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Ball Engineer Hydrocarbon Ceramic XV Watch Review

admin — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 07:05:14 +0000

A few years ago I discovered these cool manly looking timepieces in a watch store up in San Francisco. I believe that it was relatively soon after that Ball watches re-emerged with a strong look based on the brand's history of producing accurate railroad pocket watches. Priced right, the watches were high-end offerings with tritium gas tubes and names like "Engineer Hydrocarbon." I didn't know what that meant, but they had my attention.

Today, most Ball watches have a counterweight on the seconds hand with a double R logo that stands for "railroad." This nice little feature helps tie each piece to its historical roots. The idea of most Ball watches is to be durable, aggressive, legible, and most importantly - useful. Some of their designs don't do it for me, but others really do. Overall, I think most men will find at least a couple of Ball watches they can really enjoy.

For review is a special model that I have been waiting to look at for a while. It is the Ball Engineer Hydrocarbon Ceramic XV watch - and to be honest I love it. It very much epitomizes the Ball watch aesthetic, and is a solid timepiece with lots of features for the money. Ball watches are probably the highest-end pieces that utilize tritium gas tubes. I believe that all models use the high-powered T100 tubes, and this watch has 31 of them on the dial. These tubes glow on their own to offer great darkness viewing without having to be charged by light. The signature Engineer Hydrocarbon look has tubes making out the 3, 6, 9, and 12 o'clock hour markers, with tubes used for the rest of the hour markers and in the hands. On this model there is traditional lume used for the indicators inside of the bezel.

With the core Engineer Hydrocarbon case design, this watch has a ceramic bezel and very attractive dial. I like the mixture of steel and black tones with the high level of functionality. Ball cases are very solid and use a lot of steel. The case is 42mm wide and it is 13.25mm thick. The wide lugs help it look sizable, but not imposing. There is of course the special extended crown structure with the guard system. The way it works is that you press in a little button and it releases the arm that moves up to let you unscrew the crown. It is a unique element for the collection. I can see how it might affect some people's wrists, but the way I wear my watches, it isn't problem at all.

The case is water resistant to 300 meters and is highly anti-magnetic. These qualities are an important part of the Engineer Hydrocarbon case series. You'll see how the bracelet uses doubles screws on each side of the lugs to secure itself to the case. Not sure if that adds much to the strength of the bracelet, but it sure looks cool. Over the dial is an AR coated sapphire crystal.

Adding a ceramic bezel really puts the watch in league with many other modern dive watches which prefer the material over metal for a more durable bezel that is highly scratch resistant. More and more people are looking to only buy sport watches with ceramic bezels as brands like Rolex and Omega have basically made them standard. On the rear of the Ceramic XV is an engraving of a guy doing... well something. The nice engraving is a bit vague with no indicator of what it is on the caseback. What you are actually seeing is a depiction of Jim Whittaker atop Mount Everest. He is apparently the first American to have gotten to the top. The "XV" part of the watch name refers to a historic name given to the Mount Everest peak in 1865 by the British when they were in India.

Inside the Ceramic XV watch is a Swiss ETA 2892-2 automatic movement. No frills, just a nice quality Swiss made automatic that shouldn't give you any problems. You'll see a conveniently integrated date indicator at 4:30 on the dial. Legibility is really good because of the prominent hour markers and large hands. Ball understood to brush the surface of the hands in a way that allows them to properly contrast with the slightly glossy dial. There is a flange ring around the dial with smaller markers on it. Some people aren't in love with the "railroad" tracks on the outer dial under the hour markers. I think it is tastefully decorative and it doesn't bother me. I think a more plain dial would not necessarily have helped the look of this watch. In a sense it looks like a revision of the classic Rolex Submariner look - but with Ball watch DNA.

Wearing comfort is very high. I tend to wear the watch a bit loose, but it still stays on my wrist nicely. The lugs are broad and are designed to wrap around your wrist. For me, this is a very nicely fitting watch that is comfortable all day. The bracelet is a thing of wonder for the money. Many watches at this price have cheap bracelets - and going from them to this is a pleasure. Going the other way is much harder.

