This sleek luxury watch tested (and survived) ejection from a military fighter jet

Posted on 29/05/2023 by Ida Torres

There are probably almost zero chances that you will be ejected from a jet soon (unless that is a regular part of your job) but on the off chance that you will be, you’d probably want your watch to survive along with yourself. And if a watch claims that it can survive something as extreme as being ejected from a fighter jet, then you know it can survive the most brutal of situations. So if that’s the kind of watch you’re looking for, read on.

Designer: Bremont

You know that the British watch brand is serious about creating an in-house movement that will be able to survive extreme conditions when it worked with Martin-Baker, a company that creates ejection seats and other aviation equipment. They created a prototype watch to test out in their fighter jet ejection seat testing programme and this became the basis for what is now known as the MB Viper. It sounds like a fighter jet model but yes, it is a heavy-duty watch.

The watch is housed in a Grade 5 titanium and anodised aluminum case and is composed of rhodium plated bridges, a gold plated automatic bridge, and a rhodium plated, solid tungsten rotor. The carbon-coated case itself is 43.5mm long and 10.8mm thick and has a scratch-resistant sapphire crystal. It has an orange bezel, a white dial, and in keeping with the jet theme, the chevron decorated hands look like the ejector handles on a military fighter jet.

Aside from being ejected from a jet, it also underwent zoom temperature climb testing, extreme temperature endurance, high altitude testing, and salt fog testing. It has 100 meters of water resistance and has 65 hours of battery life. You get black and orange canvas straps and there’s also a Super LumiNova giving a green light for the hour markers and hands in low lighting conditions. Each watch is hand-assembled upon order so you can expect a pretty high price tag for the MB Viper.

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Issey Miyake TO Watch updated with all-light gold, all-silver, and all-black finish

Posted on 21/04/2022 by Rei Padla

Issey Miyake TO Watch Light Gold Details

Issey Miyake comes up with another iconic watch that we believe will sell fast. This Japanese fashion brand is known for perfumes and technology-driven designs, whether clothes or watches.

Issey Miyake watches have gained popularity through the years for their unique and catchy designs. Just recently, the ISSEY MIYAKE Please Watch was re-released. Earlier designed by Tokujin Yoshioka, the watch is arriving once again with the signature round case and an elegant design. This time around, the brand has updated the “TO” watch.

Designer: Tokujin Yoshioka

Issey Miyake TO Watch Light Gold Finish

Issey Miyake TO Watch Light Gold Design

The Issey Miyake TO Watch appears to have been carved out of metal. The newest version is set with a light gold finish, so it looks more elegant. The whole timepiece is in the same finish, from the matching straps to the 38mm case.

This Issey Miyake TO Watch makes use of a Seiko VJ20 Quartz movement. It will be out in May with a ¥46,200 price tag ($359). Designer Tokujin Yoshioka has a background in architecture, design, and contemporary, which we can see in this new watch. He used to study design under Issey Miyake, so he knows how the person and the brand value design and aesthetics.

Issey Miyake TO Watch Silver

An Issey Miyake TO Watch in Silver is also available. Both versions reflect the designer’s unique approach to design. The minimal design elements are present, which add to the beauty and simplicity of the watch. An all-black version will also be available in the coming months.

The watch looks like a beautiful sculpture or a work of art. It makes use of Seiko’s advanced technology in watch-making. There is a crown on the right, but it’s not that obvious when you look straight into the watch face. The effect is a smooth watch with a hidden crown. We’re assuming you’d need to pull the crown first for it to work and be able to adjust the time. The dial appears to have a recessed portion separated into two discs. The hour and minute hands are on the rotating discs.

Issey Miyake TO Watch Light Gold

The previous version of the Issey Miyake TO Watch came with leather straps. It looks beautiful and timeless already, but the new model with the same finish is a different level of elegance and style. It seems Issey Miyake is re-releasing more old models with more modern designs. We like the idea because it allows watch collectors get the watches they couldn’t get a hold of but are now upgraded or are better-looking.

Issey Miyake TO Watch Light Gold Design

Issey Miyake to WATCH

The post Issey Miyake TO Watch updated with all-light gold, all-silver, and all-black finish first appeared on Yanko Design.

ISSEY MIYAKE Please Watch re-release is happening

Posted on 07/04/2022 by Rei Padla

ISSEY MIYAKE Please Watch Price 2

ISSEY MIYAKE is a fashion brand more famous for its perfume line. The Japanese fashion designer is also known for technology-driven clothing designs and one-of-a-kind watches.

