- Joined
- Jul 15, 2014
- Messages
- 3,002
First things first: My thanks to the enablers and advisors - curiousgeorge, CLA452015, wantit, leelovesbug, and others.
Other than divers, I'm not one who likes to duplicate a look anymore. Of course there is a limit to the design differences possible. After all, they're watches. And the goofy, steam-punk over-the-top creatures are not my preferred cup of tea.
So when a unique style pops up that I find unusual - even weird, but also appealing - I'm interested. Such is the Bomberg 1968 44mm Bullhead Chronograph.
Pooint of interest: Rick De La Croix is the chairman and 2012 founder of Bomberg Watches. He is also renowned as a partner and the boss of "Hublot in the Americas".
According to Bomberg marketing , the company's aim is to "deliver strong, distinguished and unconventional collections that reinterpret and completely overturn classic watchmaking rules to create unusual timepieces".
Now, I don't know about all of that, but this particular watch certainly delivers on most of those points. The 1968 was introduced in 2013 and has gone through several changes since. Primary among them are the movement and crown design. The original movement was the Miyota 0S11, now replaced by the Swiss Ronda Startech 3520D. The first crown
was of a basic knurled design. This one uses the proprietary Bomberg "grenade" version.
What follows is a pictorial review of the watch, along with my comments on the piece's unusual design features.
I find the overall layout and color applications on the dial and hands to be extraordinarily pleasing to the eye.
The obviously-nick-named "Bullhead" chronograph", with crown and pushers at the top of the watch, is reminiscent of certain mid-20th century chronographs. Seiko and Citizen each had several models. And even Omega offered a Seamaster Bullhead in the 1970s...
The Bomberg 1968 delivers a rendition that is all its own.
In combination with the 12 o'clock pushers, the over-long lower lugs allow for the watch to be hand-held off-wrist as an ordinary chronograph.
This piece also features a sloping case that sits taller at the "12" or top (19mm) than at the bottom (14mm) - a full 5mm difference. In effect, this difference "tilts" the watch toward the wearer. It's a design technique first used in the 1930s as a driver's watch, allowing the car's operator to read the time with a mere twist of the wrist.
From the internet: DRIVERS' WATCHES were very popular between 1920 and 1955. The idea was to fascilitate the driver to read the time, but not having to turn his/her arm too much away from the [then] large car steering wheels. They came in different models, including long lugs, swivel lugs, inverted dials with the 12 at the 3 position, curved cases, etc. and some times they were designed to be worn on the side of the wrist and not on 'top of the wrist' as we wear 'conventional' watches nowadays.
Now unlike most brands that say their watch has a curved case back (because they incorporate sloped lugs), the back of this watch actually does curve. The back is CURVED.
The case itself is carefully and beautifully finished. While the entire case is bead-blasted stainless steel (including that which is black PVD coated), the lug edges are polished to a high gloss.
The strap is the most "luxurious" silicon I've had the pleasure to meet. It is beautifully finished, front and back, and fitted with a handsome and heavy SS buckle specifically designed for the watch.
Luminescence is by SuperLuminova. And as you can see, is definitely up to the job.
On the wrist, this one is a joy.
Here are the impressive specifications:
Crown - Sandblasted Stainless Steel 316L
Dial - Silver dial with printed Arabic numbers Superluminova C5 (green line)
Swiss Made - Designed and assembled
Type - Chronograph
Case - 44mm Sandblasted black PVD
Hands - H + M nickel with Superluminova C5 / orange sweep second /
black small hand at 3h (second) / black/ orange small hands at 9h (counters 12h & 30 min)
Superluminova C5 (green line
Battery - 54 months
Strap - Width: 22mm x 20mm
Black silicone Pin buckle,
sandblasted stainless steel, 20mm
Movement - Ronda 3520D (10 1/2 x 11 1/2) Hour, minute, sweep second at centre,
chrono counters 9h (1/10 sec. / 10 hours) and 6h (30 min.),
small second 3h
Water Resistence - 10 ATM
Glass - Reinforced mineral K1, with sapphire coating
1 layer non-reflecting treatment
International Warranty - 2 years
Diameter - 44MM
So there you have it. My take on the Swiss Made Bomberg 1968 Bullhead Chronograph. Is it for everyone? Probably not. But it's surely right for me. Beside satisfying my desire for the unusual, it is a magnificently-made watch. I think it's worth the list price. At the $250. I paid to Jomashop, it was a steal!
