like to give them nicknames, the real Wimbledon should have been this 116610LV. It’s a Queen that nowadays is most often worn as a blazer in the evening but that for my part I use on a daily basis without fear.

The Queen

Acquired on a whim for fear of seeing it go abroad, this GSPM edition really has something of its own. It is certainly less sought after than a Rolex GSPR, less balanced than a Speed RAID, less airy than a Breitling Patrouille de France, less adventurous than the GIGN or BRI series from other manufacturers, but still, here we remain very French. It is not so much the compass rose of the RF that I like the most, but the three Blue-White-Red indexes at 12 o'clock give it an incredible rhythm, class. And then a B&R is impressive, we can think about squaring the watchmaking circle. So it is true that it is not the one I wear the most, but that does not prevent me from appreciating it.

Long live the Republic!

An incredible watch, my favorite. It accompanies you in all circumstances, the most casual as well as the most formal. Steel, leather, NATO, black, brown or more colorful, everything suits it. It is the watch of a lifetime. And what a story. For this reason, many, like me, like it in hesalite and solid caseback but more modern variations may be of interest. The only downside is that it drowns when you see a glass of water, no matter, I will settle for an old rum.

She can do everything

Spottable from a hundred miles away with its shimmering colors, it attracts more the attention of children and those who have remained children than of self-proclaimed connoisseurs. It makes you smile, you feel like you are carrying a circus with you. And then what comfort, with its Curvex case it is a real slipper.

Unforgettable and yet…

The Zenith brand was created in 1865 by Georges Favre-Jacot in Le Locle, Switzerland. A pioneer in Swiss watchmaking in the creation of a true vertically integrated manufacture, Zenith aimed to create the most precise watch of its time at the best price. Over the years, it has established itself as a benchmark for precision and expertise in many fields.
In 1899, the marque Zenith presents its first pocket chronograph and wins various prizes, including first prize at the Paris Motor Show. In 1911 Georges Favre-Jacot handed over management of the factory to his descendants, who named it Zenith, the name of the highest point in the trajectory of a star in the sky.
In 1920, Zenith launched its first wristwatches and continued its development until, in 1960, it purchased the Martel Watch Co. Nine years later, the brand gave birth to the El Primero movement, the first chronograph equipped with a rotor winding mechanism. central. This world first makes El Primero today the most precise mass-produced movement in the world, thanks to its balance wheel and its cadence of ten vibrations per second. Over the years, Zenith will sign numerous innovations. The company owns three of the largest movements: the El Primero integrated automatic chronograph, the 22-line manual 5011K and the ultra-thin mechanical Elite, all available with several complications, moon phase, dual time, fly-back.
After numerous buyouts, the company that owns the Zenith factory decides to stop the production of mechanical watches in favor of quartz. In order to save these calibers from destruction, Charles Vermot hid cams, cutting tools, presses and machines, while recording the production process in a small notebook, secretly hoping for the return of mechanical movements. It was only nine years later that Zenith returned to the hands of Swiss investors who revived the brand's mechanical movements such as the El Primero.
The range now includes models like the<a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/zenith/defy_skyline"> Zenith Defy Skyline</a>, the<a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/zenith/chronomaster_original"> Zenith Chronomaster Original</a>, the<a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/zenith/defy_extreme"> Zenith Defy Extreme</a>, the<a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/zenith/chronomaster_el_primero_open"> Zenith Chronomaster El Primero Open</a> and the<a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/zenith/captain_chronograph"> Zenith Captain Chronograph</a>.
<h2 dir="ltr">How much does a Zenith watch cost?</h2>
The prices of Zenith watches sold on the brand's website vary between $6,400 and $194,900 depending on the models and finishes. As an example, count $11,300 for a Zenith Chronomaster Sport and $85,600 for a Zenith Defy Extreme Double Tourbillon.
<h2 dir="ltr">Zenith: A fantastic story that goes beyond the El Primero movement&nbsp;</h2>
Zenith is a brand owned since 2000 by the LVMH group, in the same way as the brands <a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/tag_heuer">Tag Heuer</a>,<a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/hublot"> Hublot</a> or<a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/bulgari"> Bulgari</a>, and produces around 11,000 watches per year, all models combined. The reputation of the Zenith brand is illustrated by its presence in the ranking of<a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/top/the_best_luxury_watch_brands"> Most popular luxury watch brands</a>. To choose a Zenith that best suits you, the Dialicious owners' reviews are a valuable resource for evaluating each of the different models through real owner experience.
(Updated January 2024)

Looking for an el primero for a long time and after multiple searches, I came across this lesser-known version, the 146 heritage.

I love its contained diameter, its magnificent sunray blue dial and its two well-proportioned sub-counters.

A little extra detail, the small second at 9 o'clock which seems to float on the dial!

36000 ways to love it!

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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