The designer has also ventured into the watches arena. At one point, the Issey Miyake style inspired the designer of the Objest Watch. There is also the conceptual Issey Miyake watch that was then inspired by the famous perfume bottle from the brand.

Designer: Jasper Morrison

ISSEY MIYAKE Please Watch Features

Today, we’re learning about the ISSEY MIYAKE Please Watch, designed by Jasper Morrison. Like the previous watches we have seen from the brand, this one also comes with a round case and an elegant design. It was inspired by the Pleats Collection, showing off a three-dimensional pleated fold design. We see the layers on the dial, strap, and indexes–making for a simple yet timeless look.

The colors and the shading appear like pleats on a piece of clothing. The rose-gold bezels match the hands and the branding. There is only one basic crown used for changing the minutes and hours.

ISSEY MIYAKE Please Watch Dial

Jasper Morrison designed the not-so-new ISSEY MIYAKE Please Watch. The British designer Jasper Morrison is known in Paris and in Tokyo where he has a design office. However, there is the London headquarters where most of the magic happens. It is where he designs tableware, furniture, lighting, kitchen utensils, and electronic equipment. Morrison has also tried public space design, so creating a clock and a watch is not surprising.

Jasper Morrison has previously teamed up with other Japanese brands, so this is nothing new. Morrison’s team up with Issey Miyake is expected to be a success and a success it will be as this is actually just a re-release of the Limited Edition PLEASE by Jasper Morrison from 2013. Almost a decade later, it will make waves once again in the watch industry that is slowly being saturated by smartwatches.

ISSEY MIYAKE Please Watch Price

The design is the same: three-dimensional pleated folds on the band, markers, and the dial. The design appears delicate, but the color combination actually shows strength. The copper parts are actually pink gold which looks really good on black. The 2022 version is also available in limited quantity, so you may plan to grab one right away.

The ISSEY MIYAKE Please Watch re-release is this week. The old version used to be available in different colors: black, white, red, green, silver, and blue. Each color arrived then with silver bezels and hands, but they have been discontinued already.

This more modern version comes in stainless steel with Hardlex glass material. It measures 40mm (diameter) and 9.5mm (thickness) and shows time display complete with hours and minutes. It also now offers enhanced water resistance for daily use and a battery that can last up to three years.

ISSEY MIYAKE Please Watch Release

The ISSEY MIYAKE Please Watch will be available in select Issey Miyake stores in Japan like those in Aoyama, Daikanyama, Ginza, Tokyo, Sibuya, Marunouchi, Kobe, and Kyoto among others. The watch is available beginning April 8, 2022, Friday. It will come with watch links with a repeating pattern on the all-black stainless steel finish that actually matches the pattern on the dial.

It uses VJ20 quartz movement and boasts a standard 3-year battery life. The price is set at ¥40,700, which is about $328 in the US. This special ISSEY MIYAKE Please Watch is once again available in limited quantity, although there is no mention of how many exactly.

ISSEY MIYAKE Please Watch Launch

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Kross Studio’s Batman watch with massive central tourbillon is a striking tribute to the caped crusader

Posted on 24/02/2022 by Gaurav Sood

Whether you’d like Death Star on the wrist or want a ticking batmobile on your desk, Kross Studio has a timepiece for your liking. You may have to give up your life’s savings (and maybe a kidney) to own one, but that’s a different story. As far as design and creativity in horology are concerned; this young watchmaker will leave a collector floored. If you don’t find that convincing, spare a thought for the studio’s new Batman Tourbillon watch!

Kross Studio is only a couple of years old but the boutique Swiss watchmaker has already made a mark for itself with its pop-culture-inspired timepieces. Extending its domain presence, Batman Tourbillon has been launched for a breath-taking price tag of $100,000. The flamboyant watch is designed in commemoration of the upcoming Warner Bros.’ The Batman movie, to hit the theatres early next month.

Designer: Kross Studio

This strictly limited (only 10 examples will be made) Batman Tourbillion features a 45mm black DLC-coated titanium case worthy of every caped crusader fan who has a hundred thousand dollars to spare for the souvenir. The watch continues with the brand’s signature central tourbillion and planetary hand design, which has been a regular in all its pop-culture-inspired watches in the past. The large central tourbillon is the highlight of the Batman watch but even more intriguing here is the Bat-Signal on a caged structure of this complication.

The timepiece may look pretty similar to the brand’s previous creations, but this one begs to differ a little in the presentation of the crown. The Batman watch does away with the traditional crown and replaces it with a pusher at 3 o’clock that sits flush with the case. The dial is graced with a darker theme, as expected. It features applied oval indices and raised outer chapter ring which adds to the watch’s distinctiveness. The dark gray dial is accentuated with red Arabic numerals and a triangular V-shaped indicator to depict the time.

