Recommended Watch #38: Crepas Cayman 3000 with Jacob Straps

When we speak about leather straps, we always associate it with dress watches, pilot watches or the ever popular PAMs.  And in that note, we don't always associate the classy and delicate strap for dive watches and the salty water where it resides.  But yet we see leather straps of any kind strapped on to dive watches, adding class and elegance to the timepiece that in turn merits it to be invited to an offshore formal event.  And though this seems to be inappropriate in terms of function, but definitely matches like a dress watch considering a diving watch that can actually impress.

Of course, the almighty king of watches, the Submariner would fit this story as historically demonstrated on screen by the world's favorite secret agent way back in the 60s.   

But my 38th recommended watch for this week is from an independent watch brand that is practically unknown to everyone and offers limited edition watches only.  And just like the Sub, it damn looks good with leather.

Below is the Crepas Cayman 3000 with a black leather strap from Jacop Straps specifically made for this watch.  Note Crepas brand on the back if the buckle.

One of the things that captured me with this independed beautiful diver is its classic vintage inspired design.  The sexy thin case and lugs, the crown at 3 o'clock w/out any crown guards, the coin ridged bezel grips and the simple bezel insert with the 15 minute markers only and 5 min indices.  The case is 43mm while the bezel outgrows it measuring at 44.5mm and supports the straps with 22mm space between lugs.


And what completes it the most is that even though the case is vintage in design reminiscent combination of the original Submariners and Seiko 62MAs, the dial is independently minimalist modern black dial that the hands are simply sporty yet elegant.  For dive watches, 4 liners on white font is the max in achieving a classic and timeless look. And aside from this modern look, the technology and capability is definitely in this generation.


The '3000' number for the reference of this Crepas isn't just a fancy number but is a true representation of how deep it can go by meters.  Yes, WR to 300atm or 3000 meters.   It is also antimagnetic to 70A/m.  Movement is ETA 2824. A helium escape valve at 9 o'clock.



Here's a breakdown form saphire to caseback.

Here are more pics plus its original stainless steel bracelet.

Notice the lume on the dial, bezel, and caseback.  Impressive.

Recommended Watch #37: Glycine Incursore III 44 Automatic ref. 3900/3922

I've been away for a couple of weeks during the year-end holidays and now I'm back with with hopefully more goods to contribute to Shots of Thoughts.

To be back on track, here is WWR# 37.

There are some designs that we most of the time ignore the first time we laid our eyes on them, but came to appreciate the 2nd time around.  A love not at first site.  And one of those pieces or kind of pieces that was not love at first site was the so called 'California Dial'.

What is a California dial you say? It is also called the High Visibility or the Roman-Arabic dial.  It is basically Roman Indices on the upper portion of the dial and Arabic on the bottom.  With the 3-6-9-with rectangular markers and the 12 o'clock military symbol.  Its kind of an art-deco style dial that first appeared on Rolex bubble backs way back in the 1940s.   Where did the name California came from? Based from web sources all over and account of vintage documents and watches, this style of a dial was patented by Rolex in 1941, but got it's famous name from an LA based dial refinisher Kirk Rich who did this kind of this design on some vintage watches he worked on, to which became popular to a point that watch dealers already referred it to the "California Dial". 

Images grabbed from Jake's Rolex World blog.

Now in relation to this art-deco dial design, This watch caught my eye while just lazily browsing over the web.  Now you may say, PAM 424 is a great tribute to the vintage 3466 with a faithful revival of the California Dial, but I wanted something on a regular shaped watch case that may not be as 100% homage to the bubble backs back then but can stand on its own.  And this is what Glycine is for me.

Glycine has quite a reputation from collectors of having well balance and clean designs on their watches with minimal striking features that makes them interesting.  And with the Incursore, the execution of a California Dial on a round military watch case and indice set like hands is clean and humble yet remarkably striking to those who now about the design.  The two below are what I would choose from the Incursore line. 

Ref 3900 with brown leather strap with just the name Glycine on sans the logo

 

And the ref. 3922 with black strap and Logo on.  Both have automatic movements.

 

Here are the specs from Glycine website.

Movement
Caliber:	Swiss automatic movement
Functions:	hours, minutes and seconds, date display in window
Size:	11 1/2"
Jewels:	25
Power Reserve:	38 hours
Hz:	4/28'800 vibrations per hour
Finish:	nickel coated oscillating weight on ball bearing, decorated "Côtes de Genève"
Case, Dial & Hands
Material:	stainless steel
Diameter:	44mm without crown
Height:	9.95 with see-through back
Finish:	polished / satin
Waterproof:	10 atm
Back:	screwed see-through sapphire glass
Glass:	sapphire
Dial:	black with 4 roman and 4 arabic figures with SL, black and dark brown with 4 arabic figures and strikes with SL
Hands:	white with SL or steel with SL
Crown:	screw-down
Leather strap
Material:	calf
Colours:	calf sewing: black, brown, light brown, blue calf croco style: black, brown, light brown, blue
Width:	22mm horns / 22mm buckle
Buckle:	belt
Bracelet
Material:	stainless steel
Finish:	satin
Length:	190mm incl. endpieces
Width:	22mm horns / 18mm buckle
Clasp:	diver

There is also a manual wind Incursore 44mm version and has a cool second hand at 6 o'clock which is true to the Rolex patent as seen above.

Prices of these models hover around $900-$1100 which is a good deal for a well built "Intruder" watch with High Visibility and art-deco dial.