Orient Celebrates 75th Anniversary With The Brand New Stretto Model; Doxa's Sandy SUB 200; Isotope Releases UFO Shaped Jumping Hour; Roger Dubuis' Excalibur Spider Flyback Chronograph In Pink Gold

Hey friends, welcome back to It’s About Time. I’m not trying to make you feel bad at all, but I just want to tell you how much I love writing this newsletter and you guys reading it. I am currently sat meters from the most beautiful sea in the world, with a light breeze making it perfect for an afternoon nap after an ice cold beer. And I still manage to put out issues. That’s commitment! Also, today (until Midnight, CET) is the last day to participate in the Laco giveaway. Winner announced tomorrow!

If you want to participate in the Laco giveaway, just scroll down to the end of the newsletter where you’ll find a large share button. Use that to invite your friends to subscribe to the newsletter and every referral gets you a ticket to enter the raffle. The more subscribers you bring, the higher the chance of winning is.

KIND OF IMPORTANT: I’m looking for someone to help me out with building up the ad side of this newsletter. If you think this is you, drop me a note

In this issue

• Orient Continues 75th Anniversary Celebration With The Brand New Stretto Model

• Doxa Teams Up With St Marteen Retailer Art of Time Once Again For A Sandy SUB 200

• Isotope Celebrates 10th Anniversary With A UFO Shaped OVNI Jumping Hour

• Roger Dubuis Introduces The Excalibur Spider Flyback Chronograph in Pink Gold

• Today Is Your Last Chance To Win This Absolute Bomb Of A Watch From Laco

• FOR WATCH CLUB MEMBERS: Your Next Watch, Week 52: An Orient you mustn't skip; two fantastic Omegas; a Seiko duo and a Roamer that's just so much fun

👂What’s new

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Orient Continues 75th Anniversary Celebration With The Brand New Stretto Model

Orient, as readers of this newsletter here know, has a communication issue. Unlike so many other watch brands that like to tell their current and future customers what new watches came out, Orient seems to like to play a game of hide and seek a new release. Which is pretty funny when the brand is celebrating its 75th anniversary and should be yelling about their new releases from the rooftops. Especially when they launch a brand new model in the Contemporary Collection. But hey, let’s help them out. The Stretto launches with six new watches, but I’m covering just the three limited editions for now. Not only to write about them while they’re still available, but also because I find them quite interesting. The regular production trio will get some time in the newsletter in a few days.

Looking at the photo above, it’s would be safe to assume that all three come in the same case. But you would be wrong. While they do look similar, they are all different sizes. The simplest of the three, the Date, comes in a case that measures 38.5mm wide, 11.2mm thick, with a 45.5mm lug-to-lug. Moving up in complexity and size is the Semi Skeleton at 40.8mm wide, 10.9mm thick and with a 48mm lug-to-lug. At the top of the line is the Day and Night which measures 41.5mm wide, 13mm thick and has the same 48mm lug-to-lug despite the increase in width. All of the cases have brushed surfaces with broad polishings on the side and fixed brushed bezels that hold down sapphire crystals. Out back are mineral crystals that give you a look at the movement inside. Water resistance is 50 meters.

The dials also have a uniform look across the model line, and they get a really nice grey base that almost looks purple, with a brushed finish. That’s highlighted with orange details on the seconds hands, for a really contemporary look. Orient claims that these watches are inspired by architecture. From their website: “wedge-shaped indices evoke towering skyscrapers, while the concentric circles beneath them suggest the arcs often seen in modern architecture”. I’m not sure I see it, but good for them. The Date model has three centrally mounted hands and a date aperture at 3 o’clock, the Semi Skeleton has a small seconds at 6 o’clock and a cutout in the dial above it to expose the balance wheel, while the Day & Night has a pointer-day display and a day/night indicator that looks like a moonphase. These limited editions are all using the 1950s Orient logo done in cursive which looks amazing

Inside, you’ll find the Orient in-house F6-series movements which beat at 21.600vph and have a 40 hour power reserve. They are all rated to +25/-15 seconds per day. The watches all come on classic three-link bracelets.

As I noted, these models are all limited editions, but not extremely limited — the Stretto Date is limited to 2,900 pieces, the Semi Skeleton to 2,800 pieces and the Day & Night to 2,500 pieces. Prices aren’t specified by model, but Orient says they range from €364.99 to €499. You can see the Date model here, the Semi Skeleton here and the Day & Night here.

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Doxa Teams Up With St Marteen Retailer Art of Time Once Again For A Sandy SUB 200

Doxa really doesn’t need much help with their designs. They offer a brad range of cases, paired with some really nice dials. Even when they venture away from the classics, like with their Clive Cussler watches, they make great looking things. However, every now and again, they team up with a retailer to make a limited edition. Last year, they did it with the St Marteen retailer Art of Time and the result was a stunning SUB 200 Azure with a Caribbean-sea hued dial. It was among my favorite doxa releases last year! Now, the two are teaming up again, with the Doxa SUB 200 Dune which gets a very sandy dial to match the beaches of St Marteen.

The case is a standard SUB 200 case, meaning that it’s made out of stainless steel and while it might sound large at 42mm wide and 13.8mm thick, Doxas — this one included — are notorious for wearing much smaller. Mostly due to the short lyre lugs. On top is unidirectional diving bezel features a black sapphire insert, with a luminous 60-minute scale printed in sandy Super-LumiNova. The bezel surrounds a domed sapphire crystal and out back is a closed caseback with a laser-engraved map of the Caribbean made for this special Caribbean edition.

While the previous version made its connection with the Caribbean through the azure shade of its dial, this one is more grounded. Mimicking the sandy beaches of St Marteen, the dial has a sand-grain texture and a gradient color from a dark brown on the edges to a light beige in the middle. That’s paired with baton indices outlined in black and lumed, a black minutes track and a black outlined date window at 3 o’clock. The hands are also black and filled with lume.

Inside, you’ll find the Sellita SW200. It’s not a particularly advanced or beautiful movement, but it does the job reliably. It beats at 4Hz and has 38 hour power reserce. The watch comes on a beads-of-rice bracelet with a folding clasp and dive extension as well as a black textured rubber strap.

The Doxa SUB 200 Dune is a limited edition of 100 pieces and there’s only one way to buy it. Go get it where it’s supposed to be worn — all 100 pieces will only be sold at the Art Of Time boutique on St Marteen. The price is set at $2,090. See more on the Art Of Time website.

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Isotope Celebrates 10th Anniversary With A UFO Shaped OVNI Jumping Hour

There seems to be a theme among British watches over the past couple of decades. When I think of brands like Farer, Fears, AnOrdain, Isotope, Schofield, Mr Jones and Studio Underdog, I can clearly picture a watch from each brand. They all seem to have super distinct styles that they built up fairly quickly and very successfully. So, when a 10th anniversary rolls around, you would expect a British brand to pull out all the bells and whistles and just create the ultimate expression of their brand identity. In the case of Isotope, who are just now celebrating 10 years, this would mean great colors and the use of those signature teardrop hands. What we actually got is the exact opposite — a monochrome take on a Disco Volante-shaped jumping hour watch. And it’s so cool. This is the new Isotope OVNI Jumping Hour Founders .

OVNI isn’t just a made up collection name, it’s stands for objet volant non identifé in French. And if your French is rusty, that stands for unidentified flying object, or UFO. And you see why that exact name is used. Made out of 904L stainless steel, this is a fully brushed smooth pebble of a watch, separated from a true Disco Volante by just those tiny lugs that protrude. The case measures 40mm wide and 13.6mm thick and has an interesting looking crown at 12 o’clock. Water resistance is a modest 40 meters.

On the dial side, the OVNI features a very good looking jumping hour display. The base of the dial has a brushed silver finish with 12 markers (well, 11, technically) that help tell the time. Over the dial sits a domed donut shaped crystal that has a metal insert in the very centre, hiding the small minutes hand. The hours are told with a jumpin mechanism at 10 o’clock, with a small circular piece of aluminum that has an incredibly cool font that Isotope developed.

Making all of this move is the La Joux-Perret G101 automatic in the Soigné grade, paired with Isotope’s proprietary jumping hour disc module. The movement beats at 4Hz, has a great 68 hour power reserve and has been adjusted to an accuracy of +/-7 seconds per day. The watch comes on a grey FKM rubber.

The Isotope OVNI Jumping Hour Founders Edition is limited to 150 pieces and goes on pre-order today until September 13th. This limited edition is priced at £1,800, with taxes included. However, the fact that the Founders Edition is limited to 150 pieces doesn’t mean you won’t be able to get one. Once the FE sells out, Isotope will make a regular version of the OVNI, but priced at £2,400. See more on the Isotope website.

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Roger Dubuis Introduces The Excalibur Spider Flyback Chronograph in Pink Gold

On most occasions that I wrote about the Roger Dubuis Excalibur Spider Flyback Chronograph, it was in the context of racing-adjacent chronographs. When it launched, the watch came in a carbon fiber case, a direct link to supercar technology, and it continued with a number of collaborations with Lamborghini, be it on their street or race cars. However, for their latest version of the Excalibur Spider Flyback Chronograph, they’re going in another direction. Still quite technical, but way more luxurious. This is the new Roger Dubuis Excalibur Spider Flyback Chronograph in pink gold and titanium.

While it gets a new material, the looks remain the same. You still get the signature triple lugs design and skeletonized pushers, as well as the oversized 45mm width and whopping 17.3mm thickness. I’m sure that the titanium and lack of gold bracelet help with weight, but I can’t imagine this being a light watch. On top and bottom you get the same sapphire crystals, but the top one is held down with a very dramatic pink gold bezel with what look like cog teeth cutouts that are doubled in width at every tenth numeral up to 60. Water resistance is 100 meters.

The dynamic look of the case is continued on the dial which is fully skeletonized and rendered in a couple of layers. Around the perimeter is a grey minute track held down with gold feet that have rhodium plated crews that act as hour markers. While the skeletonized white gold and black PVD coated hour and minute hands, along with the white varnished chronograph seconds hand, look a bit outlandish, they are actually quite regular. Where things get a bit funky are the 120° Rotating Minute Counter at 3 o’clock, which shows elapsed minutes with the three satellite hands.

Inside, you’ll find the vertical clutch column wheel automatic flyback chronograph called the RD780SQ. It has a patent-pending Second Braking System (SBS) which gives extra stability to the chronograph seconds hand and decreased flicker. It beats at 4Hz and has a 72 hour power reserve, finished to Geneva Seal standards using 16 distinct decorative techniques. The watch comes on a black rubber strap with a textured inlay, closed with a pink gold and titanium triple folding clasp.

The new Roger Dubuis Excalibur Spider Flyback Chronograph is limited to 88 pieces and priced at €142,500. See more on the Roger Dubuis website.

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Today Is Your Last Chance To Win This Absolute Bomb Of A Watch From Laco

Here we go. Like I promised you last month, I’m teaming up with Laco to celebrate their 100th year anniversary. As part of their celebration, they showed a very special watch, the Laco Frieda. There’s only one catch. You can’t buy one. Instead, Laco is giving away 100 pieces of this special edition watch in their “100 Years – 100 Days – 100 Watches” campaign. And you can get one here. The rules are simple — scroll down to the end of the newsletter, where you’ll find a referral window that says “Share It’s About Time”. Invite your friends to subscribe to the newsletter and for every subscriber you bring, you’ll get a “ticket” that enters you in a draw to win the watch.

This is the first time I’m doing a giveaway with this referral program, so if there are any hiccups and something doesn’t work, let me know and we’ll sort it out asap. The giveaway is open until August 25th, after which I’ll use a random email selector to find the winner and Laco will ship your brand new watch to you! Good luck.

Now, for a bit of info on thw atch. Laco typically names its models after cities or geographical features, but this model breaks tradition. For a good reason, as it’s named after the co-founder, Frieda Lacher. It’s a familiar watch but with a dial that makes it extremely beautiful. The watch comes in a stainless steel case that measure 39mm wide, 11.55mm thick and with a 46.5mm lug-to-lug. The case has a beautiful matte finish and on the side, you’ll find an engraving that reads “Laco 1925-2025”, while the caseback has an engraving of its unique number out of 100. On the opposite side you’ll find the signature deeply grooved onion-shaped crown. Water resistance is 50 meters.

Then, there’s the dial. It’s a classic Type A flieger, which has just the minute track along the edge of the dial and big numerals for the hours. The minute track and numerals are printed in white lume, while the sword-shaped hands are done in black, with white lume inside. But the star here is the base of the dial. Rendered in Laco’s signature red color, it has a sandy texture which makes it very special.

Inside, you’ll find the Laco S2 movement, which is essentially the Miyota 82S0. The movement beats at 21,600vph and has a 42 hour power reserve. The watch comes on a grey leather strap with red stitching.

Again, scroll down to the end of the email where you’ll find the share button and get to sharing!

FOR WATCH CLUB MEMBERS: Your Next Watch, Week 52: An Orient you mustn't skip; two fantastic Omegas; a Seiko duo and a Roamer that's just so much fun

We continue with our exploration of watches we shouldn't spend our money on, but most likely will. Read it here.

⏲️Wait a minute

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

• In this disturbing story, Jeff Horwitz recounts how Thongbue “Bue” Wongbandue, a 76-year-old Thai man living in New Jersey, was lured into New York City by a Facebook Messenger chatbot named “Big sis Billie.” After suffering a stroke in 2017, Bue declined mentally and relied increasingly on Facebook as his main social outlet. After a series of romantic exchanges with the flirtatious bot—who insisted that she was real and eventually gave him an address to visit—Bue packed a bag and set out to meet her. However, he never made it to the city. On the way, he fell, and later died from his injuries. Horwitz tells Bue’s story with compassion, and his excellent reporting for Reuters underscores, yet again, how Meta’s drive to boost engagement comes at the expense of its users, particularly its most vulnerable ones.

• Since 2022, film and TV production in the US has dropped by 40 percent. As Zoë Schiffer reports for Wired, some filmmakers see AI as the solution—promising lower costs, faster production turnarounds, and, ultimately, more (and better) movies. Industry skepticism remains, but a number of major Hollywood studios are already trying out the latest tools. These experiments, notes Schiffer, “[signal] openness to the technology, if not yet a full embrace.” At the center of this race is Stability AI, best known for its text-to-image model, Stable Diffusion. After a CEO shakeup, the company now counts Sean Parker (yes, the Napster guy) and James Cameron (yes, that director) among its backers.

• Ten times, over a period of several days, Harley Rustad’s neighbor discovered discarded bags of half-eaten A&W french fries on her porch in Ontario. Each bag was labelled “Rodolphe” in back sharpie; most had a few fries left behind. Together, Rustad and his neighbor set out to solve the why behind frygate.

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One video you have to watch today

I love that these Red Bull stunts are getting stupider and stupider.

Thanks for reading,
Vuk