aBlogtoRead.com » Bad Idea Award

Hideous Melding Of Mobile Phone, Mechanical Watches, And Painful Design: The Mobiado Professional 105GMT Gold Discovery Phone

admin — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 12:07:03 +0000

What do you get when you try too hard to make a luxury mobile phone that stands out? In fact, what do you get when you try too hard to make just a luxury mobile phone? Most of the time it is some hideous creation that excels at delivering a sub par technological device in an expensive skin. So if you want to spend big bucks on a luxury phone, you can have a device that is probably antiquated before it reaches market, and is covered in gems, gold, and other gaudy looking essentials. The message no one seems to be getting is that mobile phones are mostly a commodity because technological changes and advancements require an upgrade every 12-24 months. Stick luxury watches, those can last for generations - literally.

Still, there are a slew of "successful" luxury phones out there. Vertu is one of them, as well as the Tag Heuer Meridist. There are also Nokia's line of "fashionable" phones that come with hefty style premiums. These phones do well in limited markets, especially among those are are more interested in phones being fashion icons rather than productivity tools. As such, a luxury phone needs to look nice, and be nice to the touch. The materials it uses are important, but overall it is the user experience that is key to pushing a product.

The shortcoming of most luxury phones is that they use very complex and expensive materials. The rationale? The expensive watch market puts a premium both in price and prestige on use of exotic materials. Because it works there, and presumably there is a market overlap between luxury watch buyers and luxury phone buyers, it seems like a good idea to use exotic and very expensive materials on luxury phones. The reason this unwise, is that it dramatically increases the price, does not seem to be valued much by mobile phone consumers, and is placed on an item with a very limited useful life. Like I said, nice watch can literally last you generations. A luxury phone will last maybe a few years max. Thus, it makes more sense to spend a lot on a luxury watch than phone.

So the subject of this discussion is the Professional 105GMT Gold Discovery phone from Russian based luxury phone maker Mobiado. Funny enough, I hear that their phones aren't even sold in Russia. Further, I have no idea exactly what is supposed to be professional about this? Mobiado seems to have a mission to take a bunch of fancy materials and make a phone out of them. While they have succeeded in this, the sum of the parts is seemingly cheaper than the parts individually. So I'll talk about the good aspects of the phone first; the bad aspects should be obvious.

The gold you see on the case is gold plated (base is brass). The case is also offered in a gun metal version (screws are gun metal too), which is just specially treated steel. The dark parts of the case are Ebony wood with thin layers of synthetic sapphire crystal over them. This is the same type of sapphire crystal used on watch faces. It is very strong and doesn't scratch, and probably forces the phone to weight a lot. There are also diamonds around the watch faces. They aren't particularly well placed, but they are real diamonds. Though I do get a distinct low-end blingy feel from this phone.

The phone is also a "world phone," and pretty flexible. With quad-band GSM and WCDMA (world CDMA), this phone should work on just about every network or carrier; great so that you can appear in absolute fashion disarray from the cities of Africa to the suburbs of Korea. This item represents one of the few hybrid GSM/CDMA phones out there, and you'll certainly be paying for it...in money and dignity. The phone also has 3G connection. Otherwise the operating system seems to be some Symbian derivative. Nokia's Symbian OS is a really functional and flexible OS, but the version in this phone just seems totally outdated from a UI standpoint. Further, the mediocre small screen (two inches) is probably not the best to look at, but adequate. Inside it has enough stuff to offer decent functionality. Nothing better than a decent free phone from your local carrier.

You then have the oddly incorporated watches. Two automatic mechanical Swiss watch movements are in a section at the bottom of the phone. I don't even think the phone will get enough movement in your pocket to keep the movements wound. Why are these there? Mobiado says to add two time zones, but really it was just something to add. The mechanical movements are likely ETA 2824-2 movements, or something of the sort. Beyond being gold plated (or simply gold toned), they are not decorated at all really. The faces are skeletonized, which in this case just mean there is no dial. The hands are pretty boring, nothing special, and the placement of the diamond hour markers feels awkward. This is not a watch lover's timepiece-phone. Between the two watch faces is an "M" shaped diamond cluster. This is backlit when the keyboard lights up. The keyboard itself features those tiny keys that everyone hates to press. Nothing comfortable there.

You can go to www.Mobiado.com if you want to learn more about the technical details. My feelings are that the Professional 105GMT Gold phone is pretty hideous looking. For lack of a better term, there simply is no design. The elements are just thrown together symmetrically. This phone is in all senses, as ugly at the large brick cellulars phones from the late 1980s, just with a different look. It isn't ergonomic, it doesn't offer anything special in terms of technology, and once the tech life is out dated, you simply have an expensive paper weight. The company offers other ugly models, but this model wins for being the most hideous. For these reasons I am giving this item the aBlogtoRead.com Bad Idea Award. Price? At least $5,000.

See Vertu, Tag Heuer, and Mobiado phones on eBay here.

See luxury mobile phones on Amazon here.

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

Explaining The aBlogtoRead.com Good Value, Bad Idea, And Seal Of Approval Award System

admin — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 10:15:03 +0000

New feature starting today on aBlogtoRead.com. You'll begin to see some award icons on select posts. The system is meant to place emphasis on various products, brands, services, events, innovations, etc... that represent one of three ideals. I am going to be selective when it comes to awarding these icons, so just because an article doesn't have an icon, does not mean it wouldn't necessarily deserve such an award.

