Boldr Odyssey 44 Freediver GMT
While Boldr have dabbled in GMTs in the past, they’ve always been office GMTs, the less prestigious, slightly simpler take on the complication. It’s also the more accessible – though now the tool watch specialist is proving that ‘true’ GMTs too can be incredibly affordable with the Odyssey Freediver GMT. With its chunky diving case and 300m water resistance there’s a lot to love on the practical side; with its rugged good looks, and (in this version) red and black alternate time zone bezel, the specs are matched by its looks. Wrapping everything up as a sure-fire winner is the price tag of £815. For any ‘true’ GMT that’s impressive. For one like this it’s mind-blowing.
The Specs
- 44mm stainless steel case with 300m (10 bar) water resistance
- Miyota calibre 9075 automatic movement with 28,800 vph (4 Hz) frequency and 42h power reserve
- £715, available at Boldr.
Neucarl Sept Mai New York Edition
Rather than the grey of the concrete jungle, Neucarl’s latest take on their flagship Sept Mai is a tribute to the unsleeping neon of New York City. The dark midnight blue of the segmented dial turns to indigo at the centre, with bright orange-yellow indexes at both the outer edges and the centre. It’s a visually vibrant livery and one that makes best use of the dial’s two-layer construction. Paired with the wonderfully elegant case of the Sept Mai and a retro manual-wind movement, there’s a lot to love here even if you’re an ocean away from the Big Apple.
The Specs
- 41mm stainless steel case with 50m (5 bar) water resistance
- Swiss manual movement with 42h power reserve
- £907, available at Neucarl.
Jurmo Sisu Earth
Skeleton watches aren’t for everyone – many of us wear a watch to hide our wrists – but it’s hard not to love a brand that turns the actual skeleton bridges into the main feature of the watch. Enter Jurmo’s Sisu, which uses eye-catching, sky-blue bridges to utterly transform the look of a classic skeleton dial. Just be warned – while the Sisu is well priced for a watch with its level of finishing, that means there’s a lot of demand and wait times are up to four months. Don’t worry though, it’ll be worth the wait.
The Specs
- 42mm stainless steel case with 50m (5 bar) water resistance
- ETA 6497 manual-wind movement with 48h power reserve
- €2,180 (aaprox. £1,900), available at Jurmo.
Trafford Watch Co. Crossroads
Forget the usual Art Deco take on square or rectangular watches; Trafford’s shiny new Crossroads is perfectly retro. Its curved square – almost TV-shaped – case is pure rose-tinted nostalgia, which is more than enough to pique the interest. Beyond that though, the mix of polished and brushed finishing, the curvaceous sapphire crystal, and the sheer attention to detail lavished on the watch turn it from an interesting first look to a very tempting early bird purchase. Early bird because, as is the case with many a cool new microbrand release, the Crossroads is on Kickstarter, meaning you can swoop in and get a solid discount on retail.
The Specs
- 36 x 38mm stainless steel case with 50m (5 bar) water resistance
- Miyota 9039 automatic movement with 42h power reserve
- Early bird $499 (approx. £444), retail $799 (approx.
£710), available at Trafford Watch Co.
Lebois & Co Heritage Chronograph Ref. 324.472
After months of crowd-sourced designs and constant community feedback, Lebois & Co have finally released the finished version of their heritage project – and it was worth the wait. Of the Heritage Chronographs released, the standout for us is the salmon-dialled pulsometer edition, a flawlessly vintage, eye-catching piece with blued steel hands and an equally blue strap, both contrasting wonderfully with the copper colouring. Apparently if you actually ask watch lovers what they want, the result is a watch that we very much want. Go figure.
The Specs
- 39mm stainless steel case with 50m (5 bar) water resistance
- Lebois & Co. calibre LC-450 manual-wind movement with 60h power reserve
- £2,150 – £2,250, available at Lebois & Co.