The two-link bracelet design uses a polished inner link, and brushed middle/larger link. A great high-end touch is the polished beveled edges of the larger brushed links. The fit and finish is high, and I like that the bracelet matches the design of the case well. The design of the deployant clasp is almost over-the-top - in a good way. The large butterfly-style push-button clasp opens with a secure feel and is beautifully engineered like none other. That "Ball Design" printing on the well-made pieces helps you know it is not just a stock part. In each end of the clasp is a small divers extension. They can be used individually or together for more extension. I would like to see some additional micro-adjust features in future versions. One potential issue is that the Ball logo on the clasp sticks out a bit when it is closed. This looks cool, but might prove to pick up scratches easily for those people who rub their watches on desks, etc...

I said this in the video, and I will say it again; for what it is, the Ball Engineer Hydrocarbon Ceramic XV (ref. DM2136A-SCJ-BK) is almost perfect. With the array of high-end features, special components, and quality fit and finish there aren't too many watches that can compete at the price. It isn't cheap per se, but you don't end up feeling like you are spending too much. I quite like it myself and am simple conveying my own feelings on it to you. Have no fear if this watch calls out to you. Retail price is $3,899.

Written by Mr. Ariel Adams - aBlogtoRead.com, trusted independent watch media.

Ball Trainmaster Celsius And Fahrenheit Limited Edition Watches Hands-On

admin — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 07:02:26 +0000

Ball watches' 2011 offerings are mixed between modern and traditional looking timepieces. One of the interesting classic looking ones is this limited edition retro-inspired Trainmaster with a thermometer that will come in two forms. One will be the Ball Trainmaster Celsius, and the other will be the Ball Trainmaster Fahrenheit. Each is meant to honor the inventor of the respective temperature scale and uses one of Ball's unique movements.

While thermometers in mechanical watches aren't at all common, they aren't new either. Back in the days of Breguet you saw some pocket watches with thermometers in them. Today the mechanical thermometer is very rare in timepieces. Customers who wants this feature tend to opt for "ABC" (altimeter, barometer, compass) digital watches such as the Protrek from Casio. These and similar watches usually have thermometers built in to them. As is the case with wrist mounted thermometers, you really need to take your watch off for about 10 minutes to get an accurate reading of the ambient temperature as the watch will be highly effected by your body temperature.

One version of this watch is the Ball Trainmaster Celsius - being done for Anders Celsius that created the world's most popular temperature scale. On this watch the temperature scale is of course in Celsius, and there is a sort of imprint/image of his face on the back of the watch.

Around 2006 Ball released its Caliber 9018 automatic movement. Contained in these Trainmaster pieces, the caliber 9018 has been in a few other watches since. It has the time, date, and thermometer (not digital). I believe it is built on a base Swiss ETA 2892 automatic movement with a thermometer module. Ball also liked to point out the that movement can withstand 5000 Gs of shock. I wonder if that is actually shock or just velocity. Oh, and the thermometer can pretty well tell the temperature from -35 Celsius to 45 Celsius.

The Celsius watch comes with a lovely silvered dial and attractive face with applied Arabic hour numerals and (of course) tritium gas tubes for illumination. There might also be a black dialed version available as well. Ball will offer 310 of the Trainmaster Celsius pieces.

Then there are the almost identical Ball Trainmaster Fahrenheit limited edition watches. The press release information is silent to these, but as you can see I did see them hands-on (so they do exist). Here the temperature scale is in Fahrenheit and the image on the back of the watch is of Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit. This one will be limited to 120 pieces. Why less pieces even though Fahrenheit is older than Celsius? I think it is because less of the world uses Fahrenheit (even the the US is big). It is funny actually, because as an American I have a deep sense of Fahrenheit loyalty. Yes, I know that the Celsius scale makes more sense and is much more commonly used, but I just like the quirkiness of our US measuring systems. That and I probably subconsciously block out how to interpret Celsius temperatures. I think 30 degrees is hot, but it just doesn't sound that hot.

The Trainmaster Celsius and Fahrenheit watches come in 41mm wide steel cases that are 12mm thick. So really, while they are classic in shape, not very classic in size. The cases are brushed with nicely polished bezels and the sapphire crystal is AR coated. In addition to the welcome tritium gas tubes, I've always appreciated the high level of legibility in the Trainmaster collection of watches. Look for these nice limited edition pieces about now.

Written by Mr. Ariel Adams - aBlogtoRead.com, trusted independent watch media.