Now lets become acquainted with the three new icons that you'll begin to see on aBlogtoRead.com. Note that I am also going to slowly revisit existing articles and award the icons where appropriate.

The first icon award is the most straight forward. The "Good Value" Award will be merited when something offers a lot for what it costs. It is not necessarily about something being inexpensive, but rather representing a good value in comparison with the competition and items within the price range. Thus, a $50 watch might not be a good value, because you can get the same for $25. Along the same lines a $50,000 watch could be a good value because you can't find the same features or level of craftsmanship in watches at that price level and would have to spend much more for something similar.

It is also worth noting that a good value can also be achieved based on an item's market price. Say for example that a watch retails at $1,000 and would be appropriate for that price given the quality, etc... If an available price for the watch on the market is significantly less, that price instance could merit a Good Value Award. This will come in a variety of circumstances and may include a one time deal where a watch can be purchased on eBay for a good value, or an ongoing market price that can be enjoyed through any number of retailers. Overall, if you see something with a Good Value Award, you can be sure that if you spend the money, you will feel as though you received a great deal.

The next icon is the Seal of Approval Award. The origin of this award stems from my picky nature and the trust that the people in my life have in my taste, as well as my position as someone who 'knows enough about watches' to make a value judgment. My seal of approval designates that something is so impressive, I cannot help but elaborate my sentiments through the gifting of an symbolic award.

A lot of things can merit such a seal; and like the Good Value Award, it is not necessarily an item, but it could be an event, action, brand, occurrence or otherwise. If you see a Seal of Approval award, it means that I fully endorse the subject of the article without any major reservations. While you are free to disagree with my opinions, you can be sure that I put time and thought in to evaluating the subject matter to make sure it is impressively outstanding enough. A Seal of Approval on a watch usually means it is certainly worth owning, if you can afford it and appreciate its qualities.

With all this praise must be an indication of dismay. The Bad Idea Award is my Orwellian manner of disapproval. Something is very wrong with the item or event that receives this award. While the item might not be wholly bad, there is at least one significant flaw or problem with it. Usually this flaw is so bad, that I would caution against purchase. It is OK if you get it for free. The bad idea element might manifest itself in various forms. It might be a quality or aesthetic element. It might be a functionality problem, or an exaggeration in asking price so extreme it should be protested. Bad Idea Award articles are usually imbued with a degree of humor (unless it was myself who had to experience the 'pain' first hand). This is so to help you smirk at the follies of others. When you see a Bad Idea Award it is usually worth your time to read about my thoughts as you will be enlightened and entertained, as well as warned to stay clear of something worth avoiding.

To help you keep up with all the new awards given, see the "Good Value Award," "Seal of Approval Award," and "Bad Idea Award" Categories located on the right column. Clicking on the category itself will give you a list of all the articles that contain the award.

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

Marc Ecko Master Of Possibilities Watch Is Master Of Bad Taste: 12 Ways To Look Unrefined

admin — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 17:26:22 +0000

I have decided that Marc Ecko needs to stay out of the watch design world. The newest release from the 'urban' themed design appears to be a compromise of tastes. The compromise being, that they could not decide which watch look was the worst, so they included them all. Twelve hideous looking bezel options provide a frame for an unattractive watch that is cheap looking bling extraordinaire.

The Marc Ecko Master of Possibilities watches begins with what is essentially a good idea; the ability for the user to change the look of the watch. And 12 options is a nice touch, all in a gaudy box. But merely having a lot of options alone is not enough. Those options needs to have at least a few good choices. These options defy class and refinement. The metal work is equally cheap. Notice the inexpensive chroming on the watch and the bezels. You see, real chroming is a special chemical polish that gives metal a high gloss. It is a time consuming and rewarding ordeal. Cheap chroming takes cheap steel, and coats in in further cheap materials. The result is a "chrome-looking" appearance that is satisfactory to a 4 year old, or a bird that is attracted to shiny objects. The crafting on the Master of Possibilities watches is pretty lame, even for fashion watch standards. But lets say I am wrong, and the polish is world class, you then just have the world class ugly designs to deal with.

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Before moving on to 12 rings of calamitous aesthetic, lets look at the watch itself. An almost tawdry looking quartz movement based chronograph that is barely legible underneath all the pseudo-glitz. The hands are so small, I can barely view them, and the menage of polishes and textures just really doesn't do it for me. If you say that I am making a judgment call about the design, well I am. And in my humble opinion, it is ugly.

Apparently, parts of the watch are plated with real rose gold. That will just increase the cost of what should have been an uber budget watch. Just look at those bezel options! You'd be embarrassed if any of them were rim design on your car. At least I hope you would be. You know, it is possible that a few of them, alone are ok, but together like that, I simply cringe. This whole set is just god awful, and if you have any desire to appear to have taste of values, please don't find yourself attracted to it in any corporal manner.

See Marc Ecko watches on eBay here.

See Marc Ecko watches on Amazon here.

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

Jaeger LeCoultre Asks You A Dumb Question; Offers A Nonsense Response

admin — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 17:01:56 +0000

"Hi, how's it going?"

