Hublot big bang Oceanographic 4000 watch

At such depths, as you can imagine it is all about survival,  so for a wristwatch to cope with such conditions without imploding required substantial research and development and the addition of a few safety features. 

The seal has been tested to 5000 metres and it passed. 

The sapphire has a thicknesss of 6.5mm. 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.

The screw-down case back is made from super strong grade 2 titanium.  On the case side are two screw-down crowns.  At 2 o’clock is a unidirectional crown to set the dive time protected by an oversized guard which is not only a life saving feature, but is also quite swanky too.  The other crown at 4 o’clock is used for winding and setting the date and the time.

 Both are perfectly positioned for ease of use.  To alleviate the watch equivalent of “the bends”, a stainless steel helium valve is positioned at 10 o’clock just out of shot on these images.

Hublot Jean-Claude Biver Big Bang Hublot Nastie Bang

The piece features a 44.5mm microblasted black ceramic case.  The dial is anthracite grey with black nickel appliques and faceted black nickel hands and a red chronograph hand.

 The Nastase personalisation comes in the form of a “tennis ball” 30 minute counter at 3 o’clock and a 60 seconds counter at 9 o’clock with tennis points markings, 15-30-40.  Ilie’s signature appears beneath the sapphire at 6 o’clock and the sapphire case back is inscribed with an image of the man himself.

Hublot’s Jean-Claude Biver once again brought traffic to a halt to open another brand boutique this time in London’s New Bond Street, and to help with the launch was tennis icon Ilie Nastase for whom a new limited edition Big Bang, the Nastie Bang was unveiled.
Inside is Hublot’s HUB 4100 Calibre automatic chronograph movement.  Water resistance is to 100 metres.  Nastase won 132 titles in his career and in tribute to this the watch will be an edition of 132 pieces. 

The Hublot Nastie Bang  comes presented on a black rubber and leather strap with contrasting yellow stitching.

Zenith Espada watches

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.

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.

  For comparison, consider the 41mm Rolex Datejust II 116334 retails for $8600 USD and features very similar kit, save for its white gold bezel. The Espada, with its combination of an El Primero movement, Zenith’s craftsmanship and a luxurious yet reserved design, is a great-looking sleeper that we would be proud to wear.

The conservative in us really likes the base steel model with the black dial and its teal accents (ref 03.2170.4650/21.M2170).With many brands producing limited editions with multiple complications and cases made exclusively from precious metals, it is refreshing to see a brand as revered as Zenith reaching out to those who prefer their watches in steel and designed to tell the time in a simple and predictable manner.

Pricing for the Espada starts at €5000 ($6525 USD) and will range as high as €22,400 ($29,200 USD) for the all gold version. Cheap? Hardly, but if you’re in the market for a beautiful Swiss three-hander with an in-house movement and good heritage then Zenith has priced the Espada to have excellent value in the marketplace.

Omega Returns to Ana-Digi with X-33 Ref 3991.52

Omega does not make direct reference to the accuracy of this new movement but we hope that it will provide better accuracy than standard quartz movements which run +/- 15 seconds a month.

While Omega released a series of sporty new models at Basel this year, few stood out like their new Spacemaster Z-33.

 The Z-33 is Omega’s follow up to the discontinued but much-loved X-33 (you can read our review of the X-33 Ref 3991.52The Z-33 will come fitted to a signed rubber strap but Omega is also offering an optional leather strap. Aesthetically, the Z-33 is very different from the X-33, to my eyes the Z-33 looks quite a bit more sporty and may have lost some of the futuristic design that made the X-33 stand out.

 Both analogue and digital functions are managed by the new Omega 5666 thermo-compensated quartz movement which is powered by a traditional lithium battery that should last about two years before needing to be replaced.

 We have yet to see a Z-33 in person but the nearly 20 mm height may turn away buyers who were interested in the Z-33 as a novelty but don’t require its laundry list of features in their everyday lives. Pricing and availability have yet to be announced..

Returning back to the Ana-Digi game is no small affair for Omega as the X-33 has achieved cult status and is quite collectable on today’s secondary markets. The X-33 is one of only two Omegas to qualify for use in space by NASA, the other being the mechanically-powered and exceedingly famous Speedmaster.

Since being discontinued in 2006, buyers have been hunting for the unique Omega X-33 with its curved display, titanium case and legendary 80db alarm. Has Omega managed to create a fitting sequel to the X-33, or have the made something that is entirely different, a quartz multifunction for modern-day Omega?

The flaw of most ana-digi watches is that the screens are often obstructed by the hands as they display analogue time. Omega battles this issue in two stages on the Z-33, combining the pass-though view of a skeleton handset with the ability to have the hands disengage and point in a direction that does not block either screen (activated by pressing the 8 o’clock pusher).