Ball Engineer Hydrocarbon Deep Quest 3000m Diver Watch Hands-On

admin — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 07:02:19 +0000

The popularity of dive watches means that there are always going to be lots of new ones each year. One of my favorite new ones for 2011 is from Ball, and it is the Engineer Hydrocarbon Deep Quest 3000m diver. I will just call it the "Ball 3000m" diver for short. This super diver is water resistant to 3000 meters and carries Ball's signature cool engineered looks. Chunky and legible, it shouldn't be too expensive to boot.

I don't know all the details yet, but I will tell you what I know. Size is at least 45mm wide, and as you can see the watch is quite thick. Ball is offering the 3000m diver with two dial styles - not sure how many colors. The one most people will prefer is likely the one seen here with the black dial. It has a more simple face that is easy to read thanks to the raised hour markers and large hands. Ball being Ball, everything is done in tritium gas tubes (that glow naturally and don't need light to charge). The dial has several layers and makes for a good look with the case.

The other dial style is meant to further emphasize the three dimensional look and all the layers thereof. There is a lot more going on here. I would say that it is less utilitarian and more "Ball branding." The watch case is thick - it needs to be for that deep 3000 meters of water resistance. Sitting tall on your wrist it still has very curved lugs and is comfortable to wear. On the back side of the watch is a map engraving. The case is also antimagnetic and contains a Swiss automatic movement - likely an ETA 2824 or alike.

As you can see, Ball will offer the Engineer Hydrocarbon Deep Quest 3000m with a vertical stripe textured rubber strap (that sits flush with the case) or one of their very good metal bracelets with accordingly nice deployment clasp. The 3000m isn't just a nice diver, it is one of the best looking watches ever to come from Ball. As these are prototype models expect a few potential changes before the final versions are released. Really impressing from both a design and utility standpoint. Look for these watches someone later in 2011.

Written by Mr. Ariel Adams - aBlogtoRead.com, trusted independent watch media.

Ball Engineer II Ohio GMT COSC Watch

admin — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 08:06:13 +0000

A little retro action from Ball right here. No doubt you are going to start thinking of all the classic watches that Ball looked to for influence when designing the Engineer II Ohio GMT COSC Chronometer watch. A little classically styled Jaeger-LeCoultre aesthetic never hurt anyone. In steel and 40mm wide, the Ohio GMT is a great classy watch with the conveniences you've come to expect from Ball. Yes, you can get an ultra modern looking big watch from them, but they are also starting to be more proud of their simple line of more conventional timepieces. Even when presented with that whole "well it looks like XXXXX," Ball will just retort with "well yea, but we do all the same things that that watch does, in a good quality case for this price." And for about $2,200, the Engineer II Ohio GMT watch is a pretty good deal.

With a black or brushed steel dial, the applied Arabic hour numerals are complimented by a full array of tritium gas tube hour markers, as well as applied arrow style metal markers. Hands are dauphine-like, and have tritium gas tubes in them for lume. I don't like that the size of the tubes in the hands are the same, but I think they are different colors, which should help you tell them apart in the dark. The red GMT hand is nicely diminutive, but still legible, though it is totally sans illumination. I wonder why? It does however have a nice 24 hour scale as the chapter ring around the dial.

The case is water resistant to 100 meters and have a sapphire crystal. Inside the watch is a Swiss ETA 2893-2 automatic movement that has been COSC Chronometer certified. You can get the watch with a black or brown crocodile strap, or on a good looking Ball brand metal bracelet (probably the best choice). For those who enjoy the simple good looks, this might be the right Ball watch for them. It is a relatively good value, and it should have better durability that some of its competitors. Look for the new Engineer II Ohio GMT COSC watches soon.

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Written by Mr. Ariel Adams - aBlogtoRead.com, trusted independent watch media.

Ball Engineer Hydrocarbon Magnate GMT Watch

phubbard — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 07:03:05 +0000

As much as I love GMT complications, I have to say that the name for this one is just silly. "Ball Engineer Hydrocarbon Magnate GMT." Four proper names plus GMT suffix?

That said, the watch itself is pretty nice looking. I'm not fond of the Rolex-style cyclops over the date, though some quite like them [Ed. note. You'll see some hands-on images I took with watch here. I believe that the magnifier crystal is actually reverse mounted (inside the crystal) so as not to stick out of the crystal]. The fixed bezel is less useful than a rotating one, but on the other hand it's filled with luminescent paint for a cool look in the dark. The textured and detailed dial has good balance and attains the not-too-busy look a good dress watch. The dark green GMT hand lurks in the visual background, behind mirror-polished hour and minute hands and the signature second hand with Ball logo counterpoise. Overall a good looking watch, with the bulked-up look Ball produces.

