Mido's Black Chronograph; Alpina Teams Up With TRTS; Norqain's Meteorite Wild One; Spinnaker Brings Popeye Back; Panerai's Blue Dial Luminor GMT Ceramica; Zenith Expands Gold Defy Skyline Lineup

Hey friends, welcome back to It’s About Time. You know that it’s a good watch day when I even approve of the Norqain.

Myth: Pet insurance claims are too slow

Unlike in the past, most pet insurance claims are now super easy to process. Now, you can submit a claim right from an app and get the money deposited directly into your account within days. Many insurers even offer options for direct payment to the vet, reducing the out-of-pocket burden. Check out Money’s Best Pet Insurance list to find options with fast and painless claims processing.

See pet insurance plans.

In this issue

• Mido Gives Us A New, Desert-Inspired, Multifort Chronograph In Black

• Alpina Teams Up With The Real Time Show On The Seastrong Diver Extreme Automatic, A Perfect Tool Watch

• Norqain Releases Their Staple 42mm Wild One With A Meteorite Dial

• Spinnaker Brings Back Their Popeye Collaboration With Three New Colors

• Panerai Adds A Fantastic Blue Dial To The Online-Exclusive Luminor GMT Ceramica 40mm PAM01783

• Zenith Expands The Incredible Gold Versions Of The Defy Skyline Lineup

• FOR WATCH CLUB MEMBERS Watches You Might Not Have Seen, Week 57: From Chistopol to the North Sea; The Radio Room's Military Heritage

👂What’s new

1/

Mido Gives Us A New, Desert-Inspired, Multifort Chronograph In Black

Release by release, the Multifort collection from Mido is becoming one of the more interesting watch collections from a mainstream brand. While their regular round Multifort watches have gotten a number of fantastic renditions in various colors and stages of skeletonizations, I will argue that their Multifort TV collection is one of the best bangs for your buck in the market. You get watches with a very unique 70s inspired case at a pretty unbeatable price and in various sizes and complications. Just a couple of months ago, they added a chronograph to the collection, and now it’s time to expand it with a new colorway.

Built on the Big Date case, this is the largest Multifort TV you can buy. It makes sense because it has to house the chronograph movement. The stainless steel case measures 42mm wide, 14.4mm thick and it’s 41.20mm long from the top of the bezel to the bottom of the bezel. On top is the signature Multifort TV bezel, surrounding the flat sapphire crystal, while the entire case gets brushed and polished finishes. It also gets a black DLC finish. Water resistance is 100 meters, thanks to the screw-down crown.

While the uncoated edition comes with two dial options, a grey and blue, but this one keeps things tone-on-tone. Somewhat. The dial still has horizontal grooves, raised hour markers and a framed date window at the horrible 4:30 position, but now it has a light grey-to-black gradient as it expands to the outside. The three sub-dials have a squared circle shape to match the shape of the dial. All of the text, numerals and lume is done in a cream colored for a vintage look.

Inside, you’ll find the Mido Calibre 60, based on the ETA A05.231 automatic, in turn based on the Valjoux 7750, but with choice upgrades. One of the major upgrades is the 60 hour power reserve. The watches come on a black stainless steel bracelet that has a fully matte look, closed with a folding clasp. You also and additional black strap.

The new Multifort TV Chronograph in black is available now, priced at CHF 2,420. See more on the Mido website.

2/

Alpina Teams Up With The Real Time Show On The Seastrong Diver Extreme Automatic, A Perfect Tool Watch

Transparency is important in the watch industry and hardly any of the media that write about watches are transparent. I try to be as much as I can. For example, I always note that Alon Ben Joseph, the owner of Ace Jewelers is a good friend of mine when I write about his collaborations. I just can’t help gush over them because they are so cool. I do the same when I write about Alon’s other project, which he runs with our other good friend, Rob Nudds — The Real Time Show podcast — a partner of this newsletter. But With TRTS, as well, I can’t help but write in superlatives. Just recently, I wrote about their sensational Straum collaboration. It’s been a week or so since that, and TRTS has a new collaboration, now with Alpina. This is the new Alpina × The Real Time Show Seastrong Diver Extreme Automatic. Sure, my friends made it, but I really, really like it.

