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A Rolex Ceramic Bezel

I have had the luxury of discussing timepieces with beginners to aficionado’s, so as you can imagine I have heard many reasons why people are buy timepieces. Some people buy luxury watches for the look some for the history. In this blog I will cover the what is a bezel and many different bezels for those interested in the knowledge.
A bezel is ring with a projecting lip or flange that holds the watch crystal, its purpose is to hold the crystal so it may protect the dial of the watch. Some luxury brands such as Rolex and Breitling, use the bezel for additional purposes.

The Omega Seamaster Pro

Sport Watches
Sport watches usually have a rotating bezel which is either unidirectional or bidirectional. The unidirectional rotates in one direction (counterclockwise) and is commonly used for diving watches. On diving watches the bezel is a gauge for underwater pressure and air time left in the divers tank. Most diving watches are unidirectional because in the event a diver accidentally hits his/her watch on something, such as coral, they will only lose air minutes and not gain minutes. When many feet deep into the ocean, it is better to think you have less air than it is to be under the false notion that you have more. You dont want to wind up sleeping with the fishes (and Luca Brasi). The bezel is numbered 0-60 with an arrow marker at the 0.

How To Use The Divers Bezel:

1. Turn the arrow to the current position of the minute hand.

2. The numbers on the bezel are used to indicate the time elapsed from the point of the arrow. So as the minute hand moves you simply use the position of the arrow to figure how many minutes have gone by.

3. Position the arrow on the bezel.

Some popular luxury diver watches:

Rolex Submariner, Rolex Sea-Dweller, Breitling Superocean, Breitling Avenger Seawolf, Blancpain Fifty Fathoms, Omega Seamaster, Panerai Radiomir, IWC Aquatimer, and TAG Heuer Aquaracer.

Interested in Buying a Luxury Divers Timepiece? Contact GlobalWatchBrokers.com HERE

Interested in Selling a Luxury Divers Timepiece? Contact GlobalWatchBrokers.com HERE

The Rolex GMT Pepsi

GMT Watches

GMT watches such as the Rolex GMT (I am a big fan of the Pepsi dial) is a bezel that allows the wearer to tell time in two, and in some cases more, timezones simultaneously. Many pilots use this to track where they are relative to their previous and current timezone. Rolex made the first GMT watch in the 1950′s for the old airline giant Pan American Airways to help their pilots per PanAm’s request. GMT watches have a second, minute, hour, and GMT hand on the dial. The GMT hand rotates around once every 24 hours which allows the wearer to determine if it is AM or PM.

How To Use The GMT Bezel:

1. Turn the bezel to match the GMT hand at your current time. The GMT hand represents your home time.

2. When the timezone is crossed set your hour hand to the new locations current time. The minute hand will remain the same because only the hour changes between the timezones.

Some popular luxury GMT watches:

Rolex GMT, Rolex GMT II, Breitling Colt GMT, Breitling Bentley GMT, Blancpain Trilogy GMT, IWC Portuguese, and Chopard Mille Miglia.

Interested in Buying a Luxury GMT Timepiece? Contact GlobalWatchBrokers.com HERE

Interested in Selling a Luxury GMT Timepiece? Contact GlobalWatchBrokers.com HERE

The TAG Heuer Carrera

Tachymeter Watches

Tachymeter bezels are used to track speed (how long did it take to go from point A to point B, and how fast were you going) by using distance. They are used a lot for racing. the tachymeter projects units per hour so it can be used for MPH or Kilometers per hour. The tachymeter scale is normally printed to start at round 7.2 seconds to 60 seconds, so it can only measure speeds greater than 60 MPH.

How To Use The Tachymeter Bezel:

1. At the starting mile indicator start the chronograph.

2. When the next mile is reached then stop the chronograph.

3. The number corresponding to where the chronograph hand has stopped is the speed in which you, or your object, was traveling.

Some popular luxury Tachymeter watches:

Rolex Daytona, Breitling Chronomat, Omega Speedmaster, IWC Big Ingenieur Chronograph, TAG Heuer Monaco, and TAG Heuer Carrera.

