Yes, yes, YES –  we have all read the posts on each and every watch blog out there regarding the new Omega Seamaster 300 Spectre 233.32.41.21.01.001. And yes indeed, it’s a great watch.

But here’s a fun bit of information that I just found out and that I haven’t seen on any other blog – it seems that it will be delivered with a completely brushed bracelet. NO POLISHED CENTRE LINKS! The ref. of the bracelet is 020STZ003184. The regular Seamaster 300 in stainless steel is fitted with the 020STZ000768. For the sake of completeness, the reference number of the ‘007’ looped NATO strap is 025STZ003207.

Set to be released in September, we’l see soon enough if any of the above is true…

The dial we had seen of course, but here’s a closer look;

The logo is rather oversized – and it was not small on the regular version to begin with. But I’m sure we’ll now be able to tell it’s an Omega in every single scene of the movie 😉 .

Cheers!

Dale

This is fun.

Whilst batch editing a couple of Baume & Mercier watches this afternoon, I came across this little gem.

Baume & Mercier always flies under the radar for most of us into watches, but this is actually a pretty cool piece. I first noted it because of its price tag – quite a bit higher than its siblings like the 10029 and 10030. As I’m no expert on these, I had to investigate further. Listed as stainless steel – correct according to the Baume & Mercier ‘Master Line’ dealer catalogue. Than I noted the exceedingly small ‘Manufacture Movement’ under the pictograms. Whut? Double checking their website it says ‘Movement Designation: Self-winding, Manufacture Movement’ This can’t be right, can it?

No it can’t. Turns out the movement is supplied by JLC – a caliber 751 variation stripped of its running (small) seconds. Still a pretty cool watch though.

In celebration of the Gay Pride that’s taking place in our city of residence (Amsterdam) this weekend, we’re kicking off today with few G-Shock uploads to bring a bit of color to WatchBase.

Casio G-Shocks have long been my favorite watches for sports, especially the iconic ‘squares’ like the 5600 and 5000 series. The collectors community behind these is very much alive and thriving too, and theirs a wealth of information to be found online. Two of my favorite resources are the WatchUSeek ‘F17’ G-Shock forum and the 50 G’s Blog by my friend Sjors.

As much as I love (vintage) mechanical watches, I’m very much looking forward to adding more G-Shocks to our database!

There are 96 handwound Speedmasters listed on WatchBase today and we’re nowhere near finished. Still a pretty cool overview though. One of my favourites is the 3593.20.00 pictured above, created as a limited edition of 500 pieces in 1997 for the Italian market to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Speedmaster. That off-white dial is just stunning!

With the aim of creating a better oversight with all the Speedmasters on WatchBase, I have now made a distinction between the handwound models and those with other movements; automatic, quartz and tuning fork.

At the moment, there are 809 815 movements in our database. Many high-end with spectacular functions. But have you ever heard of the ETA 2825-2?

This caliber first appeared in 2013. Taking the popular 2824-2 as a base, this movement uses a clever module which allows for the seconds hands to be fitted at 12 different locations. The hour and minute hand can also be fitted at the center, giving 13 different options for these two hands. This allows the brands using this caliber (Hamilton, Tissot, & Certina are the ones listed for now) to create some cool off-center and regulator style displays at an affordable price. Which is rather cool I think.

While BaselWorld is already a good number of months behind us, there’s still information trickling in that previously either was not available or just plain escaped my attention. While today I’d like to focus on these four new additions to our Omega Watch Database, you might notice that I’ve uploaded quite a few more..

First up: the Omega Seamaster Bullhead Rio 2016 reference 522.12.43.50.04.001. This limited edition of 316 pieces is created in honour of the 2016 Rio Olympics and features the colours of the Brazilian flag, but blue taking a lead. It is said to be sold out already though.

Then there’s this: the Seamaster 300 in yellow gold reference 233.60.41.21.01.002. You might’ve not been aware, but previously ‘Sedna’ was the only option if you were looking for a gold faux-vintage diver. I actually like this classic yellow gold version more though. It’s also available with a leather strap – as are all other Seamaster 300’s.

This one I LOVE, saw, noted, but had no decent picture of: the Omega Speedmaster First Omega in Space Sedna Gold reference 311.63.40.30.02.001. It’s so stunning! This watch uses the same case as the regular FOiS, with the signature straight lugs and lack of crownguards. It’s now done in ‘Sedna’ gold though. Just like its stainless steel brother, this one is said to be numbered though not limited.

Last up – the Speedmaster Mark II reference 327.20.43.50.01.001 in stainless steel / Sedna. I vaguely remember seeing this one at BaselWorld but it seem to have forgotten about it. Two-tone is an acquired taste but this one actually looks quite restrained. Probably a fun watch for the summer.

