RSW Outland 3H

I saw these watches when I was on holiday. I have to say that the watches look very interesting. The RSW Outland 3H watch is one unique watch, with its industrial look and rows of hex-bolts above and below the dial. The strong black design is balanced out by a bit of color on the dial. There are a number flavors to choose from.

RSW is a brand of Rama Watch SA. M.A. Marachly founded it in early 2000, and the company is based in Switzerland. RSW makes contemporary looking watches for discerning collectors.

The 3H continues the saga of the Outland collection. In this watch, the disc designed for telling time of the original Outland has been replaced by a normal looking hands (3 off), hence the name 3H. This does not mean that this latest incarnation the Outland is no longer futuristic. In fact, far from it. It keeps the neo-brutalism design the original Outland watch is well known for. Best of all, it still maintains the famous folding crank-crown mechanism. I had a look at this crank-crown mechanism and found it interesting.

Photographs: RSW

Another view of the crown crank mechanism. 

Photograph: shamelessly lifted from a magazine

The watch looks very industrial with the front of the watch adorned by 6 very large hex-bolts. There's three on the top and three at the bottom. The font used for the hour index markers are reminiscent of the digits seen on digital watches.

Besides a number of dial color variations, the watch is available in stainless steel or a PVD/stainless steel combination.

Outland 3H specifications:

Functions: hours, minutes, seconds and date

Movement: ETA 2824-2 automatic movement

Case: stainless steel

Case size: 52 x 44 mm

Crystal: sapphire

Water resistant: 10 ATM

Price: USD 2,100

For more information:

RSW

Helson Skindiver

Helson Watches will be releasing their new Skindiver watch this month. A bit about Helson Watches. The company is the brainchild of a couple of enthusiastic divers and sports fanatics from Europe and Asia. The aim of the company is to create reasonably priced and reliable diver watches. The company has its production facilities in Hong Kong and they use quality products sourced from Europe and Asia.

Anyway back to the Skindiver watch. The watch is based on a popular diver watch from the 50's with military links. The Skindiver is offered with either C3 lume or orange lume on a black dial. Both lume versions are available with date or no date complication. 

The basic specifications:

Case: 316L stainless steel, brushed, 41 mm diameter, 14.5 mm thick and 20 mm lug width

Crystal: Acrylic (double domed)

Bezel: Acrylic with lume

Movement: ETA 2824-2 automatic movement

Water resistant: 20 ATM

Price: USD 649

The watch will come with two straps, a NATO and a rubber strap (tropic). 

The watch.

The orange lume version.

The C3 lume version, with date.

The side profile. Got to love the double dome crystal.

Interesting place to have the serial number.

The case back.

Photographs: Helson Watches.

For more information: 

Helson Watches

If case you are wondering where the inspiration for this watch is from, here it is:

Photograph: Blancpain

Rolf W. Schnyder

RIP Mr. Rolf W. Schnyder (Ulysse Nardin). Our condolences to his wife and three children. A sad week indeed.

Noah Fuller

RIP Noah. My condolences to his family and friends. 

Bell & Ross BR 01 Airborne II

I was at my local Bell & Ross AD collecting my BR 01-92 which I sent for a service when they asked if I was interested in getting the newly announced BR 01 Airborne II. I went like "What?" A new Airborne watch? Same black photo luminescent skull dial? "Yes" they replied. Tempted? Yes. Getting it? No. The watch is expected to retail about NTD 230,000 or USD 8,000.

My BR 01-92.

Anyway here are the details of the new watch. The BR 01 Airborne II was launched in Basel 2011. It is the same as the old BR 01 Airborne but with the following difference: the watch will have an aged steel case, much like a rifle barrel finish. This is achieved by repeated random rubbings, making each of the 999 pieces unique. 


The other major difference is that the dial is no longer luminous. So the skull does not glow. However it is 'reflective' so it does help in aiding (but not much) in telling the time in the dark.

Additionally the watch comes with a brown/ black leather strap that has been tanned like old leather with tone-on-tone stitching. It is much like a stressed leather strap of another popular brand. Interesting.

The watch has the following basic specifications:

Movement: ETA automatic 2892

Functions: hours and minutes

Case: stainless steel, PVD Black, 46 mm square

Crystal: sapphire

Water resistant: 10 ATM

The watch:

Photograph: Bell & Ross

Panerai Central

Just found out about this new website/ forum on my favourite brand, Panerai. It is called Panerai Central and can be found at 

Panerai Central

The site is the brainchild of two watch and Panerai collectors, David and Khalil. They hope to develop a site that would serve as a platform where they can share their love for Panerai watches with other watch enthusiasts. They hope that Panerai Central can become the purveyor of all things Panerai. I wish them all the best.

Photograph: Panerai Central

Watch shopping in Malaysia Part 9A

Now with added photographs. I did not manage to snap photographs of all the watch shops in Pavilion, but I have to say that there are many many shops to satisfy all you needs. Most of the watch shops are on the same level. Some are spread over two floors. 

We start with Watatime. Here you get the standard Swiss watch offering and also some new brands like U-Boat and Meccaniche Veloci.

The TW Steel Kiosk. It was their official opening.

The Cerruti 1881 Kiosk.

Swiss Watch Gallery. Lots of nice brands here. 

The Toy Watch Kiosk. Was tempted to get a watch from them. 

The Hour Glass. Usual Swiss brands. If I am not mistaken, the PP Boutique is next to it.

Sincere Fine Watches. They are spread over two floors. Some nice B&R there.

The second floor.

The IWC Boutique. Nice collection of IWC can be found there. Below it is the Omega Boutique.

Rolex and Tudor Boutique. A bit out of the way.

The TAG Heuer Boutique.

Red Army Kiosk. Lots of Russian brand and also a fine selection of straps. Was very tempted to get the RSW Outland watch from them.

The Invicta Kiosk. Did not expect to see them here. I like the watch case they had for sale. It is like the Hardigg Storm Case that I have. They have 2 types, 3 watch case and 8 watch case (in black or yellow).

Well that was all that I got. Was there for a short 'splash and dash'. Cool place indeed to hang out if you want to window shop or buy a watch.