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I just got home from three days in Las Vegas attending The Couture Show. It's a long-standing trade show that's mostly about jewelry, but there's a sizable contingent of watch brands in attendance. It's also a show aimed mainly at retailers rather than media. But after a few years of canceled and pared-back trade shows, I wanted to check out all the new watches and catch up with industry folks.
The industry is still figuring out what trade show model works best, and here in the States, that means fewer brands electing to attend. However, the brands that did show up certainly brought watches worth talking about. Here are some of the highlights from this year's show.
The Watch That Stopped Me In My Tracks
I think Seiko has finally done it. I'm a massive fan of the SPB153, and James is a major proponent of the SPB143, both popular recent releases, but after strapping on the new SPB317 I'm going to say that it tops them both. It's a bold statement, I know, but the case is just perfectly proportioned and the wearability factor is simply off the charts. I'm putting my money where my mouth is and snagging this watch as soon as I can (and doing a massive review on it).
I saw the SPB313 and SPB315, as well, and I can already see the SPB313 (the model with the white dial) becoming a very hot watch this summer. This new model revives the style of the 6105-8000, and does it so well. I'm looking forward to seeing if my initial impressions hold up after some time with the watch. The word is that they'll be stateside in July.
Speaking of Seiko, I also saw the new Seiko 5 GMT range. They're pretty neat. Check out the video below:
It's hard to tell with supplied press imagery what a watch will actually look and feel like, so it was great to actually spend hands-on time with these models. The bezel on these new Seiko 5 GMTs is just so different in person than in pictures. The bezel has a standard aluminum insert with a layer of Hardlex (that's the material Seiko uses for crystals) on top of it. There's a very distinct shine and texture to the GMT bezel that folks will have to see in person to appreciate. Truth be told, I lost interest in the Seiko 5 Sports range because I never felt they could live up to the SKX007 that they replaced. They've always seemed like a step backwards to me, but with these new GMT models, I'm appreciating the way the platform can be pushed in new directions. Maybe the idea of folding the SKX007 into the Seiko 5 world wasn't so bad after all if it creates room for something like this.
Norqain Made a Splash With a New Advisor
Last week the young contender on the block, Norqain, announced that watch-world luminary Jean-Claude Biver joined its board and took on the role of advisor. I had to know the backstory so I stopped by to chat with Norqain founder Ben Küffer and board member Ted Schneider about how it went down.
The two linked up over the pandemic and Küffer gave Biver a tour of Norqain's facilities and it got Biver excited. "We don't have anyone over 40 working at our company, and he liked that. He felt that it was important to help guide the next generation of the Swiss watch industry," Küffer added. And so after ironing out some details, Biver became an advisor to the brand. Küffer let me in on some future plans, and it looks like Biver hit the ground running. His advisory role will certainly materialize into something interesting ...
This Watch Got Lost In The Shuffle, But Now That I've Seen It I Can't Stop Thinking About It
We covered Citizen's latest releases back in May, but one watch jumped out at me when I saw it in the metal, the NY0155-58X, a black ion-plated stainless steel diver with a full lume dial. My favorite thing about the watch might even be the Fugu engraved in the caseback. I can't wait to get it wet and take in the glory of a full lume dial at dark, murky depths. Talk about a sleeper! Anyone who appreciates a well-executed tool watch should put this on their radar.
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Grand Seiko Showed Up, Like They Do Every Year
Last year it was the limited-edition trio of greens that stole the show; this year it's the SBGK015 "Ryūsendō" that will be produced in a quantity of 250. The vibrant and whimsical dial plays off of the "whirlpool" dials from 2018, but this time the GS logo is gone and a simple line texture takes its place. The shade of blue is inspired by the lakes found deep within Ryūsendō Cave in the Iwate prefecture. That's also where the design of the 2019 limited edition, the SBGK005, drew inspiration from. There's also another limited edition this year that's a riff on the existing SBGK009, but this grey dial mimics the texture of nanbu tekki ironware. And finally, one last US-market limited edition, the SBGJ261 that brings back the peacock dial.
The Oris Bear Is Back!
During the pandemic, the Oris Bear didn't attend any functions – neither did we, but this is about the bear – but this past weekend he was out in full form, charming the attendees at a rooftop party Oris put on complete with ProPilot X Caliber 400-themed cocktails. Here he is with HODINKEE buyer Myles Kusaba, who was recently featured in this article about what he wore to his HODINKEE interview to get the job. Nice to see old friends back in action.
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The HODINKEE Shop is an authorized retailer for Grand Seiko, NORQAIN, Oris, and Seiko. Learn more about Citizen, Grand Seiko, NORQAIN, Oris, and Seiko online.
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