"Just fine sir, care to view any fine Jaeger LeCoultre timepieces today?"

"Well, I don't know. What makes these.... Jaeger LeCoultre watches.... better than what I've got now?"

(sigh) "Sir... these are what we call, 'real watches.' A a Jaeger LeCoultre watch represents an accomplishment combining elegance and discretion with a natural aura of serene confidence."

(blank stare). "I don't.... What exactly does that mean?"

"It doesn't matter what it means sir. I'm telling you, as I have been told, that it is the appropriate response to these... questions..."

Yea, I don't know what Jaeger LeCoultre was thinking behind this new idiotic marketing direction which is aimed squarely at one response from consumer. "Wait, what is Jaeger LeCoultre saying?" Self admittedly, Jaeger LeCoultre is stating that there seems to be some problem in the consumer's perception of the brand. So when you are checking out their advertisements, of course you aren't going to focus on the watch, but rather this relatively insulting question.

I personally have never worn a real watch. All this time I've gotten along quite well with cardboard cutouts on my wrist that keep excellent time twice a day. Being under the perception that I was a watch lover, I am saddened to learn that I don't know what a real watch is, nor that I am wearing one.

In one fell swoop of poor articulated words, Jaeger LeCoultre insults the majority of watch owners out there and every other watch company in the industry. Working with world renowned marketing/ad agency DDB, Jaeger LeCoultre probably walked into their offices saying, "people are buying more mechanical watches, but our sales aren't up proportionally with the increased demand. Here is a million euros, do something."

Not being business idiots and specializing in marketing. DDB did what they do best and took the job. Most people in the world who aren't watch lovers, don't really understand the watch industry. And that goes for DDB as well. With no offense intended, I find that the vast majority of PR and marketing firms don't know squat about watches, and just place them in the sale category as fashion and jewelry. For this reason, we are blessed with the ad copy dribble that stands for most watch industry marketing materials. When will they ever learn? I posit that there is no cure in sight.

Please try reading the words that accompany the pictures of watches you pick up catalogs to look at, or on websites. Utterly indecipherable much of the time. Like a code that makes you solves riddles to figure out basic items that make a watch desirable. I'm glad that a 1000 labors worked for a 1000 to perfect the sheen on the watch case, but what movement does it have? I've actually experienced sales people at watch retailed locations pulling out "the big book" that is supposed to have the information in it. The tome is hauled up on the display case. Dust is blown off, and the poor sap looking through the pages is annoyed themselves that none of this information is easily to find. It would be like going car shopping and the sales person calling the factory to determine what type of engine the car has. "There is a guy from corporate that might now. I can give you his phone number." Oh no, you've done quite enough, I won't trouble your overburdened company for any more basic information.

Perhaps I should find a couple of Jaeger LeCoultre sales people and ask them what makes their watches "real?" Those would be some interesting answers, lathered with a thick coating of, "who are you to ask" and a layer of "if you have enough money to buy one of these watches you really shouldn't care." Ahh...sales...

I think I might just do that. At least to prove to myself how ill conceived this entire new circus act of a marketing slogan campaign is. The people who spend a lot of money on nice watches at this level tend to oversee Rolex for something more interesting and unique. They focus on looks, features, and tangible benefits in a watch. The "have you ever worn a real watch" concept might temporarily catch the attention of someone who doesn't know anything about watches, but not long enough to purchase, and certainly not enough to garner credibility in the eyes of anyone who might actually buy a Jaeger LeCoultre.

So for these reasons, "have you ever worn a real watch" is a dumb question. And the response offered by Jaeger LeCoultre makes no sense. In fact, I can't determine if there is really a response at all. A question akin to some hallucinogenically derived postulate about existence itself that has about as much of a good answer as does something like "do we ever really live?" and "can enough money really ever buy a good advertising campaign?"

See Jaeger LeCoultre watches on eBay here.

See Jaeger LeCoultre watches on Amazon here.

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

Experience With the Hamilton Khaki Below Zero Chronograph Watch Reveals A Fatal Flaw

admin — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 18:06:11 +0000

One of the reasons that I like watches so much, is that I appreciate machines, or devices otherwise, that are well engineered to perform some task (well), no matter how simple. This is why we have love for sports cars, high-end audio and visual equipment, and countless other "devices;" because we appreciate the fact that they do what they were designed to do so well. For many of us, it is a life long appreciation of fine engineering.

In regard to watches, I appreciate function over form almost all of the time. That is not to say I will fawn over an ugly watches, but I will always find beauty in mechanical perfection. Conversely, when a watch focuses on looks to an extent it impedes or negatively effects function, I find the value lacking. So what is the result when a watch focuses on looks over function, to an extent that is almost silly? Honestly? I get angry.

I really liked the looks of the new Hamilton Below Zero watch series. I wrote about the three hand Below Zero model when it came out, and the Below Zero Chronograph. I realized that watch had potential based on the looks, but that is not all there is too it. A watch is meant to do something, not just simply look good. So living with the Hamilton Below Zero should mean that you can fully utilize its functions. At least that is what I thought.

Recently I had an opportunity to play with both the three hand and chronograph Below Zero models. The watch is nice and large, and looks rugged and stylish on the wrist, especially the three hand model. Hamilton is owned by the Swatch Group, and is really their "entry-level" nice watch. That is why the Hamilton line always has a broad range of designs in addition to its military inspired Khaki series.

