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Praesto GMT Watch Review

phubbard — Fri, 26 Nov 2010 10:25:18 +0000

Say hello to the Praesto GMT. We quite liked the Praesto Aviator, and now they've got a GMT watch for us to review. Built on the Shanghai RK4D movement (aka 'Shanghai B'), the GMT is the second watch for the Praesto brand. Praesto is a spin-off effort from the folks at Giovino, who after years of making watches for other people decided to start their own brand. Bravo!

At 48.2mm by 15.8mm, the GMT is large, though with a 24 by 4mm band and 140g mass it still sits well on the wrist. The PVD case and black dial reduce the apparent size a bit, though if you really want subtlety I'd replace the strap with a plain black calfskin.

Case is 316L, PVD plated. Their site claims 45mm but my calipers find it larger, 48mm not counting the crown. This is a pre-production unit, which is why you see a non-coated crystal; the release version will have double-sided, AR-coated sapphire. Water resistance is a versatile 100m with the screw-down crown. Functions include time, 24-hour hand and date. Quickset, handwind and hacking movement with 35 jewels and 42 hour power reserve. As you can see, the hands and dial have generous amounts of SuperLuminova:

The aviation-style hands are very legible indeed, high contrast against the dial and just the right length to not block the 24-hour hand. Though the end of the second hand is painted black; I don't see why as that is quite hard to discern against the dial.

The strap is quite nice, at 4mm thick nicely robust but having enough flex to be immediately comfortable. I'm not as fond of the oversized 'pre-V' buckle style, but it is the same as the Aviator model.

A nice exhibition caseback, showing the PVD'd rotor and movement.

It sits quite well on the wrist, very comfortable.

The case finish is quite good, smooth and even, with a semi-gloss that's somewhere between matte and shiny.

Timekeeping has been fantastic, within 5 seconds a day, and I am most impressed by it. Lume lasts well into the night and my only caveat is that the GMT movement is the home-centric variety, where the 24-hour hand is continuously set, instead of the jumping-hour variety seen in Rolex and Omega. One of these days there'll be a Chinese movement with that, too, I predict; until then this will suffice.

Interestingly, the crown wheel is eccentric, so it puts on a show when you hand wind it. Not that any non-movement-geek will care, of course! Basic, functional finish on the movement, nothing fancy here.

Now that we've discussed the watch, take a guess at cost. The Praesto Aviator is, for comparison purposes, $527 in the PVD version.

(Oh yeah, I should mention that there are orange, blue and black dialled versions available, all in PVD cases.)

The pre-order price is a stunning $180, full list $250. That is one heck of a deal. They describe it as 'The most affordable GMT ever" and if you exclude quartz that's probably not far from the truth. Highly recommended.

Written by Paul Hubbard

Giveaway: Praesto Modern Aviator Watch + Discount

admin — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 07:16:32 +0000

A lot of people have been asking about the new Praesto Modern Aviator watch (also known as a the Modern Fliegeruhr), and here is your chance to win one. I reviewed one myself here. The cool, modern styled timepiece is fitted with a Miyota 8245 automatic movement. The great dial is super easy to read in a 44mm wide steel case. The watch is available with a black or metallic blue dial, and the black dial is offered with a PVD black or bead-blasted finish.

Everyone who enters the giveaway will be given a discount coupon at the end of the giveaway for a Modern Aviator watch is they are not the winner. Â This is a really cool watch, so enter now. Winner gets to choose with model they want to win. You can learn more about the Praesto Modern Aviator watch here. Retail price for it is between $480 - $527.

To Enter You Must:

1. Comment on this post below with your valid e-mail address where required. In the body of your comment mention whether you prefer to buy watches online or in stores, and why.

2. By entering you are opting in to potentially receive occasional watch related news letters or announcements. You may opt out at any time.

3. Wait until the giveaway is over on May 1st, 2010 for the winner to be chosen at random.

A couple of basic rules. You can only enter once. You must comment with a valid e-mail address where you can be reached. Your comment must be confirmed and approved. You must complete the objectives to be considered. You are responsible for providing your contact shipping information if you are chosen. Shipping restrictions to non US entrants may apply based on sponsor's policies. Giveaway watch selection based on sponsor's inventory and watch availability. All comments made after the end of the giveaway period will not be considered. For the full terms and conditions, please click here.

