Glashutte Original has rocked the watch world for the last 5 years. They are finished any bit as well as A Lange & Sohne, who in my opinion are still better finished, but hey Glashutte Original are still one of the best in house German manufacturers in the world, who make watches in stainless steel, which is a huge bonus for me and anyone who doesn’t want to pay for platinum. They are best known for they’re Senator line of watches which are very refined, but still have that everyday wearing sensibility that most watch companies just don’t have. A few years ago they introduced the Navigator line which was inspired by pilots watches they made in the fifties. This year for Basel 2009, they have introduced the new Navigator Perpetual Calendar in stainless steel 44 mm with leap year indicator.
I will say it again, but for me a perpetual calendar is the most useful complication out there. Then to tie in the whole Pilots theme makes me wanna rock on with my knob on! I really like the idea of this watch, except for the fact that it is really no longer a Pilots Watch. By adding the number 12 and taking away the most distinct feature the infamous triangle with the two dots, its just a plain perpetual with brushed case. The leap year indicator is unnecessarily placed and brakes up the perfect symmetry of the dial and lets your eyes wander to utter confusion, and makes the watch look busy ans mediocre at best. The movement of the watch and how simply laid out the perpetual functions are is truly clever and something for other watch brands who make perpetuals to pay close attention and really learn from .
I like the fact that the steel blue hands were kept, thank Christ, that maybe the only thing that makes it historic. As my good friend SH put it, it looks like a fucking abortion! The reset mechanism is a push button which is hidden and located at the eight o’clock position for perfect synchronization of the seconds hand with a standard of time. See at $21,000, this perpetual still boasts less expensive than most in house manufactured movement perpetuals, but for that kind of money in my opinion it ain’t worth buying it unless it’s perfect, which it is not. Knowing my luck, some jeweler in Craplakistan will make a limited run of 50 just the way I want it and it will be far more expensive and sold out. This watch is nothing more than a perpetual cock tease, and has done a great job at showing us that it is literally almost famous and could have been something great!
pic courtesy of http://www.timezone.com
JOHNNY FLYBACK 