Entry level is still not cheap for most people. Keep in mind that the retail price of the rose gold plated version is $2250 plus, so a problem of this magnitude in a watch at this price is inexcusable. Honestly Hamilton, what went wrong here?

You might have figured out the problem looking at the face of the chronograph. Although the watch contains the popular Valjoux 7750 automatic chronograph movement, Hamilton removes one of the chronograph counters (sub dials). It does this to allow space for the logo in the top center of the watch. The diagram of the typical functions of the Valjoux 7750 movement indicate that this is where the minutes counter of the chronograph lies. Meaning, this is where you can tell the elapsed minutes. The large seconds hand on the main dial indicates elapsed seconds, which the lower subdial is used to measure the hours (up to 12). Lastly, the left subsidiary dial is used for the seconds of the watch itself. In the right is a day and date display. While watch makers are free to change this around a bit, this is the full functionality of your standard Valjoux 7750.

So what does Hamilton do? They remove the minutes counter? That's right, the "working" chronograph cannot count minutes. It counts seconds and hours. This is like having a car, with a speedometer that only measures 1mph, 50mph, and 100mph. That really isn't going to be very useful for most people. Sitting there using the chronograph of the watch, I was in absolute disbelief. The store clerk didn't have much to comment except, "you know, most people don't even use the chronograph." That might be true, but if you are going to get a chronograph watch, it should at least work if and when you want to use it. I can't stress enough how much this angers me. Would this still anger me in a $100 watch? Yea, it would, but not nearly to the extent it does in a watch that costs over $2,000. Am I justified in being this irate over it? I would honestly think negatively upon the powers of perception of any person who got this watch. To own such a machine with complete disregard for its function. Let me say it again, the chronograph complication on the Hamilton Below Zero Ref. H78646733 is virtually useless, a mockery to watch lovers, and an insult to a potential owner.

I invite you to disagree with me, or think me anal in my analysis. This is one man's opinion about the machines he loves. Perhaps I should laugh it off, and veer from watches like this. But consider yourself the type who simply trusts that your new $2,500 watch will be on par with other $2,500 watches. Perhaps you received it as a gift from someone who didn't really take the time to think about it. This is plausible. You happily adorn your new watch only to realize the designers screwed you over. You don't spend this kind of money on watches for these disappointing surprises. What is the message you are trying to send here Hamilton? Buyer beware? No one purchasing from the Swatch Group should have to struggle with caveat emptor. If you buy a nice watch, you should never have to worry about it being designed by a complete moron.

It is not as though Hamilton had no choice either. There are plenty of other configurations that would have worked fine, and if they wanted to remove a counter to leave space for the logo, they could have simply moved the minute counter to the bottom, and make the watch a 30 minute chronograph versus a 12 hour one. But no, we are stuck with this. my faith in the management is severely rocked right now.

I make no judgments about other Hamilton watches, most of them are quite splendid and nice to own. Though now I will sit there and test each watch before buying it to make sure the watch maker inserted all the necessary hands.

See Hamilton Khaki watches on eBay here.

See Hamilton Khaki watches on Amazon here.

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AUTHENTIC BRAND NEW HAMILTON KHAKI FIELD AUTOMATIC MENS WATCH H70515137
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Written by Mr. Ariel Adams - aBlogtoRead.com, trusted independent watch media.

Customized Vacheron Constantin Quai de l’Ile Collection Makes Me Sigh With Despair At The Sheer Pointlessness Of Message Behind This Watch

admin — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 09:48:42 +0000

Do you recall thinking how dumb it was to combine a toaster oven and a radio? Perhaps it could have some conceivable space saving use; but really, What is the point? To prove it can be done? If you haven't heard of concept, it stems from the idea of unnecessary convergence products. You see combinations of products like this all the time, and sometimes they make more sense than others. Other times however, the whole idea is so repugnant both visually and in execution, that it just makes you upset. Not upset at the idea itself, that is all fun and games, but combining X and Y would be cool! Rather, what is disturbing is the notion that a dedicated group of otherwise intelligent people sat down for months designing, engineering, and executing a monstrosity. Having said that, the following is my perception and opinion of the new Vacheron Constanin Quai de l'Ile collection, which follows this theme.

It is important to state that for the most part, I really like Vacheron Constantin as a brand. They have been around a long time in one form or another, and release some really attractive watches for the high-market watch consumer world. I don't know what inspired them to create the Quai de l'Ile collection, but I hope it is damned to eternity.

Lets start off explaining what the collection is. And this might take a while. So if you feel the need to stop and say, "wait, why did they do that? That doesn't really make sense." You can do so. The watches combine three main things. Haute horologie with in-house movements, manufacturer customizable watches, and passports. There are two base movements to choose from. A standard three-hand model with the date, and a calendar model with a power reserve. Other than the fact that they are in-house Vacheron Constantin movements, there is nothing to be excited about here.

