2010年7月15日星期四

La Primera GMT Watch Review

If you know dive watches, then you know how a piece like this fits into the ecology of designs and features. It has a comfortable predictability to it - as though you have seen something like this many times before, but not exactly with this face.Aside from basic features that any rugged dive watch need, the Es*** La Primera GMT has a few unique features that help it stand out. One of these is the metal bracelet that I am sure you haven't seen before. Love it or hate it, the bracelet was developed for the brand and works pretty well. Think of it is a hybrid between a mesh metal bracelet and a traditional metal link bracelet. It is actually executed rather watch - presenting a comfortable fit, and nice feel to the touch. The design does seem to go with the watch case and dial. Es*** also wanted to make sure that the bracelet and case were flush together without any gaps.At 45mm wide in a sand-blasted steel case, the La Primera GMT isn't for the faint of heart. At 14.5mm thick, it is a nice larger watch. Perfect for those who enjoy the size, and intimidating for those who don't. The large dimensions allow for 1000 meters of water resistance, as well as a 5mm thick sapphire crystal (that is AR coated). With a large screw-down crown, secure caseback, built-in automatic helium escape valve, and easy to manipulate rotating diver's bezel - you have a hell of a dive watch on your hands. In fact, Es*** is working to get more actual divers using these watches as they are fully meant to be in the sea. That watch is considered a saturation diver.I love the 4 o'clock orientation of the crown with the crown guard that is integrated into the lug on the lower side of the case.If you are a car lover and feel inclined to build your own car one day due to the fact that nothing out there is a specific example of what you want, you are pretty much out of luck (unless you have a spare billion bucks siting around). However, in the watch world, a person with a vision for a specifically styled watch is only limited by their ambition and tenacity. Given a wealth of those two characteristic floating around among watch lovers, it should come as no surprise that there are a fair number of small, indy brands out there that represent these "custom watches." But don't get me wrong, it isn't easy to start your own watch brand. In fact, it is often an expensive and frustrating exercise. Those are come out in the end with a salable product should be congratulated!Which brings me to Es***, a newer dive watch brand born in Germany. The watches are very self explanatory - and I like that. You don't need to search for hidden meanings or appeal - you either like them or you don't, and it doesn't take long to figure that out. These are butch looking dive watches with a functional Teutonic spirit, and not a lot of fluff.