Good luck, and thanks to Prasesto Watches, the sponsor of the Modern Aviator watch giveaway here at aBlogtoRead.com!

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

Praesto Modern Fliegeruhr Watch Review

admin — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 08:12:55 +0000

What do you look for in a watch? Really, think about it. Is it function, design, brand name? I can't necessarily answer that question for myself. I think it personallyÂ depends on many factors, but the previously enumerated considerations are all ones that I ponder carefully before buying a watch. When it comes to a watch from a new or unknown brand it is possible to still be excited because of an innovative design. In that case, I look to relative quality as well as price in making a purchase decision. The idea goes into the greater area of how new brands assert themselves. Praesto is obviously not a name you've likely heard of before, because this is the brand's first watch. So let's check out what they have to offer.

Delving deeper into the watch (aside from lack of brand awareness), there are lots of recognizable elements to the Praesto's watch, namely the designer. I found it also ironic that the American man who designed the Modern Fliegerurhr (aviator watch) is someone that I've worked with in the past. His name is Russ Schwenkler and he is a talented graphic designer and artist who has a thing for watches and high performance machines such as cars or motorcycles. To my knowledge this is the first watch that he designed that has been produced. To sum up the design you needn't look further than the name. "Modern Aviator" is exactly what the watch design is. Look at some classic aviator watches and you can see how Russ spruced them up a bit. The addition of the stencil font for the hours, the skeletonized hands, and balance of items of the face feel fresh and modern - but still an aviator.

The watch dial uses the basic principle that the hour hand should connect with the hours and the minute hand should connect with the minutes. As such, it does this. Meaning that the hours are indicated on the smaller inner ring. The design looks very coherent and attraction. It is very functional as well, but the little lines placedÂ between the hours are spurious and confusing a bit. In your mind you want them to be where something starts or ends, whereas they are actually placed at half-hour intervals. They are placed for aesthetic purposes only as far as I can tell. Perhaps Russ can school me on this if I am incorrect.

It is hard to dislike the skeletonized by lume coated hands. Not only do they look cool, but they are sized properly. I applaud this as you know short hands irk me. One of the most intelligent aspects of the design is the eccentric subsidiary seconds dial. The placement of it is unique,Â and adds a new layer of technical and visual interest. It might have been tough for Praesto to place the subdial in this spot - not sure if the movement was designed in that manner. The subsidiary seconds dial has a double sided hand with the orange section acting as a counterweight. It is a nifty look and the orange adds to the modern feel. On this model you have an easy on the eyes metallic blue dial with a light sunburst polish to it. There is also a black dial available - though I found it hard to resist the unique blue version. Lume is applied to most all important parts of the dial as you can see from the image. The design of the dial does not allow for the thickest application of lume, but the watch does have SuperLumiNova that gives it as bight a look as is possible with some charging in the light. Overall I give high marks to the dialÂ as it totally makes the watch what it is, and is going to be the reason why people are going to get themselves a Modern Fliegeruhr watch.

The timepiece comes in a 44mm wide steel case. Most of the case has a bead-blasted finish, which the bezel is brushed. With the screw-down caseback and screw-in crown, the case is water resistant to 200 meters and has a sapphire crystal. The fact that the people behind Praesto have been making watches for others for years shows as the overall execution and finish of the watch is good. It is sometimes common for newer brands to have "refinement" issues, not really here. The rear of the case is more or less flat, which the lugs are curved. It makes for a relatively secure and comfortable fit on the wrist. The crown of the watch has a nice Praesto "P" logo engraved in it.

Powering the watch is a Japanese Miyota 8245 automatic movement that offers hand-winding (not something to take for granted in all Japanese automatic movements). The 24mm wideÂ watch strap is a thicker leather, with aÂ wrinkled texture on it andÂ white stitching.Â I like the "mini Panerai" style buckleÂ with the Praesto name engraved on it.Â In my opinion the strap isÂ a better fit with theÂ two other versions of the Modern Aviator - as itÂ also comes in a black dial or black dial with PVD black case version. For the blue dial, I am considering what other straps might look goodÂ with the watch. I am thinking about a blue rubber strap that will match the modernÂ sportiness (and color) of the dial more.