Next is the customization. Each watch has various pieces that are customizable, which Vacheron Constantin will do for the customer. You need to go to one of 100 points of purchases around the world to do this, which actually makes no sense as you just sit there and use a computer tablet to choose everything. You could just as easily do it from your home. But why do that when you can fly to Geneva to use their computer, and have a snobby "brand consultant" explain how people of your ilk lack appreciation for the finer things in life? Other than engraving your name on the back of the watch, your choices are pretty simple. There are three different case materials (rose-gold, palladium, and titanium), which you can mix and match on the seven main pieces that make up the case. For the face, you have a few options, and of course there are various strap options. Vacheron Constantin likes to boast that there are over 400 possible combinations, which utterly does not excite me. As though the user is engaging in a total leap of personal creativity by making these simple decisions. I am not impressed. No matter what changes you make to the case, it still basically looks the same.

Actually, the Vacheron Constantin Quai de l'Ile watch case is quite attractive. It is the face which is ugly as sin. I don't know that the case really benefits too much from these options, but its not too bad as a base. The face on the other hand tries to be too much. It is cluttered without having much function, and the transparency makes it look confused and really not well designed. Part of this has to do with Vacheron Constantin trying to appeal to a less aged market, with a "sporty new look" (at which they failed), and the other reason for this has to do with the "security" features of the watch. Then again, I don't see any sport in the watch. I just see a lot of retro 50's design accents and sunbursts. The design of the semi-transparent face over the skeletonized movement looks like a snowy TV screen. It's just awful on the eyes. There is next to no elegance in the face or hands at all. Just look at those standard hands. Why would anyone pay upwards of $40,000 for such simple and uninteresting hands. What gives Vacheron Constantin?

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I am going to sum up what I feel about the customization in this watch by referring to the reason anyone spends a lot of money on a watch. Money well spent goes for a really nice design, created by a really good designer. No one is going to spend $20,000 plus for a watch designed by me, so why am I being asked to spend this (and a lot more) for a watch "customized by me." I pay good money for expert advice. I want a damn nice watch specially crafted to be that way, not a bunch of silly options like "titanium or rose gold?" You know what my response would be? "Whatever looks better, duh." Watches are like art, and I pay for artistic and engineering talent. Not some gimmicky way of making a watch more personalized. I like the rear engraving option, but there is nothing novel about that. Basically this whole customization thing really feels arbitrary and self defeating.

So the next part of the watch is the really weird part. The "passport angle." For whatever reason, Vacheron Constantin felt there was not enough "security" their watches. So they hired the same guy who designed the Swiss passport to "protect" the Quai de l'Ile. What does this mean? Basically you get a passport with the watch, that "cannot be copied!" You also get features in the watch face that make it really hard to duplicate, such as micro printing, patterns, and images only seen in special lights. Okay fine; Vacheron Constantin congratulations, you've made a passport and watch face that cannot be reproduced for the most part. What is next for you? Don't you see the mere novelty in this and practically no usefulness. It will be a cool thing for about 10 minutes. You store the watch passport away, and cannot even really see the security features on the watch anyway. It is just another gimmick. I thought people with this type of cash to burn on watches thought about these things? I get the concept, I really do. I am just not sold. But then again, there are those few times during your life when the watch needs servicing, and you'll send it to Vacheron Constantin who will certainly check for its authenticity!

I am not going to spend a lot of time talking about the passport derived features of this watch. It is obvious that I don't care about them, and it adds no utility to this watch, nor does it make the watch look nicer. Just the opposite, and the watch looks like the terrible result of an argument between an engineer and an accountant paranoid people making knockoffs. All this time the designer is on vacation. Looking at this watch makes me think I am having vision problems! Trust me, I have seem the Quai de l'Ile watches in person, they don't look any better in reality than they do in pictures.

If you want to learn more about the whole watch passport that comes with the purchase, or the little watermarks and things on the watch that are hard to copy, go right ahead. It is all rather pointless to me to be honest. Who will want to copy this watch anyways? Ok, so you have a "personalized" watch, and you want to make sure no one copies it. It doesn't really look nice enough to copy in the first place. Next, the type of people that buy watches like this aren't going to get one off the street in China or on some knock off website. Like I have said before, the people who buy $200 fake watches are not the same people who could ever afford the real thing. So Vacheron Constantin isn't trying to protect a market. Maybe someone else can explain it to me, as this level of sophistication seems to be lost on me.

So what are we left with? A brand with a history of some really nice watches that in my opinion made a big mistake here. No doubt that the Quai de l'Ile watches will be high quality and decently put together. I don't deny that. What I cannot understand is where the real value is, where the appeal is, where the aesthetic is, and exactly who is interested in these watches. Vacheron Constantin remarks that they are attempting to target a younger market with the Quai de l'Ile, but I am part of the younger market and they threw a total air ball on me. But hey, you never know, these watches might become a hit. I'd find a lot more to like about them if the dial matched the grace of the case, or if the novelty features at least made me think, "cool" for more than millisecond. But they don't I am forced to shun this poor franken-watch in its lonely pursuit to find affection.

For the record, if you want a decent customizable watch, you can get one with far more options than the Quai de l'Ile at 121Time.com for a few hundred bucks. More high-end customizable, but cheaper than Vacheron Constantin watch can able be found at Blancier.

You have to check out this article explaining the Vacheron Constantin Quai de l'Ile watches more in depth at Europa Star. This article not only drips with the odor of marketing writing spew, but you can almost feel a succubus draining every ounce of dignity from the poor sap whose job it was to type out this barely digestible article more concerned with licking the ass of some executive at Vacheron Constantin than providing even an iota of value for the reader.