BOOM! You’re looking at the first full overview of the 2015 ceramic Speedmaster collection – at the time of this post, it is not even available at OmegaWatches.com…

While most of them were uploaded to our Omega watch database around Basel, the two diamond versions were not as we we’re waiting on the final reference numbers and ‘soldier shots’.  The first (and most surprising) one, reference 311.98.44.51.55.001, features a white ceramic case, a mother-of-pearl dial with diamond-set markers and a diamond-set bezel and its fitted with a white alligator strap. Controversial? Sure. I’m pretty sure it would look very cool on the wrist of the right lady, while it would take quite a confident man to pull this one off…

Another one that’s new to our database is of course the reference 311.98.44.51.51.001, a Speedmaster with a black ceramic case with diamond-set bezel and a deep black dial with diamond-set markers. It’s wrong. It’s weird. But somehow, I kinda dig it. Don’t judge!

Smaller news comes in the form of the Speedmaster Grey Side of the Moon reference 311.93.44.51.99.002 and Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon reference 311.92.44.51.01.003, both of which are identical to their earlier counterparts in all but the buckles; the new ones are fitted with a folding buckle in a mix of titanium and ceramic.

The four other additions we’ve covered before, but here are the links for the sake of completeness: Sedna Black, Pitch Black, Black Black and Vintage Black. That’s all folks!

Earlier I wrote a bit on the 5270 and its various faces – in particular, about the infamous ‘double chin’ that was introduced with the 2013 KunstWerkUhr 5270G-015 and would also be used in the subsequent regular production  5270G-013 with silver dial and the 5270g-014 with blue dial.

The remarkable and polarizing ‘double chin’ design was done away with when the diamond-set 5271P-001 was introduced at BaselWorld 2014. In my earlier post we already mentioned the 2015 PP 5270R-001, but what I missed was the quiet release of the 5270G-018 and 5270G-019: the white gold models with silver dial and blue dial, tachymeter, but no double chin.

The total of 5270 variations is now at 8 – a surprisingly large number taking into consideration that the original 5270G-001 was released just four years ago..

You’ve probably noticed that we’ve been busy with our Panerai section. Alwin and his team set up a perfect framework for me to fill in the final details. As such, we’ve been able to make some giant leaps – although there is still much work to be done.

One project we’ve completed for now is a complete list of the Panerai Boutique Editions. Above you’ve seen an overview of the casebacks of the Panerai Luminor Marina models and I’ve split them down in groups of six below. The order is more or less alphabetical. All of them feature a sibling in either Luminor 1950 or Radiomir form – some of them even both.

Quick personal opinion – winners for me based on imagery are the Saudi Arabia, the Las Vegas, the Muscat and the New York editions. The Middle Eastern ones remind me of the vintage Rolex models created by special order for these countries, their military branches and their dignitaries and to me, some of the Rolex cool rubs off on these Panerai’s. The Las Vegas and New York editions are just plain cool.

The list is complete for now – but please mind that it does not feature boutique specials like the Hong Kong PAM 606 or models like the Firenze Daylight, GMT and Automatic – the latter three are listed as Special Editions rather than Boutique Editions. But whatever. I have split down the full list of ‘Pig Dial’ Luminor Marina Boutique Editions line by line below. For more info, just click the links and you’ll be directed to their respective pages.

Oh, and if you come across any info that is not correct, please use the contact form – corrections are very much appreciated. And yes, they all look the same from the front – here’s a pic just so you know 😉

So, the list and the links to the full details:

More details: Abu Dhabi – Saudi Arabia – Aspen – Bangkok –Beijing – Beirut

More details: Beverly Hills – Chengdu – Dubai – Firenze – Geneva – Hong Kong

More details: Istanbul – Kuwait – La Jolla – Las Vegas – Lisbon – Lucerne

More details: Macau – Madrid – Manama – Manila – Miami – Milano

More details: Moscow – Mumbai – Munich – Muscat – Nagoya – Nanjing

More details: New York – Osaka – Palm Beach – Paris – Portofino – Sao Paulo

More details: Shanghai – Singapore – Taipei – Tianjin – Tokyo – Venezia

Have you seen our work on the Panerai section yet? We’re busy uploading ALL references ever made, which should be done in a few weeks if all goes well.

Pictured above is a compilation of the models with protective cover over the sapphire – at least, the ones we’ve uploaded thus far. Most notably missing are the ‘Chinese’ models like the PAM 840 and 842, but otherwise, its fairly complete. Somewhat unusual, I quite like them – weird but wonderful.

The first one was the 2002 Luminor Blackseal PAM 76, a limited edition of 300 pieces. The same year the first Luminor Sealand for Purdey were released (100 pieces), with the PAM 152 Lion, the PAM 153 Bird, the PAM 154 Four Birds and the PAM 155 Flowers.

In 2004, a second series of Panerai for Purdey models was introduced. These included the PAM 813 Tiger, the PAM 814 Elephant and the PAM 815 Lion. In 2005 the PAM 216 Jules Verne was introduced, with a dial resembling the Submersible models hidden under a lid with Jules Verne engraving. The same year a third series of Purdey models was created, including the PAM 816 Lion, the PAM 817 Eagle and the PAM 818 Hawk.

In 2007 a final series of Purdey models was made. The PAM 831 featured a lion engraved to its cover, the PAM 832 had featured an elephant and the 833 last but not least found itself with a buffalo on the lid.

Take a look at their pages to see the dials – most of them feature a picture of the watches with the lid open.