Batman Tourbillion watch measures 20mm thick with the domed sapphire curving down to the display caseback. Inside resides the in-house KS 7001 hand-wound tourbillon movement that provides a power reserve of 120 hours. The watch is not really apt for the outdoorsy, so if you happen to wear it around the poolside beware, it’s only rated at 30 meters of water resistance. Other than the water resistance, the tourbillon is drop-dead gorgeous, but if you’re impressed only with immaculate packaging, Kross Studio has you covered in this department as well. The Batman Tourbillon watch is provided in a functional Bat-Signal spotlight box equipped with a 15-watt lamp. Deep-pocketed Batman superfans should be sold by now!

The post Kross Studio’s Batman watch with massive central tourbillon is a striking tribute to the caped crusader first appeared on Yanko Design.

Garmin Forerunner 10 is a GPS watch designed for outdoor fitness, we go hands-on

Posted on 28/08/2012 by Zach Honig

Having a svelte design is paramount to the success of any fitness accessory -- a desire to avoid hassle often prompts those of us who opt for purging calories without the convenience of a climate-controlled gym to leave smartphones, and even watches at home. That means nifty contraptions like Garmin's new Fenix all-in-one wearable don't make it to the jogging path, making a compact dedicated running watch a more desirable pick instead. That's the idea behind the Forerunner 10, which Garmin is pushing as a dead-simple GPS-equipped wristwatch for runners, joggers and walkers. Water resistant to 50 meters (for ocean-floor sprints?), the gadget tracks essentials like pace and calories burned, while also keeping tabs on your coordinates, letting you download stats like distance and speed through a USB adapter and Garmin Connect.

We weren't able to go for a jog, sadly, though we did spend some time with the Forerunner 10 in an office setting. The watch seemed very straightforward, which you'll find to be quite helpful as you push to match a pre-set pace, without worrying about distractions. It comes in black, green or pink, and while the company suggests that you can wear the watch for non-exercise purposes as well, both colored designs seemed a bit too bright and flashy for regular use. The Forerunner 10 is rated for up to five hours of battery life in training mode, or five weeks in power-save mode (for regular time-keeping purposes), and is available to purchase for $130. You can check one out for yourself at Garmin's Chicago retail location, or you can take a peek in our hands-on photos just below.

Gallery: Garmin Forerunner 10 Running Watch hands-on

Continue reading Garmin Forerunner 10 is a GPS watch designed for outdoor fitness, we go hands-on

Filed under: GPS, Wearables

Garmin Forerunner 10 is a GPS watch designed for outdoor fitness, we go hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 28 Aug 2012 07:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Garmin unveils Fenix, its first GPS watch for deep-pocketed outdoorsy types (hands-on)

Posted on 10/07/2012 by Zach Honig

There may be a few more years remaining before a forced retirement, but there's no question that dedicated automotive GPS units are on the way out. Integrated products, apps and the aviation sector will keep companies like Garmin afloat, but now's as good a time as any to focus on other markets -- and where better to slap that global positioning goodness than on our wrists. Watches seems to be a growing focus for the guidance giant, following last month's GPS-less Garmin Swim introduction. That device has a relatively narrow target (namely, swimmers willing to invest $150 in the sport), but the company is back with a more versatile wearable, complete with an altimeter, barometer, compass, an optional external ANT temperature sensor and Bluetooth connectivity. There's also a GPS receiver, which can be used not only to calibrate the time and sensors, but also to track a route, direct you towards waypoints and guide you back to your starting point with TracBack.

The Fenix, as the full-featured watch is being called, is expected to retail for $400 when it hits stores at the end of August. Four bills hardly qualifies it for the luxury wristwatch category, but as digital wearables go, that's certainly approaching the top end. We had an opportunity to try out the device in an office setting (not exactly an ideal environment for a rugged GPS watch, but that's the best we could do in the middle of NYC), and the Fenix had quite a bit of heft to it -- it'll surely look out of place on smaller wrists, and probably won't score you any points among fashion-conscious friends. Inner geeks should be appeased, however -- the enclosure definitely seems an adequate size for housing all of those instruments. It also functions quite nicely as a watch -- in default mode, it displays the time and date in large characters on the backlit LCD, with a nifty ring around the digits to indicate seconds. The Garmin Fenix is on track for a late-August ship date, but you can scroll through the gallery below or dive into the PR after the break to get your fix in the meantime.

Gallery: Garmin Fenix watch hands-on