See Vacheron Constantin watches on eBay here.

See Vacheron Constantin watches on Amazon here.

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18 kt Gold Vintage Vacheron Constantin Patrimony Mens Watch circa 1967
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Aquanautic Manages To Create Hole, Then Fill It With The New Diving Tourbillon Monopusher Chronograph Watch

admin — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 20:07:42 +0000

Today I'm filled with cynicism and Aquanautic is just feeding into it. I really don't have a problem with brands like Aquanautic that seem to appear from the ether with gaudily appointed watches, but when such pointless models come out assaulting my sense of reason, I am forced to step back a few paces back and question their motives.

Aquanautic seems to have one major goal, create and market expensive diving themed watches for people who really don't care much about watches, but perhaps want appear to care about watches. The brand has no real history, and a name which is an adjective; "having the quality of traveling in the water." It is all pretty thin. At least they could have used a noun for a name. Basically you just get a bunch of precious metals, some fancy complications, more adjectives, and throw them in a blender; I suppose in this case a sea cyclone. The result is a mishmash of concepts (literally and figuratively) and you have the Aquanautic Diving Tourbillon Monopusher Chronograph.

So lets see what we have here. A large, no make that really large 52mm rose gold case (that'll set you back at least $30,000 right there alone), that has titanium and PVD coated steel in the mix. The strap is rubber, and the internals are a complex tourbillon chronograph movement sourced from, well someone else (BNB actually). The watch is rated to dive to 300 meters, though no one will likely ever dive with one of these massive watches. The face of the watch is a complex skeletonized look, with a pattern that appears to be a straight on look at a submarine complete with the observation deck. Cute touch, if it didn't take away so much from the legibility. The amalgamation of lines and angles, and everything else going on with the watch is just too much for anyone to focus on any one feature. Personally, my take on the face design is similar to a train wreck, I can't stop looking at it, but only because it is a terrible tragedy. No doubt some people will appreciate the watch for its brazen ostentatious demeanor, but those with taste just may cower from the sheer overwhelming eyesore which is this Aquanautic watch.

Adding insult to injury is the fact that tourbillon watches for the most part are pure novelties, adding little real function to watches. Yet this "diving" watch, has a tourbillon complication feature that really keeps you from ever diving with it. The whole point of a monopusher (one button) chronograph is to have one button in the crown, yet clearly this watch has a pusher and the crown. So the point is lost. Was there something wrong with a standard chronograph? While the watch technically does all that it is supposed to accomplish, I just ask, "why?" Who asked for a watch like this? Who are these over-funded individuals who simply want a watch that has a fancy sounding name, looks giant on your wrist, and has the same level of practicality that a convertible has on the moon?

Aquanautic's product design team must have an "if we build it, they will come" motivational theme. They don't seem to care if their products make sense, look good, or are affordable. I am actually scared to consider what the Aquanautic Diver Tourbillon Monopusher Chronograph will cost. Easily north of $50k, likely higher, and for that price it will need to stay in the family for generations to come, as no one will ever wish take it off your hands.

On the plus side, the watch does tell the time, and features an automatic movement with a 5 day power reserve, which is cool, not unique to this watch, but nice to have. I'm just going to flat out say it, this watch is an ugly eyesore. Other Aquanautic watches do fill some interesting niches, but this Diver Tourbillon is clearly meant to fill a void that it creates when it enters a room (and everyone else leaves).

See Aquanautic watches on eBay here.

See Aquanautic watches on Amazon here.

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

Zenith Mega Port Royal Tourbillon Watch: Expensive Answer To Question No One Asked

admin — Thu, 01 May 2008 00:14:05 +0000

Say, why don't they have a jumbo sized square tourbillon watch with cage bars on the crystal? Oh, well Zenith does, and this odd homage to goth time-telling befuddles my sense of association. On the one hand, you have the underpinnings of a high-quality Zenith Port Royal watch. This handsome tank watch is a modern interpretation of the classic rectangular watch look. On the other hand... you have a black titanium cage.

Do you recall the 1980's when those rubber watch protectors were popular? You know, on Swatch watches and others. Yea, wasn't that cool? Little rubber straps that curled over the face of the watch (only partially obstructing the view) that came in tons of (neon) colors. I sure was styling back then, I even wore several of them on my wrist at once!

Well the point of protecting the crystal of watch apparently has been lost, until now, when Zenith reintroduced the cage look. So the perception of watch protection is back, and in a big (and ugly) way. Look at those ridiculous bars on the surface, surely nothing can harm the precious sapphire crystal now. It only takes about 5 times as long to figure out what time it is, and you get to look ridiculous angling your watch around read it with any precision.

Forget using the chronograph with the inhibited visibility that the cage provides. Or even really being able to view the tourbillon. The only purpose of the tourbillon is interesting to look at. Now, even that limited benefit of having a super expensive movement is degraded by security beams bolted to the front of the Zenith Mega Port Royal Tourbillon. Even the large amount of spacial real estate on 40x57mm case doesn't do too much to help with being able to see the hands underneath.