And as always... Thanks for lookin', WiTs!!!
Other than divers, I'm not one who likes to duplicate a look anymore. Of course there is a limit to the design differences possible. After all, they're watches. And the goofy, steam-punk over-the-top creatures are not my preferred cup of tea.
So when a unique style pops up that I find unusual - even weird, but also appealing - I'm interested. Such is the Bomberg 1968 44mm Bullhead Chronograph.
Pooint of interest: Rick De La Croix is the chairman and 2012 founder of Bomberg Watches. He is also renowned as a partner and the boss of "Hublot in the Americas".
According to Bomberg marketing , the company's aim is to "deliver strong, distinguished and unconventional collections that reinterpret and completely overturn classic watchmaking rules to create unusual timepieces".
Now, I don't know about all of that, but this particular watch certainly delivers on most of those points. The 1968 was introduced in 2013 and has gone through several changes since. Primary among them are the movement and crown design. The original movement was the Miyota 0S11, now replaced by the Swiss Ronda Startech 3520D. The first crown
was of a basic knurled design. This one uses the proprietary Bomberg "grenade" version.
What follows is a pictorial review of the watch, along with my comments on the piece's unusual design features.
I find the overall layout and color applications on the dial and hands to be extraordinarily pleasing to the eye.
The obviously-nick-named "Bullhead" chronograph", with crown and pushers at the top of the watch, is reminiscent of certain mid-20th century chronographs. Seiko and Citizen each had several models. And even Omega offered a Seamaster Bullhead in the 1970s...
The Bomberg 1968 delivers a rendition that is all its own.
In combination with the 12 o'clock pushers, the over-long lower lugs allow for the watch to be hand-held off-wrist as an ordinary chronograph.
This piece also features a sloping case that sits taller at the "12" or top (19mm) than at the bottom (14mm) - a full 5mm difference. In effect, this difference "tilts" the watch toward the wearer. It's a design technique first used in the 1930s as a driver's watch, allowing the car's operator to read the time with a mere twist of the wrist.
From the internet: DRIVERS' WATCHES were very popular between 1920 and 1955. The idea was to fascilitate the driver to read the time, but not having to turn his/her arm too much away from the [then] large car steering wheels. They came in different models, including long lugs, swivel lugs, inverted dials with the 12 at the 3 position, curved cases, etc. and some times they were designed to be worn on the side of the wrist and not on 'top of the wrist' as we wear 'conventional' watches nowadays.
Now unlike most brands that say their watch has a curved case back (because they incorporate sloped lugs), the back of this watch actually does curve. The back is CURVED.
The case itself is carefully and beautifully finished. While the entire case is bead-blasted stainless steel (including that which is black PVD coated), the lug edges are polished to a high gloss.
The strap is the most "luxurious" silicon I've had the pleasure to meet. It is beautifully finished, front and back, and fitted with a handsome and heavy SS buckle specifically designed for the watch.
Luminescence is by SuperLuminova. And as you can see, is definitely up to the job.
On the wrist, this one is a joy.
Here are the impressive specifications:
Crown - Sandblasted Stainless Steel 316L
Dial - Silver dial with printed Arabic numbers Superluminova C5 (green line)
Swiss Made - Designed and assembled
Type - Chronograph
Case - 44mm Sandblasted black PVD
Hands - H + M nickel with Superluminova C5 / orange sweep second /
black small hand at 3h (second) / black/ orange small hands at 9h (counters 12h & 30 min)
Superluminova C5 (green line
Battery - 54 months
Strap - Width: 22mm x 20mm
Black silicone Pin buckle,
sandblasted stainless steel, 20mm
Movement - Ronda 3520D (10 1/2 x 11 1/2) Hour, minute, sweep second at centre,
chrono counters 9h (1/10 sec. / 10 hours) and 6h (30 min.),
small second 3h
Water Resistence - 10 ATM
Glass - Reinforced mineral K1, with sapphire coating
1 layer non-reflecting treatment
International Warranty - 2 years
Diameter - 44MM
So there you have it. My take on the Swiss Made Bomberg 1968 Bullhead Chronograph. Is it for everyone? Probably not. But it's surely right for me. Beside satisfying my desire for the unusual, it is a magnificently-made watch. I think it's worth the list price. At the $250. I paid to Jomashop, it was a steal!
And as always... Thanks for lookin', WiTs!!!