The watches are each in steel and 43mm wide. Larger than the vintage style they are modeled after. You can totally see some high-level military guys wearing one of these watches circa 1950 is "the war room." Looking at their watch and wondering what time it is in Moscow.
Bulgari Octo Bi-Retro Steel Ceramic Watch
The watch has a good thickness to it and I like the finishing on the case. It feels tool-like and purposeful. Few other vintage style watches I am familiar with actually look like they could be pulled out of the past like this model. The case design is utilitarian with mostly brushed surfaces . You have to love the grain on the crown that makes it really easy to wind the manually wound movement. Certainly a plus there. Techne took its time when thinking about the watch. It is in fact the first piece for the newer brand, who wanted to make an "honest homage" as I see it. I can see the designer sitting in the cockpit of a prop bi-plane and thinking about the gauges and what the pilot would have been used to reading. Then taking that look and putting into the design of the watch face. A matte black dial with lume coated numerals is the obvious result, but the little details make it easy to read and easy on the eyes. Further, the dial has a really good balance and layout. Techne really took a classic look that has barely been touched for decades and successfully played around with it.
Cartier Ballon Bleu Extra-Flat Watch Hands-On
Among Cartier's many new releases for 2011 was this ultra-thin version of the popular Ballon Bleu. I am not totally sure why the Ballon Bleu is so popular. As a women's watch I totally get it. It has a elegant