One has to ask the question, do these thick black bars really do anything beneficial for the Mega Port Royal watch. Is a large, square, modern looking chronograph with a tourbillon movement unappealing alone? Visually remove the bars over the watch and I think you will agree it is much nicer (and doesn't lose anything). Further, unless you are a hardcore goth dresser, with a lots of expendable cash, who is this watch supposed to appeal to? In other words, it looks cool for what it is, but what is it?

Other than this glaring oddity, the Zenith Mega Port Royal Tourbillon is admirable watch. An automatic movement with a 55 hour power reserve with a power reserve indicator, a chronograph measuring 1/10 of a second intervals, a bi-directional rotor, and black titanium case make for something impressive (but then again there is the cage). The good news is that this is not the only Zenith Port Royal watch out there. Other models lack the cage look (how sad right?) and present a much better watch that could actually be described as handsome. Lets just hope the cage look does not start to appear on other new watches.

See Zenith watches on eBay here.

See Zenith watches on Amazon here.

NOS GOLD Zenith PORT ROYAL 200010490 495 +Bracelet
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ZENITH El Primero Steel Watch Band 20mm New
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Written by Mr. Ariel Adams - aBlogtoRead.com, trusted independent watch media.

Concord C1 Chronograph Watch Design Critique: Mistake Of Form Over Function

admin — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 19:44:13 +0000

A good deal of thought goes into the design of most watches. The result must be a blend of attractive visual elements combined with the features necessary for the watch to adequately tell the time. There is no "correct" way to do this, but the skilled designer must take take both the concept of form and function seriously. A watch falling too far to either extreme can be devoid of appeal.

Recently, the Concord brand has begun an image re-haul. The Movado owned watch brand was due for revitalization. Having had success with the Concord La Scala and Concord Saratoga lines, nothing serious has come out of Concord in about 10 years. In fact the La Scala and Saratoga watches are wonderful designs, attractive and pleasantly unique. Movado however felt the brand needed to be thrust in a new direction. Newly appointed Concord CEO Vincent Perriard has a background in marketing, not watch design. His enthusiasm is admirable, but he has yet to prove himself as a watch branding whiz. Movado has given him the reigns of Concord.

The result of Perriard's appointment is the C1 "Concept" line of watches. Highly publicized, and with first-class marketing rhetoric, the Concord C1 simply fails to impress me. To be honest, I wanted to like this watch. My hope was that gazing at it long enough would allow for the design to grow on me. My focus has been on the Concord C1 Chronograph with the rubber strap and carbon fiber background, which is actually the least attractive of the bunch. The steel bracelet available is attractive, but nothing special, and the basic models without the chronograph complication are far easier to look at.

Let us first observe the manner in which Concord touts the C1. Emphasis is on the bulky design, thick sapphire crystal, use of multiple materials such as rubber, steel and carbon fiber, and the futuristic boldness with which the watch presents itself. This is a large watch. 44mm wide and over 16mm tall, it would not be considered "enormous," but it will not stay humbly under a shirt sleeve.

The C1 is bold, I will give Concord that. The watch seriously stands out due to the contrast of colors and materials. Boldness is good, but after the initial novelty what are you left with? The most notable design element of the watch are the 8 large cube shapes on the bezel. The effect is almost a sunburst pattern, and it stands out well, the problem goes to legibility. It seems as though telling the time is an after thought in this watch. While there are 12 hours to be accounted for, there are 8 large elements that look like indicators. When you try to tell time on this watch, your eyes are going to be drawn to the big 8, which unfortunately serve no other purpose that being symmetrically place around the bezel. This watch wants there to be 8 rather than 12 hours. Thus the cubes detract significantly from the main purpose this accessory is meant to serve.

In the cubes are placed large screws. Simple round screws that detract from the angularity of the watch. I have a feeling that these screws will loosen over time. Most other watches that have screws, actually have bolts. Meaning the screw looking bolts are secured on the other end with a nut. I am afraid the C1 owner will be faced with tightening screws occassionaly. Further, for the price, I would expect nicer looking screws, at least something more interesting than what looks to be taken out of a parts bin. Going back to the large cubes, they are plain looking once you get used to them. Either in rubber or steel depending on the watch, they don't really do much for me. Rubber is coming back as a material used in high-end watches, but I cannot be sure why. Sure it does not dent, but it can scuff or even tear. It is not an expensive material, and I would not want to pay the excess of $10,000 for it to be prominently pronounced on the face of a watch.

The crown and pushers also have a good deal of rubber in them. The pushers are bold cylinders capped in rubber. And the crown has a mix of rubber with vertical steel lines cut-in to assist with operation of the crown. The pushers and crown are large, perhaps too large. They appear empty compared with the lines and shapes littered in the face of the watch. Why not carbon fiber pushers? In fact, the pushers and crown, while ugly, are probably the most functional part of the watch. The one area that Concord designed to function well probably does, but suffers from looking unimaginative and devoid of character.

The manner in which the rubber strap connects to the watch case is unique. A good idea in on paper, the design handicaps the watch insofar as you are stuck with your initial decision of steel bracelet or rubber strap. For integrity purposes, the rubber strap is fused to the case in a matter of speaking. Removing it causes damage, and interchanging it with the steel strap is technically possible, but not recommended. Here again, Concord has played with unique styling taking into consideration form over function. Again, at this price point the user should be given more opportunity to play with the look and features of the watch, including the ability to mix and watch straps and bracelets.