The bracelet is a variant on the classic Oyster, with triple deployant and diver's extension in stainless steel. [Ed. note. Instead of the a three think design, they have a two link design which is a nice alternative. Ball spruces up the look of the bracelet significantly by adding polished bevels to the edges of the links. This is always a good idea.]

Specifications are quite good:

ETA 2893-2 movement, COSC-certified chronometer
7,500G shock resistance
4,800 A/m of magnetism resistance
Water resistant to 100m
Anti-reflective-coated sapphire crystal
40mm across by 12.1mm thick - nicely sized
Available with bracelet or rubber strap, with black or silver dial
Bezel numbers are done with luminous paint (not tritium, obviously)
Tritium tubes on hands (including the GMT hand) and dial.

It's a nice looking watch, and I like that they didn't enlarge it. 40mm is a perfect size for a versatile dress/sport watch design like this, and 12mm thick will slide under most shirt cuffs.

Ball has been a consistent leader in automatic movements plus tritium tubes [Ed. note. In the US Ball legally (yes, legally), has the right to have brighter tritium gas tubes than anyone else right now], and I like the combination a lot. GMT is great for travelers or, more commonly, if you need to Skype that relative back in the old country and can never remember the timezone difference.

List price is $2,900, though I expect that you'd find discounts if you search around. Overall a classic look and a good choice for someone who only has one nice watch.

Written by Paul Hubbard

Ball Engineer Hydrocarbon Spacemaster Orbital Watch

admin — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 10:23:44 +0000

"The Amortiser" sounds like a banking industry themed super villain. But here it is a cool piece of functionality that you won't find on other watches in this price range. New from Ball watches is the Engineer Hydrocarbon Spacemaster Orbital watch, a mouthful of a name, but suitable for a chunky timepiece with this much functionality. I got my hands on this watch, which should be available close to the time you read this.

Ball fitted the Spacemaster Orbital (what I will call it for short) with ETA's newer Valjoux 7754. Newer, as in released in 2003 (or so), which is fresh from the egg compared to some other movements we know and love that have been used since the 1970s. The 7754 automatic is based on the famed 7750, but adds a GMT complication to the mix. Even so, it still has a power reserve of about 46 hours. Not sure why we don't see these used in more watches - perhaps they are very expensive or hard to get from ETA.

The watch is big at 45mm wide, but in titanium so it doesn't feel to heavy. High-grade polish on the case abounds, as well as the Engineer Hydrocarbon style and shape. This is a big watch from Ball if there ever was one! Just see it on my wrist (it is 18.3mm high!). Although it will be a popular piece, the Spacemaster Orbital is limited to just 999 pieces.

Ball researched and developed a special function for the watch called the Amortiser. The allows you to lock the automatic rotor into place to prevent damage to it during high shock activity. To "amortize" the rotor, you need to take off the watch and physically twist the propeller shaped disc on the back of the watch. You can feel it lower a bit and lock down. This prevents the rotor from moving. To release it, you just twist the disc back the other way. Just don't forget to release it after your period of 'high shock' is over. The watch will still function when the rotor is secured off power from the mainspring, and you can still manually wind the watch if you like. This cool piece of technology is perfect for things you do everyday like:

1. Falling from space
2. Wearing the watch while boxing
3. Riding wild elephants
4. Quality time in the centrifuge
5. Recreational machine gun turret operation
6. Standing on Jeeps while mountain off-roading
7. And so much more.

Plus, the Amortiser Rotor-Lock mechanism is said to protect the chronograph mechanism from damage in falls of up to 5.2 meters! The system was very difficult to engineer, and you won't find anything like elsewhere from a price at all close to the Engineer Hydrocarbon Spacemaster Orbital watch. Aside from that, the watch is tested cold temperatures of minus 40 degrees, resistant to 100 meters under water, resistant to 7,500Gs of velocity force, and highly antimagnetic.

Also worth mentioning is the new clasp and deployment system that is beautiful. Ball spent a lot of time on this element of the watch as well, and you certainly won't be disappointed by it. The rotating bezel on the watch has navigational markings. Used by some people I suppose. I would have preferred a standard dive style bezel though. The compass indicators on the bezel are however applied with lots of blue luminant. Actually, Ball seems to want this watch to be a navigational instrument. There is a lot of emphasis on the compass theme. The dial has a traditional compass looking design on it, and both the flange ring and the bezel have compass degree indicators. Compass lovers rejoice.