Despite its aggressive name, the watch actually comes in a rather sensible case, one made even easier to wear due to the cushion shape and stubby lugs. The stainless steel case measures 39mm wide and 12.65mm thick, with a compact 40.5mm lug-to-lug for a square profile. The case has a brushed finish with polished bevels. On top is a nothced unidirectional bezel with a matte black ceramic insert, surrounding a flat sapphire crystal. The bezel on top has the 60 minute scale done in tone-on-tone gloss relief. On the right side is rubberized crown and on the left is a bumper that protects the case. Water resistance is 300 meters.

The collaboration starts on the dial. First, Alon and Rob got rid of the rehaut ring and gave the dial a charcoal fumé color and a very fine texture. Around the perimeter is a white minute track, with fantastic sunken hour markers that are filled with white lume specially developed by Alpina for this project, making it look like a sandwich dial a bit. The Alpina wordmark and “Automatic” text is pad-printed in gloss black which makes it barely perceptible. The one significant connection to the TRST colorway is the bright orange seconds hand. The hour and minute hands are blackened, partially skeletonized and filled with the same white lume on top.

Inside is the AL-525 automatic movement, which is a slightly modified Sellita SW200. The modification comes in the form of a black asymmetrical rotor, while the movement keeps its 4Hz beat rate and 38 hour power reserve. The watch comes on a blackrubber strap with a folding clasp.

The new Alpina × The Real Time Show Seastrong Diver Extreme Automatic is limited to 300 pieces, available exclusively online on the Alpina website until February 2026 or until stock lasts. Following that, remaining pieces will be available via Alpina’s stockists worldwide. Price is set at €2,195. See more on the Alpina website.

3/

Norqain Releases Their Staple 42mm Wild One With A Meteorite Dial

Over the last few months, maybe even a year or so, Norqain has been focusing on expanding their collections with new — and smaller — sizes, materials and colors. But the last few releases seem to have seen them return to their roots. For example, just a few weeks ago, they did their 42mm Wild One Skeleton in purple. Now, they’re paying more attention to the 42mm Wild One, but now with the Wild One Meteorite 42.

The new watch comes in the case that has put the brand on the map. It’s a complicated case with 25 components, with a titanium core that protects the movement, a Norteq outer case (Norteq being a super-light, ultra-resistant, proprietary carbon fibre composite) and rubber shock absorbers that make the case resistant to shocks of 5,000g. The Norteq case gets a burgundy colorway on this version, while the rubber shock absorbers are black. Water resistance is 200 meters.

The dial is a slice of meteorite that gets a grey finish and the characteristic Widmanstätten pattern, making each dial unique. You get black applied partially openworked markers with lumed dots, as well as partially openworked hour and minute hands. The seconds hand is super thin with a white triangle tip. Writing is minimalist.

Inside is the NN20/1 calibre made by Kenissi. It is a chronometer-certified movement, beating at 4Hz, with a nice power reserve of 70 hours. The watch comes on a black rubber strap closed with a burgundy Norteq pin buckle or an optional black DLC-coated titanium folding clasp.

The new Wild One Meteorite 42 is limited to 300 pieces, with prices set at CHF 5,950 for the version with the pin buckle or CHF 6,300 for the folding clasp. See more on the new Norqain website.

4/

Spinnaker Brings Back Their Popeye Collaboration With Three New Colors

Spinnaker makes some pretty decent looking watches. You can get some fun and chunky divers from them, or more subdued sports watches. But where they seem to shine the best is in their pop-culture collaborations. Their work with watch customizer seconde/seconde/ on Halloween watches is absolutely legendary, as is their collaboration with SpongeBob SquarePants, of which they’ve done perhaps four, maybe even five runs. But they also have other, fantastic, collaborations. Like the one with Popeye, in which the watch features an illustration of Popeye, with his muscly hands used as hour and minute hands.