Interested in Buying a Luxury Chronograph/Tachymeter Timepiece? Contact GlobalWatchBrokers.com HERE

Interested in Selling a Luxury Chronograph/Tachymeter Timepiece? Contact GlobalWatchBrokers.com HERE

I continue to be impressed with the new materials used to make bezels (Hublots Magic Gold), and how luxury watch brands such as Rolex continue to give the bezel new functionality (Rolex Sky-Dweller).

What is your favorite function of a bezel?

Movement

So you buy a watch and you dig the way it looks and the price tag says you’ve arrived, but heres a common mistake… you view your timepiece as simply a watch. A timepiece must be cared for and wound correctly. We, GlobalWatchBrokers.com, asked our Master Watchmaker to shed some knowledge on how to care for your luxury timepiece.

First understand, much like a luxury vehicle, a timepiece needs care every so years. Every 3 to 5 years is the preferred time to get your timepiece serviced.

It may be necessary to manually rewind your automatic/perpetual wristwatch before wearing it to properly activate the movement.
Unscrew the crown by turning anticlockwise, do not pull out. Turn the crown in a back and forth manner approximately 40 times.
(If the hands are moving gently push in on the crown and turn the crown as described)

It is necessary to wind this watch prior to each wearing. To do so, turn the crown back and forth until the resistance peaks. This watch is not of a water resistant design; there fore it should be kept away from sources of water and moisture.

Setting is accomplished by pulling out on the crown once unscrewed and turning, thus moving the hands to correct time.

Ensure the crown is fully screwed down if so equipped before placing it in service on your wrist.
Setting a watch. Some watches will have a screw down crown, turn counter clockwise to release it, pull gently all the way out. Turn the crown to move the hands clockwise until the date (if equipped) changes at midnight. The watch now is indicating A.M. until the hands pass 12:00 again. This is now noon. Set the time accordingly paying attention to A.M. / P.M.
Setting the date. To se the date push the crow all the way back in then pull out slightly to the detent just before time setting. Turn the crown to set the watch to the appropriate date.
On some watches it is important not to set the date between an indicated 9:00 P.M. and 3:00 A.M. so just assume that is what you have in your hands. It may help to remember if you think set “Put the hands on the lower half of the dial before setting the date”

Differences between Quartz and Mechanical watches. Quartz watches use a battery in most cases. Time is very accurate thru the use of electronics to drive an electric motor to move the hands. The most notable indicator is watches with a second hand ticking once a second.
Mechanical watches use a spring called a mainspring to power a gear train to move the hands.
Automatic watches use a weight with a separate gear train to wind the mainspring.
(Perpetual is another name for automatic but is trademarked by Rolex)
Manual wind watches must be wound at the crown to supply the power. I recommend winding in the morning before wearing.

Water resistance. Is the acceptable term for a watch that can be exposed to water.
(Water proof is an obsolete term that has been banned by the FTC)
Water resistance is rated in various grades or degrees measured in meters or atmospheres.
30 meters or less is acceptable for hand washing.
50 meters is acceptable for occasional water submersion.
100 meters is acceptable for swimming.
200 meters and greater is acceptable for diving with portable air tanks.
10 atmospheres is acceptable for occasional water submersion.
I don’t recommend any watch be worn in the shower. Steam is a gas that is thinner than water and comes with heat that is not good for the fine lubricants used inside a watch.
Any watch equipped with a screw down crown must have the crown kept screwed down to be water resistant.

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'The Breitling Boutique Miami' Aventura Mall, FL

Have you ever been greeted with a sincere smile, been looked square in the eyes as a specialist sat you down in a comfortable fine leather chair, had coffee brought to you on a platter with various sugars packets and cream (I had my pinky out for this cup), and had almost $100,000.00 in watches laid out in front of you on a cushion tray stamped with little airplanes all over it? Yeah I was highly impressed with the white glove treatment I received from the Breitling store in Aventura Mall, FL. I was particularly happy when my coffee trickled off the side of my mouth, because the store manager, appropriately named Monalisa, showed me the $32,000.00 limited edition Breitling Bentley SuperSports Light Body QP, and I dabbed the coffee up with a Breitling napkin. Seriously, they have their own napkins at Breitling.

The store is immaculate, and accentuates the Breitling timepieces to the T. The Super Avenger and the Avenger looked like a big brother – little brother family portrait in one of the show cases. The organization of the various models made the viewing easy on the eyes and mind. All of the Breitling Emergency watches are together, all of the Navitimers are together, as are all of the Transoceans etc.