It wouldn't be a Ball watch without tritium gas tubes. There are a bunch of the luminated tubes all over the dial, in a few various colors. Here you can see the black dialed version of the watch. Don't miss the use of gas tubes in the chronograph pushers for a more "spacey" timepiece demeanor. Ball is actually working on a white/silver dial as well. They had a prototype for the dial colored dial, but are spending a bit more time on the design for it. This is clearly a complex dial design, but helps the watch maintain its functional, masculine look. I sat down with Ball watch owner Jeff Hess, who walked me through the watch, and is very excited about its high popularity - even before its release. Price will be in the $4,000 range, and again, limited to just 999 pieces.

Written by Mr. Ariel Adams - aBlogtoRead.com, trusted independent watch media.

Ball Engineer Hydrocarbon Spacemaster X-Lume Watch

admin — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 08:44:13 +0000

This is the star new Ball watches of the year in my opinion. This timepiece is a smooth evolution of the Hydrocarbon watch design. It combines so much of what I like about Ball watches and presents it in a nicely refined package that I certainly feel has the quality of a new classic for the brand. No doubt there will be spin-offs on this design for a while to come. I recently discussed some Ball watches that I like when I was visiting with Ball in Las Vegas here. Enough of you commented positively that I realized I was not alone in appreciating this brand. Which means that I think enough of you will agree with me on this watch.

The new watch is the Ball Engineer Hydrocarbon Spacemaster X-Lume. This of it as the astronaut themed version of the Hydrocarbon watch. Most watches of this caliber really don't need and special enhancements to be good for use is space, but some new branding won't hurt. The watch uses a Swiss automatic ETA caliber 2836-2 movement that has the time, day, and date. The movement has also been COSC Chronometer certified. The case is thick, and in steel, but not very large at 41.5mm wide. Being curved and with a domed sapphire crystal gives the watch a larger look on your wrist though. The case is water resistant to 333 meters.

There is new stuff all around aside from the smoothly polished design of the ultra readable case. Ball uses a mix of grade 316L and N 1.4435 steel to achieve a durable and lasting case. Ball also boasts about how precision milled the watch and its components are. Pieces are cut to 1/100 of a millimeter precision via their CNC machinery (for cutting precision sized metal parts). The case of the Spacemaster X-Lume has a familiar look that you recognize as being a Hydrocarbon watch, but here you see Ball designers really starting to get comfy with the design, solidifying it at a true icon of the brand. Kept are the distinctive crown and surrounding elements with the slide up guard piece. The case looks better rendered, and the bezel has a new treatment that is a good mix of rugged, functional looks, and a reduction in its complexity. What is left in the bezel are only four "claws," place two at the top and two at the bottom. They help keep the bezel from feeling too wise. I like the special style of coined-like edging around the bezel as well, and there is lume built into it. All of these elements are improvements over previous designs.

You'll get a new style of bracelet for the watch as well. Aside from a slightly new and improved look, the steel bracelet has a brand new, sophisticated clasp. The extremely secure butterfly clasp has two diver's extensions in it, that can be operated with one hand, and without taking the watch off. They offer something like 20mm of extension (or less) to fit over all sorts of equipment.

Luminant all over the watch is a serious of different color tritium gas tubes that Ball utilizes so well. The small tubes glow by themselves for 20 years or so without the need to be charged by light. Ball uses them all over the dial, and in a bevy on inviting colors such as green, blue, and orange. This is one easy to read watch in the dark. Large hands make the dial easy to read. While the dial design is totally functional, it has a certain nerdy tech polish to it that I think will appeal to all men who enjoy using their minds while at work. It is like a thinking man's sport watch. Overall I am really excited about this timepiece. I would guess price to be between about $2,000 - $3,000 and for it to be released soon.

See Ball watches on eBay here.

See Ball watches on Amazon here.

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Time Remaining: 4h 13m
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Ball Fireman Stainless Steel Leather Band Mens Watch NM1090C
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BALL ENGINEER MASTER II DIVER GMT MINT CONDITION
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Written by Mr. Ariel Adams - aBlogtoRead.com, trusted independent watch media.