Praesto offers the watch as a limited edition of 100 pieces for each style (total of 300 pieces). It comes with a branded cleaning cloth and nice roll pouch. There really isn't much like it out there and I think it is a great first exploit for the designer. I have a feeling that he willÂ be responsible forÂ additionalÂ interesting watches in the future. He will also likely work with Praesto on future watches as the brand matures. Price for this Modern Fliegeruhr is $480, and for the PVD coated version it is $527.

Learn more about the Praesto Modern Fliegeruhr orÂ get one here.

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

Praesto Modern Fliegeruhr Aviator Watch Coming Soon

admin — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 08:19:52 +0000

I think a revolution in watch making is finally due. The being the official legitimate entrance of the quality Chinese watch maker. "But the Chinese have been making watches, and watch parts for years" you say. Yes, but how many Chinese watch brands do you know of? Just a scant few. Sea-Gull is one of them, but really who else that you'd take seriously? Over the last few years some of the major Chinese watch makers who have been making the parts in other popular watches have decided that they need to get into the game of having their own brands. It is a totally novel concept for them because most Chinese watches are labeled as something else. Be it a legitimate foreign company or a knock-off of something else. The next obvious step for China is to have more actual brands that non Chinese people want to buy. These fledgling companies still have a lot to work out, but here is a timepiece from a new brand called Praesto that I think you'll really enjoy, the modern looking Praesto Fliegeruhr Aviator watch.

Chinese movement maker's aren't up to snuff with their European or Japanese counterparts. They will catch up eventually, but until then they realize the need to use foreign movements . So this watch uses an automatic Japanese Miyota 8245 movement. The movement is hardy and does its job well. There is some decoration on on it and I am glad that Praesto chose an automatic, because I am sorta sick of good looking aviator watches with manually-would movement. I simply prefer the convenience of an automatic.

The watch has two case options. Both are 44mm wide in grade 316L steel, while one is in black PVD. The PVD version has the dark gray face, whileÂ the lovely blue face is available in the bead-blasted steel case only. Praesto even threw in a screw-down crown that feels like a hybrid between the new, and the old-style aviator watch crowns. Little touches all over the watch signal a dedication not only to quality, but to use watch enthusiasts that know what we are looking for. Therefore, the watch uses an anti-reflective coated sapphire crystal, LUM-TEC's special MDV lume on the hands and dial, and a clean, easy to read dial that is the best part of the whole package. The case is 200 meters water resistant, and comes with a contrast stitching leather strap.

Both dial colors are really choice, it just depends on what you like more. I included a diagram from Praesto that explains the look of the dial more. In classic aviator style, the hours and minutes are switched in their layout on the dial that better reflects how you read the time of a watch. The stenciled font used is a cute touch that I, and most of you will likely appreciate. The asymmetric placement of the subsidiary seconds dial adds visual interest to the dial, and gives the timepiece a unique character. Also, the skeletonized hands give the dial a fun and functional feel. Unlike most other Chinese watches, I can honestly say that the Fliegeruhr watch design is not one that I feel as though I have seen elsewhere. Instead, you get how it works right away, but it feels special. Praseto did borrow the "Fliegeruhr" name from some other German aviator watches, but they are allowed to do that. I think it is actually funny. To see a modern Chinese watch with an old sounding German name.

The timepiece design is actually American. The person who designed it is a great designer who I've worked with myself named Russ Schwenkler, you can check out his site right here. Russ has a good eye for watches and other fashionable/functional machines such as cars and motorcycles.

The watch is available as part of a limited edition only; 300 total pieces with 100 pieces in each style. You can preorder the watch for a handsome discount as the watch is due for arrival in about November/December 2009. The base price is between about $480 - $530, but you can get 25% off plus other perks for pre ordering. You'll a volume discount for more watches (another 5% off for two watches, and then you'll get free shipping if you get three). Praesto will also throw in a T-shirt. Not that you really want the T-shirt, but how often do you refuse a T-shirt?

To buy or learn more, check out Praesto here.

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