Monalisa Depina - Breitling Boutique Miami

Monalisa Depina is everything a manager should embody representing a company like Breitling. She exudes class, sophistication, honesty, knowledge, attention to details, and constant control of the store. I could tell that although she spent much time with us, she was cognizant of who was walking into her domain, and that her representatives were providing the high level of customer service expected from Breitling. They were impressive as well.

The timepieces we viewed were the Superocean Héritage Chronographe, the Superocean chronograph M2000, the Chronomat GMT, the Transocean Chrono 1461, and the newly unveiled at Basel World 2012 Breitling Transocean Unitime.

Superocean Héritage Chronographe, M2000, Transocean, Chronomat GMT, and Chronomat Blackbird

The Breitling Superocean Héritage Chronographe was the first luxury timepiece I ever owned, so I have a particular appreciation for this model. What I like about the Superocean Héritage Chronographe is the 44mm stainless steel case, the viking sword-like minute hand, and the date aperture at the 6 position. The timepiece can withstand a depth of 200 meters and the dial is easy to read. I prefer the rubber band to the metal bracelet.  To me, the newer bezel is the least attractive aesthetic, because it resembles a Rolex Submariner bezel.  I prefer the 2007 and older bezel because it has a unique and rugged appeal, in my opinion. One clear distinction separating the Breitling Superocean Héritage Chronographe from the Submariner are the subdials at the 3 and 9 positions.  The Superocean Héritage Chronographe is C.O.S.C. certified as all Breitling watches are.

The Breitling Superocean Héritage Chronographe

Next I examined the Superocean Chronograph M2000. Why is this watch awesome you ask, because it is the first chronograph water-resistant and operational at a depth of 2,000 meters.  The smart folks at Breitling devised a magnetic pushpiece system to keep the water out, and the chronograph functionality operational. The strap was the smooth Barenia leather, but you can fit it with a rubber, professional III, or Superocean strap. The sapphire crystal is anti-reflective on both sides and 4mm thick to withstand the depths of the ocean. Since it helps to be able to see your timepiece deep in the ocean, the case is 46mm in diameter. The case houses the Breitling 73 caliber. The bezel is unidirectional. This was my second favorite Breitling of the day.

The Breitling Superocean M2000

Breitling understands the importance of dual timezones for frequent travelers, so the Chronomat GMT is runway material for such a person. What’s cool about the Breitling Chronomat GMT is the ease to set the second timezone. You simply pull the crown out and turn in either direction to set it. The timepiece does not miss a second while you set the second timezone. It’s so simple even Ty can do it. Ha. The Breitling 04 is calibre of choice. The bezel is unidirectional and sporty while classy. The sapphire crystal is anti-reflective on both sides. What I like about the dial is the placement of the three subdials with the date aperture between the 4 and 5 positions on a slant. Good call.

The Breitling Chronomat GMT

I’m a sucker for complications, especially when a brand not normally known for complications steps out with their already established reputation and makes one. The Breitling Transocean Chorno 1461 is a chronograph that gives you day, date, month, and moonphase which only has to be adjusted every leap year. Leap year is every 1461 days, hence the extension on the name. I like the baton markers for the elegant aesthetic on the dial. It is 43mm in diameter so very noticeable on the wrist, but not over the top. Breitling used the Breitling caliber 19 for this sexy timepiece.

The Breitling Transocean 1461

I saved the best for last. The unveiling of the Breitling Transocean Unitime was hit at Baselworld 2012. Why you ask? The dual disk used to seamlessly change to any of the 24 timezones by simply adjusting the crown in either direction. It is date automatically adjusting when you change timezones. It is the cities located around the bezel which come in multiple languages. It’s the 46mm 18k red gold case. The Breitling 05 caliber in-house movement. It’s a chronograph. It looks like you’re the man with a picture of the globe on your dial! Yeah I’m bias with the whole GlobalWatchBrokers.com feel.

The Breitling Unitime

In all, I would like to thank Monalisa Depina for her generous hospitality and knowledge of timepieces. This woman knows watches! I would also like to thank Breitling for daring to push the envelope and making awesome timepieces.

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