My Favorite Ball Watches At JCK, Big And Lots Of Lume

admin — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 08:00:07 +0000

Ball watches have been really popular that last few years ago and are probably the nicest watches (at least from a price perspective) to feature tritium gas tubes in their watches. All of their watches feature the wonder lume, that is made exclusively by MB Microtec in Switzerland. They are small tubes filled with (safe) radioactive material. Ball watches probably makes the best use out of them versus other companies I know to use the luminant. The best part is that they don't need any light to charge and glow for like 25 years.

I am not going to go into much detail when talking about these watches as there are too many of them, and you can get lots of little details about each watch from Ball directly.Â Careful though. You might be drawn to tears! Last time I was at their site they started playing Amazing Grace. So I saw these watches last June in Las Vegas at the JCK show. These are my favorite of the Ball watches that I was able to see there. Overall these are some very nice watches for the money. Lots of functionality and good solid looks without a lot of fuss.

The first watch you see above you is one of their existing models, but I really like it. Especially with the easier to read white dial. It is the Ball Engineer Hydrocarbon Chronograph Trieste watch. It has a Swiss Valjoux 7750 movement, lots of tritium gas tubes, many looks, and their special flip-lever crown guard. This Trieste edition is limited, and is a mix of steel and titanium parts. It also comes with a rubber strap and is $3,599. The non limited edition version (doesn't have the cool picture at the seconds subdial is about $2,999. Really a unique and cool looking watch. Not super wide, even though it is tall.

The above two watches are from the new Ball Engineer Master II Aviator line. With the standard (day date) and GMT models for you to check out. The each have Swiss ETA automatic movements and are nice and large sized. I love the massive lume indexes and the clear, iconic aviator style dials and hands. Ball even did a nice job with the pilot watch style strap with button in it. I really like the Ball signature "RR" (for railroad) logo that is used as the counterweight on the seconds hand. Nice quality watches that feel meant for professional as opposed to formal wear. Priced about $1,600 - $1,900 and new for 2009.

This looks like one of Ball's aviator watches, but is actually the Ball Fireman Night Train watch. Nice colors with a aggressive facade, it has a dual time complication (also with an ETA automatic movement). The label of "universal military time" is written over the second timezone date window. This is one of the several Ball watches to have a DLC (diamond like carbon) coated case - which makes it very durable. The watch is 43mm wide and has that nice black calf leather strap with orange stitching. About $1,800 as shown.

This is another cool DLC coated watch. It is one of their diver watches and is the Ball Engineer Master II Diver GMT watch. The dial is black with gold tonesÂ - and lots of gas tubes! There is a large internal rotating bezel and the central dial is for the GMT hand. The case is 42mm wide and comfortable on your wrist with the textured rubber strap. If you don't like the gold face, there is also a white on black version available. A true diver with 300 meters of water resistance and again an automatic movement. Price for this new model is about $2,500.

This moon phase watch was one of my favorites. There was something very appealing in the simple charms of this watch that combines the classic touch of a moon phase indicator with the technical touch of Ball watches. This watch is more formal than the other watches though. A nice rounded case and textured dial make good to frame the large centrally located moon phase indicator. Look closely and you'll see all the little gas tubes that are part of the moon. It comes with the white dial or black. The steel case is 40mm wide and is also available with a steel bracelet in addition to the calf leather strap. Priced at about $1,600 - $1,700.

This is one of Ball's newly overhauled watch designs for 2009. It is the new Ball Fireman Automatic watch and starts at just $999 ($1,099 on the steel bracelet). It has a few dial tones and is a handsome watch with a few types of styles in the design. Some pilot watch, some diver watch, and even a little Eterna Kontiki thrown in there. The five dial color accents available are brown, yellow, red, green, and white. Each has a leather strap with the sides that match the dial color (but the white dial has blue on the strap, as seen above). Ball calls it aÂ nice entry level mechanical watch and I am inclined to agree.

This is one my my favorite classically styled Ball watches. It is called the Trainmaster Cleveland Express Dual Time. The Trainmaster line of watches are Ball's most expensive with there being two 18k gold version that go up to about $13,000.Â The pictured watch retails at $3,100. One of the best features about the watch are the applied blued steel Arabic numerals that look so nice. The automatic movement has been decorated and has been COSC Chronometer certified. The watch is handsome without being showy and good for those who like a nice conservative watch with lots of historical reference.

So there you have it. Some nice pictures of some nice watches - especially if you've been interested in Ball watches and wanted to see them live (sort of).

