Hublot F1 King Power Monza watch

The 48mm piece features an openworked dial with an added layer of sapphire crystal. The hour markers and F1 logo at the 9 o’clock position have been applied to this crystal  giving an ethereal 3D impression. 

The hands and markers are an eye-pleasing combination of red and white superluminova and the black ceramic bezel is inscribed with “Formula 1 Monza”.

The Hublot Calibre HUB4400 with power reserve of 42 hours is at the heart of this striking piece which comes presented on a black rubber and Nomex (the flame resistant material found in racing overalls and gloves) strap with complimentary red stitching.
Hublot build on their superb F1 portfolio of watches with the latest -  the Hublot F1 King Power Monza. 

The piece was unveiled as a celebration of the iconic Italian Grand Prix circuit, The Autodromo di Monza where each year thousands of tifosi quite literally turn the  tree-lined track red with Ferrari flags and merchandise. 

Uniquely the King Power Monza features a red tinted sapphire crystal which Hublot describe as resulting in  “unprecedented brightness”, and if the image is anything to go by it would appear that  M. Biver and his creative team have once again produced a stunner. 

Bigger. Brighter. Deeper.Hublot Oceanographic 4000 watch

High readability is ensured.  Everything that you need to see has a liberal coating of SuperLuminova including the internal rotating flange which counts down the dive time.  Otherwise the dial is uncluttered, clean and clear.

At 48mm it’s big and chunky, but it’s not unwieldy thanks to super-light case construction.  Two versions are available, titanium case edition limited to 1000 pieces and All Black carbon fibre edition, limited to 500 pieces.   Inside is the automatic winding HUB 1401 movement with power reserve of 42 hours.

The King Power 48mm Oceanographic 4000 comes with two lengthened tongue and buckle straps, a style rare for Hublot, but more manageable while wearing diving gloves.How boring the watch industry would be without Hublot’s charismatic Jean-Claude Biver.  He is simply unstoppable. 

His knack for forming business partnerships where previously there were none ensures that his list of “friends in high places” continues to grow and grow – which must leave the CEOs of other brands more than a little perplexed. 

For Hublot’s latest release, the Oceanographic 4000, the brand form an alliance with the prestigious Oceanographic Museum in Monaco ( – ingenius!) and the watch is, of course no ordinary diver’s watch.

 It is capable of withstanding the pressures of a recorded depth of 4000 metres.  And it’s quiet a looker.

New Rolex Sky-Dweller watches

The way I see it, the Sky-Dweller is a bitter-sweet design from Rolex. On one hand, you have a complex but practical movement that integrates multiple complications into a simplified and pusher-free user interface and Rolex should be celebrated for the technical design and its implementation.

The most visible feature on the Sky-Dweller is certainly the 24 hour wheel prominently displayed just off-center of the handset. This wheel is meant to display the reference time (time in your home timezone) while the handset is meant to show the local time.

The hour hand is jump set so setting local time only involves moving the hour hand, not the entire hand set (this is faster and more accurate).

 Rolex had to create a new in-house movement, the Calibre 9001, for the Sky-Dweller which is both chronometer certified and sports a 72 hour power reserve.

 On the other hand, the Sky-Dweller is neither pretty or classic in terms of its visual design. It is essentially a large Datejust with a somewhat messy dial that may appeal to some well-heeled travelers.

This 2nd timezone complication seems to throw the familiar Datejust design off balance, making for a rather awkward dial design. While the Sky-Dweller’s dual timezone feature may be quite practical, it certainly isn’t pretty.

The Sky-Dweller has one more trick up its sleeve as Rolex has designed a simple and ingenious method of choosing which feature the crown will control when turned. The feature select is done via a four position setting in the bezel, which Rolex calls “Ring Command”. 

By rotating the bezel counter clockwise, the user can select month/day control, local time, and reference time (fourth setting is idle). The level of understanding that goes into a technical design such as this should not be overlooked and you can even try a simulation of it here.

The Zenith Espada watch

Furthermore, the 4560b beats at a watch-nerd approved and silky smooth 36,000 vph (5 Hz). Zenith has a total of eight different variations which make use of steel or rose gold for the cases and a range of dials that even includes diamond-clad versions.

There are few high-end brands that we respect as much as Zenith and you don’t have to look much further than their website to understand why.

 The conservative in us really likes the base steel model with the black dial and its teal accents (ref 03.2170.4650/21.M2170).

Zenith is responsible for the stunning Elite Captain Dual Time, the very cool Striking 10th and even the Captain Windsor which boasts both an annual calendar and a chronograph for a price that is literally without competition.

 The 40mm wide Espada may be an entry level model but buyers will be excited to note that it is still powered by an in-house El Primero 4650b with a 50 hour power reserve, 22 jewels and a decorated rotor that can be seen through the sapphire case back.

All Zenith timepieces are powered by their own in-house movements, allowing the internal technology to keep pace with their many beautiful designs. Zenith’s newest model, the Espada, is their attempt at an entry level model to attract new buyers while still incorporating their brand DNA into its simple three-hand design.