Technically, this is a second Popeye collaboration, but who is keeping count with them. The collection is based on their Challenger Automatic collection, which has a very unique look. It’s a stainless steel case that measures 42mm wide and with a 49.5mm lug-to-lug. How thick is it, you ask? Well, it’s 19mm thick. But before you stop reading, just know that I think this is absolutely hilarious. The case itself doesn’t look more than 13mm thick, maybe 14mm. The rest is an ultra-domed sapphire crystal. Why is it there? No idea, I love it. But you know that I love weird watches. The crystal is surrounded by a coin-edge unidirectional bezel that has ceramic inserts color matched to the dial, with 60 minute scales. Water resistance is 300 meters.

There are three versions available, all with a wave-patterned dial base available in black, yellow and blue. There’s a date aperture at 3 o’clock, they all have applied hour markers filled with lume, and all thee have Popeye on it caught mid-stride, with his arms serving as the hour and minute hands. A lollipop seconds hand with an anchor counterweight just makes sense. The Popeyes on the yellow and blue feature a Popeye in color, while the black one features a black and white Popeye. All of the Popeyes are fully lumed, which makes the whole thing even better.

Inside, you’ll find the Seiko NH35A caliber. They beat at 21,600vph and have a 41 hour power reserve. They are reliable, but not very accurate at -20/+40 seconds per day. The watches come on color-matched ribbed rubber straps.

The new Spinnaker Challenger Automatic Popeye Anchor Arms is a limited edition. 350 pieces of the yellow and black versions will be made, while the blue will be made in 425 pieces. All three versions are priced at €419. See more on the Spinnaker website.

5/

Panerai Adds A Fantastic Blue Dial To The Online-Exclusive Luminor GMT Ceramica 40mm PAM01783

Panerai watches are, for the most part and especially in the Luminor collection, a bit silly. And I mean that in the best possible way. Me, with my chunky 20cm writs love wearing a 47mm Panerai. Is it huge? Absolutely. Does it look out of place? Maybe. I like it, and it makes me smile, despite the funny size. And I imagine most Panerai watches should bring out a smile for its silly size on people of all sizes. For me, it’s the 47mm. For others, it’s the 42 and 44mm sizes. But what if you have a really small writs? Even the 42 could look too large, in a not so nice way. That’s why Panerai also has the 40mm Luminor, a watch that allows both regular wristed people to wear an appropriate-sized watch and smaller wristed people have some fun. Recently, just a few weeks ago, Panerai introduced the Luminor GMT Ceramica 40mm PAM01460, the first 40mm Luminor with a full ceramic case. And they are already expanding it, with the Luminor GMT Ceramica 40mm PAM01783 that has a great new dial, available only online.

The new PAM01783 is instantly recognizable as only the size has changed. You still get the 40mm wide cushion-shaped case, here made out of sandblasted black ceramic, with the iconic flip down crown guard on the right side. On the back is a grade 5 titanium screwed back with a smoked sapphire crystal. That’s good news because despite being smaller, this Luminor doesn’t compromise on stats like some others have. You still get 300 meters of water resistance. Thanks!

While the introduction of the Luminor GMT Ceramica 40mm got a very simple black dial, this new PAM01783 gets a sunray brushed blue dial that is greatly contrasted with the white lume and black case. The dial has a sandwich construction, with cutouts for the numerals at 6 and 12 and the stick hour indices. The bottom layer is then painted with Super-LumiNova X2, for a great glow. At 3 o’clock is a date aperture, at 9 are the small seconds and you get a black arrow-tipped, filled with white lume, 12-hour GMT hand that doesn’t need an additional scale to track a second time zone.

Inside, you’ll find the automatic P.900/GMT which you see in other Panerai BiTempo models. It beats at 4Hz and has a 72 hour power reserve. The watch comes on a blue rubber strap, closed by their iconic trapezoid buckle that’s made out of titanium with a black DLC coating.

The new Luminor GMT Ceramica 40mm PAM01783 is a limited edition of 80 pieces that will be available only online, priced at €15,800. See more on the Panerai website.

6/

Zenith Expands The Incredible Gold Versions Of The Defy Skyline Lineup

Last month, Zenith introduced an incredible rose gold Defy Skyline Tourbillon. It was big, brash, beautiful and extremely expensive. Seeing how well that thing worked out, it’s not surprise that we are getting an expanded list of Defy Skyline models in various shades of gold. They are even wilder and (some) even more expensive than the Tourbillon.

Let’s start with what the models have in common, and that’s the fact that they are all made out of solid gold, keeping their instantly recognizable design. That means that, while they come in different sizes, on top you’ll find a 12-sided faceted bezel, brushed surfaces and polished accents, and H-link bracelets. Sapphire crystals are used top and bottom, they all have solid gold hands and gold-plated indices filled with lume and water resistance on all of them is 100 meters.

Not counting the tourbillon, we have three new models. First up is the Defy Skyline, a time only that measures 41mm wide, 11.6mm thick and has a 46.3mm lug-to-lug. the case is made out of 18k yellow gold. That’s sensationally paired with an olive green dial that has the Zenith star pattern embossed into it. The dial has yellow gold hardware, a small seconds at 9 o’clock and a date aperture at 3 o’clock with a color matched date whee. Inside, you’ll find the El Primero 3620 automatic which beats at 5Hz and has a 60 hour power reserve. The high-beat of the movement means that the small seconds display works at 1/10th of a second. Price is set at €64,900. See more here.

Moving on to the way more extravagant Defy Skyline Skeleton, it has the exact same sized case, only this one is made out of 18k rose gold. The change happens on the dial, where it’s completely skeletonized, with rose gold bridges in the shape of the zenith logo. Around the perimeter is a black minutes flange, with more black on the hour and minute hands There’s no date window, but the 1/10th of a second sub-dial has been moved to 6 o’clock, with a black track. There’s good reason for that, as it gives you a great view of the turquoise silicon escapement at 9 o’clock. The escapement is part of the El Primero 3620 SK which also beats at 5Hz and has a 55 hour power reserve. Price is set at €67,100. See more here.

Last, we have the Defy Skyline Chronograph which grows in size, but not by much, surprisingly, for an automatic chronograph. The case is made out of 18k rose gold, measuring 42mm wide, just 12.7mm thick and with a 47.4mm lug-to-lug. It has a grey dial with the same star pattern embossed into it, and a slight gradient from light in the center to darker on the outskirts. You have two sub-dials for the chronograph, a 60 seconds at 3 and 60 minutes at 6 o’clock, and a small seconds at 9 o’clock. The date window sits at 4:30. The movement is the El Primero 3600 automatic, beating at 5Hz, with a 60 hour power reserve. Price is set at €70,300. See more on the Zenith website.

FOR WATCH CLUB MEMBERS Watches You Might Not Have Seen, Week 57: From Chistopol to the North Sea; The Radio Room's Military Heritage

Colored segments that mark where radio operators couldn't transmit—and why it matters. Read it here.

⏲️End links

A bunch of links that might or might not have something to do with watches. One thing’s for sure - they’re interesting

• For The Yale Review, Alicia Kennedy wonders where all the foodies have gone, those, that in addition to sharing recipes and photos, advocate for ethical and sustainable food. She points to two recent books that aim to round up “the foodie troops and bringing rigor and research back to the fore.” When it comes to taking pleasure in food and engaging in the politics around sourcing and preparation, Kennedy has plenty of room on her plate for both.

• I believe without reservation that an airport lounge, like first-class travel, nourishes the worst impulses in us. I also believe without reservation that traveling without airport lounges is far worse than the alternative. Zach Helfand proves me right on both counts by dutifully chronicling (and experiencing) the most exorbitant airport perks that air travel currently has to offer, from tarmac Porsches to Phantom-roofed sleeping suites.

• Ever heard of a shipworm? It’s a strange, slug-like, wood-eating mollusk. Contrary to its name, it’s not a worm, and is referred to more as a clam. For The Contrapuntal, Crystal Chow spends time with scientists in the mangroves of the Philippines to learn more about this climate-resilient creature that can do so much: It keeps mangrove ecosystems healthy, acts as a nutritious and sustainable seafood alternative, and holds immense biomedical potential. Chow reports on both the science of shipworms and the people on the ground passionate about this research. As Chow highlights, these quirky creatures have much to offer the region’s coastal communities—and science at large.

👀Watch this

One video you have to watch today

We’ve had a few cold days here in Croatia, and for some reason I’m freezing. And I’m never, ever cold. Which reminded me of this video.

Thanks for reading,
Vuk