See Ball watches on eBay here.

See Ball watches on Amazon here.

Ball Engineer Master 2 II Officer UNWORN NM2038D Mechanical Manual Winding Watch
$1,699.00
Time Remaining: 4h 13m
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Time Remaining: 15h 49m
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Time Remaining: 1d 1h 53m

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Ball Engineer Master 2 II Officer UNWORN NM2038D Mechanical Manual Winding Watch
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Ball Fireman Stainless Steel Leather Band Mens Watch NM1090C
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Time Remaining: 1d 14h 57m
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BALL ENGINEER MASTER II DIVER GMT MINT CONDITION
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Time Remaining: 2d 18h 15m

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Written by Mr. Ariel Adams - aBlogtoRead.com, trusted independent watch media.

Ball Watches Get High (UP) With The New Engineer Master II Aviator GMT

admin — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 16:29:42 +0000

Surprisingly, Ball Watch Co. is about to release a relatively straight forward and simple watch. I am a big fan of the brand, but lately their new watches have been getting functionally (and cosmetically) more and more complex. I always have appreciated their simple masculine looks that weren't trying to hard to be something they were not.

From the a mechanical thermometer, to complex chronographs, and multi-timezone laden watches; Ball does have some interesting offerings. Even the lauded Engineer Master line has been getting visually more complicated. Now Ball has changed directions a bit and taken a bit more of a conservative approach. This is the first watch I have seen from them that takes an aviation approach to styling, though it retains a distinctive "ball" character.

Two major elements of the Ball Engineer Master II Aviator GMT that separate it from different aviator watches are the inclusion of the micro gas tubes and the large red GMT hand. As you likely know, the gas tubes are filled with a harmless (more or less) radioactive compound that is a light source that will last for about 35 years. This way you don't need to "charge" the luminant. Needless to say that Ball watches all have this feature, and are very well suited to night or low light viewing. The Large red 24 hour hand rides along a dedicate dial making it easy to identify the 24 time. For some reason, I feel as though the watch hands are all a bit short, but this is not likely to be an issue for most people.

Powering the Aviator GMT is an ETA 2893, known for being a popular GMT automatic model. It holds up well, and the watch has Ball's usual suite of shock reduction and thick metal on the case. The crystal is sapphire (as it should be), and the case is 44mm wide. I am not exactly in love with the fact that ball didn't opt for a white lettering with black background on the date disc, as it contrasts with the look of the watch normally. Obviously a cost saving technique, nevertheless, the date window is placed well, and the overall price of the watch will not be too high.

Ball aims squarely at the watch enthusiast who is interested in a nice watch, but has no intention of breaking the bank. I like the large button in the strap reminiscent of classic pilot watch straps and the contrasting stitching coloring. Very functional in appearance. Figure $1000-$1,500 for the Ball Engineer Master II Aviator GMT when it his market soon.

See Ball watches on eBay here.

See Ball watches on Amazon here.

Ball Engineer Master 2 II Officer UNWORN NM2038D Mechanical Manual Winding Watch
$1,699.00
Time Remaining: 4h 12m
Buy It Now for only: $2,399.00
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Ball Engineer Hydrocarbon Spacemaster mint condition great price
$1,500.00
Time Remaining: 15h 49m
Buy It Now for only: $2,100.00
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BALL Engineer Master II Diver 300M Wristwatch Box Papers Super Mint
$1,400.00
Time Remaining: 1d 1h 53m

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Ball Engineer Master 2 II Officer UNWORN NM2038D Mechanical Manual Winding Watch
$1,025.00 (26 Bids)
Time Remaining: 1d 8h 16m

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BALL ENGINEER MASTER II DIVER GMT MINT CONDITION
$1,109.14 (23 Bids)
Time Remaining: 2d 18h 15m

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BALL ENGINEER NM1023C Tritium Tubes All Stainless Steel 37mm MENS Watch MINT
$550.00
Time Remaining: 3d 19h 39m

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Written by Mr. Ariel Adams - aBlogtoRead.com, trusted independent watch media.

Review of the Ball Engineer Master II Diver From WatchReport.com

admin — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 17:34:09 +0000

I came across Ball watches when I was looking for something distinctive and unique; something that combines the tradition of a good automatic movement with modern functionality; something that stands out without being ostentatious. The result was the Ball Engineer Master II Diver you see here. Continue reading → Related posts: