The new Air-king, the Milgauss and the Explorer

 

 

Rolex has, after many years, updated its Air-King in 2016. The price of the watch is around 47k HKD. At this price point, it is definitely an entry-level Rolex. So, is it an able contender against the Explorer and the Milgauss, which have always been very iconic?

 

 

 

 

Let’s look at what the new Air-King has to offer. At first glance, I almost could not believe it is a watch produced by Rolex. Its design is unlike any other Rolex which are mostly conservatively designed. The new 116900 Air-King is a bold watch. At 40mm, the watch has a polished bezel and a dial full of fun. Some may argue that the dial is too busy. However, it is also the dial that sticks to the aviation theme. It mixes the hour markers 3,6 and 9 with the minute markers. It does look like an Explorer I 214270 with Arabic minute markers. But is this what Rolex has to offer? A modified Explorer I?
 



 



 

 

 

No. The new Air-King has a fun dial as I mentioned. Other than the mixture of hour and minute markers, the dial features a yellow Rolex crown, green “Rolex” letters and a green second hand. Green is the color of Rolex and this watch has a theme of green. The font of the letters Air-King is full of style as well. The watch has soft-iron case inside which makes the new Air-King anti-magnetic and truly adheres to the aviation theme.

 

 

 

 

 

This is quite a comprehensive package for an entry-level Rolex, isn’t it? But how does it compare with the Milgauss and the Explorer I?

 

 

 

First, let’s talk about the Explorer I. At a slightly higher price, you can an 39mm watch which has very rich history. The dial of the Explorer I is much cleaner and simpler. It is also more classic, if that is the word. However, it lacks the funky elements that exist on the Air-King dial. It has the shock absorber that the new Air-King does not have. However, it is not anti-magnetic like the new Air-King.

 

 

 

 

 

How about the 116400GV Milgauss? The Milgauss is famous for its green sapphire crystal and its anti-magnetic capability. It is a very accurate watch. The dial of the Milgauss is not as busy as the new Air-King but it is colorful enough. It has an all polished case and polished center links on the bracelet. On the wrist, the Milgauss looks very sharp and elegant. The shades of green on the sapphire crystal keep bringing you surprises under different lighting.

 

 

 

The price? It is slightly higher than the new Air-King. But I do think that the design elements of the Milgauss seem better than that of the Air-King and that makes the Milgauss my choice among the three contenders here.

What is your choice?

 

HK Snob

HKWF Group

 

 

 

 



Dragon Boat festival Special Offer for HKWF readers, Montblanc Alfred Hitchcock Pen LIMITED 3,000 pcs

 

 

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Ref.106509

An authentic Montblanc pen commemorating the life of legendary filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock. 

 

 This Montblanc fountain pen is finely crafted of black lacquer with an intricate laser-engraved pattern representing the vertigo effect from Hitchcock's Vertigo (1958). 

 

It features sterling silver accents, the Psycho film reel identification notes around the cap, 53 hatch marks around the cone representing each Hitchcock film, and Montblanc floating emblem in cap top. 

 

Comes beautifully packaged in genuine Montblanc Hitchcock presentation box. Montblanc Alfred Hitchcock Limited Edition Rollerball Pen 106509

 

MSRP HK$24,000

 

Now HK$16,800 for our reader, limited stock available.

 

HK Snob

 



 

Dragon Boat Festival Special Sales JLC Ultra Thin dress Watch Ref.134.24.20

Jaeger-LeCoultre   134.24.20
Code	40572
Movement	Manual winding
Case material	Pink gold
Bracelet material	Crocodile skin
Condition	1 (Brand new in box Full Set)
	With box
	With papers
Gender	Men's watch/Unisex
Movement	Manual winding
Case
Case material	Pink gold
Case diameter	38 mm
Dial	Beige
Dial numerals	No numerals
Bracelet material	Crocodile skin
Clasp	Fold clasp

 
List Price  HK$114,000

Now Cash HK$85,500

HK Snob

Submariner Ref.116610LV BNIB

Full Set Brand new in box Submariner Date Ref 116610LV X1
EU Rolex AD , but the sticker on the left is removed by the Rolex AD staff. or will be selling higher.

Let's make long story short, it is brand New, April 2016 Watch

HK$63,500 ( no additional charges for hand delivery to Philippines)

HK Snob

Rolex Day Date Ref 18038 birch dial on sale

Rolex Day Date Ref.18038 birch  dial "fossil", 95% new,
had been overhauled and have Rolex Service record.

HK$85,000 cash.

HK Snob

PS, watch sold on 1 June.

Pilot watches and HKWF recommendations

Pilot watches were made for the quest of flight in Europe in the beginning of the 20^th century. The world’ first pilot watch was made by Cartier, Louis Cartier to be precise. The Santos watch was made by Louis Cartier for his friend Alberto Santos-Dumont to wear in his flights in 1906 so he did not have to look at his pocket watch when controlling his aircraft. The watch first went on sale in 1911.
 

In 1912, Louis Blériot flew across the English Channel with a Zenith pilot watch which featured oversized Arabic numerals, an oversized crown and luminous hands and dial. From 1939, the Zenith Zenith Montre d’Aéronef Type 20 became a standard instrument for French aircraft. Zenith then successfully made its name in the history of aviation.

However, what made pilot watches so popular were the two world wars. British pilots began to use pocket watches in WWI. In WWII, five manufacturers including A. Lange & Söhne, Wempe, Lacher & Company/Durowe (Laco), Walter Storz (Stowa) and IWC started manufacturing the legendary 55mm B-Uhren for the German air force. Today, you can find vintage pilot watches made by these companies sold at hefty prices.
 

These B-Uhren were large, easy to read and anti-magnetic and they laid down the foundations for modern pilot watch designs. 

 

Our recommendations:

1.      Breguet Type XX
 

The Breguet Type XX connects aviation with the brand’s family history. The Breguet Type XX Aeronavale can trace its roots back to the 1950s when the French Naval Airforce made a special order for 500 pilot watches with “flyback” function. Until today, this function remains one of the very recognizable features of the Breguet Type XX Aeronavale.

The watch features a 39mm case, a size which is just about right for everyone’s wrist. It has a polished case and a polished bi-directional bezel. The case is very well finished with coin edge. The dial is extremely legible with three sub-dials displaying the running seconds, the minute counter of the chronograph and the hour counter of the chronograph.  

This watch is one of the most celebrated pilot watches in production. It comes with a brown alligator strap or you can choose the bracelet version, which is equally elegant.
 

The watch retails at around 80k HKD. You can expect more than 20% discounts at HKWF. However, If you want to get a second-hand one, you may as well go for those which have tritium dials. The vintage feeling of those watches are just irresistible.  

 

 1.      Zenith Type 20 Annual Calendar

The Zenith Type 20 Annual Calendar is absolutely a bang for your buck. It is a pilot chronograph that has annual calendar display and retails at around 75k HKD before any discount.
 

The watch is a reissue of the aforementioned Zenith Montre d’Aéronef Type 20 with modern functions. It has a 48mm stainless steel case with a huge onion crown. The oversized hands and Arabic numerals offer very good legibility, which is a must for pilot watches. The display of the date is at 6 o’ clock and the display of the month and the day is at 3 o’ clock. The two sub-dials are the chronograph’s minute counter and the running seconds.

The watch comes with a brown alligator strap. It is a blend of modern functions with retro style. On the wrist, it gives you a lot of wrist presence. It is not a watch to be ignored in any way.

 

1.      IWC Big Pilot Heritage 48 (Heritage 55)

IWC has in 2016 updated its pilot watch collection. Adhering to the brand’s design of the 1940s pilot watch, the Big Pilot Heritage offers two choices on case size, 48mm and 55mm. While the 55mm version is exactly the size of the original B-Uhr, the 48mm version may be more wearable for most who are not Arnold Schwarzenegger.

 

 

The case of the Big Pilot Heritage is in sandblasted titanium, which helps reduce the weight of the watch. The hands are in blued steel and it has a seconds sub-dial. The Arabic numerals are in beige color.

The strap that comes with the watch is a brown calf-skin pilot-style strap which has rivets on it. It is a watch that reminds you of the WWII era and one that is absolutely better than a Steinhart, a Stowa or a Laco.

 The IWC Big Pilot Heritage retails from 120k HKD to 140HKD. It is a simple and pure pilot watch with great history and tradition.

 

 

HKWF Group

Introducing the Breguet Type XXI 3817

Breguet has always been known for its highly priced classic watches. This year, the brand has extended its line of pilot watches by releasing the Breguet Type XXI 3817.

Breguet’s Type XX debuted in the 1950s when they designed the watch for the French naval air army. Since then, the line has been extending with chronographs that all feature the “flyback” function. Normally, we have to hit the “stop” pusher before we reset the chronograph. With the “flyback” function, we can skip the “stop” pusher and reset the chronograph by simply hitting the “reset” pusher. This allows us to time successive events without stopping the chronograph.

At Only Watch 2015, a charity auction that took place in Genève, Breguet released a similar model which had a platinum case. Now, the stainless steel version is out and it offers another choice of different aesthetics from the existing Breguet Type XXI collection.

 

 

 

Although Breguet has been updating the Type XXI line in the last few years, this model may be the most promising one. At 42mm, the watch features a slate-grey dial with oversized beige Arabic numerals which will absolutely catch your attention. The vintage-style design complements the classic case around which coin-edge finish is found. The “flyback” function remains and the bi-directional bezel is the same as the previous Type XXI models. The sub-dials display the running seconds, the 24-hour indicator and the chronograph hour counter.

What makes this watch a truly high-end chronograph is its movement, which now features a 18k gold rotor. Unlike other pilot watches, the movement, which is an in-house Breguet caliber 584Q/2, is visible through the watch’s sapphire crystal case back. The well-polished rotor is very attractive to look at. The caliber is Breguet’s newest version of the 584Q movement. It has a 48-hour power reserve and silicon escapement as opposed to metal escapement in the previous versions.

To complete the vintage-style looks, The watch is worn with a brown calf-skin strap which has beige stitching on it.

 

The price of the 2016 Breguet Type XXI 3817 is around 110K HKD, which is a very affordable price for you to own a Breguet. With discounts, you can own a brand new Breguet with splendid history for less than 100k HKD. It is a very classy pilot watch with vintage elements and practical functions.

 

HKWF group

Jason L

 

Tony Time Watch Shop

You can not judge the book by its cover, likewise, Tony Time is a small shop but it may have something you are looking for.

Rolex is his passion, he is a big Montblanc pen collector also...

When you feel bore about those big shops that would not tell you more about the watch except price. come to this place and talk to Tony...

You know Why? he is Tony Ip.... now you know...

PS, there is a elevator on the left side of Chung King Mansion (Tsim Sha Tsui) that will bring you to the 2nd level where his shop is there...

Opening Hour : Mon-Sat 1400-1900

Sunday Close

Tony will leave for oversea tour for ten days starting next Saturday 4 June. Don't go there between 4-14 June 2016!

HK Snob

Phillips Viewing Reminder

Don't forget there is viewing for your watches at Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong today and Tomorrow before the auction date 31 May.

It seems to be the most exciting watch event in town.

HK Snob

HKWF Watch gathering

Parmigiani Split second White Gold
Rolex DD OQ 19018 Birch
Cartier Japan limited edition 300 pieces Full Set (sale)
IWC Automatic with IWC bracelet (Sale)
Cartier Roadster Chronograph with FP movement (Sale)
IWC Chronograph

HK Snob

Tag Heuer Monaco Steve McQueen

Monaco Blue dial, Steve McQueen, Brand new in box Full set. MSRP HK$57,800

Calibre 12 automatic chronograph 39MM.

We have been offered a special deal for HKWF reader at a Special Price HKD$37,200 Cash.

HK Snob

Rolex Day Date Ref.1803 white Gold on sale

These are two beautiful samples of Rolex White Gold Ref.1803.

 

The Left one is a light blue matt dial of perfect condition.

 

The Right one is a Arab numeral with Arab Dial of Date and Day dial.

 

 

Interested parties please WhatsApp me for more information and price.

 

We can deliver by hand to Philippines.

 

 

HK Snob

Choosing the right dial for your Daytona

For years, the Rolex Daytona black dial has been the more sought-after version than the white dial. However, things have seemingly changed for the new 116500ln Daytona Ceramic.

Most Hongkongers preferred to buy the black dial version of the 116520 as it is a safer choice than the white dial version. However, is it really true?

A black dial chronograph has an inborn weakness – its legibility. Any watch with sub-dials is more legible in while dial than in black dial. The Daytona is no exception. Although the black dial gives the Daytona a stronger character, it also looks more dull and boring.

 

The while dial, on the other hand, is not only more legible, it is also more classy. On the new 116500ln, the white dial seems to be a wiser choice as the dial color contrasts very sharply with the ceramic bezel and the sub-dial rings. The black dial version is not too bad as the silver sub-dial rings look very sharp. However, with the black ceramic ring, there is not much contrast in colors. The whole tone is too dark.

 

 

 

The choice for a right dial for your Daytona can be even more of an issue if you are looking for a yellow gold or rose gold Daytona. The 116505 rose gold Daytona matches the ivory dial best as it provides an elegant look with great legibility.

 

If you are looking for a yellow gold Daytona, make sure you do not miss this year’s new release 116508 with a dark forest green dial. It will be surely a stunner in the metal.

HK Watch Fever Group