Concord wanted to emphasize modernity in the C1's design. A "watch of the future", or something ahead of its time. Movement wise, there is nothing special or innovative. The Chronograph models feature what is essentially a glorified ETA Valjoux 7750, which is the ETA Valgranges A07.211. I fail to see what is advanced or modern about a complication which has been around in form for almost 40 years. This price point should demand something better inside the watch. The case of this watch comprised of two large pieces of metal sandwiched together. Not exactly elegant, or modern. Looking at a side angle of this watch, I see what reminds me a 1980s vision of futuristic design for garbage or dump trucks. Industrial looking without much flair. Little attention to intersecting lines or balance. The result is strong looking, but hardly "designer worthy." Not particularly astute to being a "haute" watch, a label Concord is surely throwing around.

Those more vested in watch movement will of course have more to say about the inner workings of the C1 Chronograph. While interested in the concept of course, it is the external elements which make one lust after a watch. The Concord C1 has a display back, but the movement inside lacks any decoration or particular interest. You are simply reassured that a mechanical movement does in fact live inside your new investment.

Most important to any watch design is the face upon which you spend most of your eye time. Here the C1 suffers much of the same confusion as the rest of the watch. When I first looked at the C1, the first thing that came to mind was, "what is going on in there." I desperately wanted to sift thought the menage of circles, lines, and textures to reach something coherent. I could barely tell what time it was. The best part of the face is the seconds dial. This is easily the best part of the C1 overall, but nothing particularly novel. Instead of using a traditional hand to indicate the seconds, Concord created an entire register shaped rotating circle with an arrow on each side to tell the time. While it does not add to the functionality, it really doesn't detract from it, and is a welcome visual novelty; appealing each time you notice it. At least here I can commend the design.

The subdials and date display on the face form a shape that looks like a clover on its side. While likely unintentional, I cannot get this image out of my head. I just keep seeing that outline of a clover, and I don't feel lucky for this. The other hour and minute registers for the chronograph are pretty standard. The font used for the number is technical looking to say the least, but nothing special. The registers are clean and uncluttered. Using the C1 for timing is probably quite comfortable, but you don't need to spend this kind of money for a good timing instrument. A solid Valjoux 7750 movement based watch can be had for $1000 - $2000. The date window on the C1 really disappoints me. There is this trend to open up the date window to indicate the previous and next days. The only purpose this serves is that the curvature of the large date window functions to help balance out the circle shapes of the three subdials. Symmetry is disturbed when you have three circles and then a square date window. So while this is an interesting solution to the visual balance problem, the execution here is entirely flawed. The placement of the date window is so far to the right, that it is off balance from the relatively central location of the round seconds dial that it attempts to balance. The result is two round shapes along the radius of the watch that are not centered or balanced with the rest of the watch. This distracts the eyes, and prevents the watch face from looking pleasing to the eye.

There are two types of background materials to choose from on the C1; carbon fiber or guilloche machined steel. I highly recommend sticking with the machined steel. Carbon fiber is a great material. Light, and strong, it can be shaped in nearly any manner. It serves no functional purpose on a watch face other than to add what is honestly a cheap looking three dimensional effect. This material is completely overused on watch faces these days, and must be carefully implemented to look right. The machined steel on the other hand is much nicer. High-end products often contain machined steel, which has a series of circular pattens caused by a machine polishing. High-end Spyker automobiles use this finish on their dashboard for an excellent look. The machined steel background also does not contrast as harshly with the dials on the face. The problem however, is the non-machined clover shape outline of the subdials does not integrate well with either background as the transition is harsh and unappealing. This is a problem with all watch faces that feature a "layered" look.

Well done however are the Concord C1 main hour and minute hands. While arguably also unimaginative, they are well suited to their purpose, and I particularly like the alternated sections with luminant. On the hour hand, the first segment of the hand is covered with luminant, while the second half of the hand is cut away. The opposite combination exists on the minute hand. Thus when the hands overlap, you can still see the lower hour hand underneath. I do think the minute hand extends to far in the aft section as it covers too much of the hour hand though. The alternation of elements on the hands is a fun idea, not perfectly executed, but appreciated nonetheless.

While not knowing the details behind the C1's design, it is hard to accuse Concord or the new CEO of bad taste, or hasty decision making. Viewing the end product of any campaign is not a full telling of the efforts and intentions that went into the process. I therefore cannot say that this is a bad watch, or indicative of future watches to come out of Concord's new rule. I can however say that from a design perspective, this watch fails to live up to what a $10,000 -$20,000 watch should be. No doubt many will be impressed by the Concord C1's bold and assertive looks. Others however will take issue with the many incomplete elements of the watch. The bottom line is that the C1 is not meant to be a cash cow for Concord. It is intended to bring attention to the brand. So that the new styling of the La Scala, Saratoga, and Mariner that I anticipate will arrive soon, will be all the more noticed by the watch loving public. These mainstream watches will be more important to Concord's future, and I can hope they will be given the necessary design treatments.

See Concord watches on eBay here.

See Concord watches on Amazon here.

Thanks to PuristSPro.com for images and feature of the Concord C1 here.

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