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Habring² Hit Every Marker With The Josef Regulator

Not many watches are made in Austria and even fewer bear the quality in build and design that Habring² consistently represent. The indie watchmaker’s latest offering is a watch that favors performance and practicality - dare I say pragmatism - over luxury finishing and wild complications. As the name suggests, the Josef presents the time using a regulator layout, with each of the three subdivisions represented on a separate sub-dial. The point behind this isn’t to take up dial space (or to look cool) but rather, to represent the pinnacle of accuracy in displayed time. The focus on regulators is minutes, not hours, as seen on the Jjosef, where the largest track and hand represent a minute count.

The cushion-shaped case is easy on the eyes and easier on the wrist, measuring 38.5mm across and a mere 8.4mm thick. While you'd be forgiven for labelling this a sports watch, it’s more of a casual piece than anything else, particularly given its 30m water resistance. The Josef’s steel case is both brushed and polished, depending on where you’re looking and it wraps around printed black tracks on a hard-glossed white lacquer dial. Blued steel is a fittingly classical choice for the hands, placing this timepiece in familiar design territory, despite its outright originality. 

The hidden secret here is perhaps Habring²’s strongest nod to traditionalism in Regulator building - in place of sweeping seconds, the Josef displays jumping seconds, a signature of the company and, as anyone worth their salt will tell you, the right way to display seconds on a Regulator. For just $8,000, this watch is undoubtedly a steal and although it’s not a limited edition, you’d be best warned to grab one before the rest of the watch world cotton on to this marvel.

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A Startling Guilloché, Straight Outta Tokyo

Although he’s known for his extreme adherence to lacquer dials and his unparalleled execution with said material, Hajime Asaoka, the man behind Toyko’s hottest independent watch house, recently surprised fans and spectators with the release of two guilloché dials that are at least as impressive as anything else he’s made.

The Reservé Du Marche ‘Sensu N.O.S.’ represents a new chapter for Bunkyo Tokyo which is an exciting development due to its sublime execution and bluntly put, because the world is a better place with Asaoka exploring its infinite variables, if only materially.

Nothing is outstanding about the 38mm steel case and sapphire crystal but these are hardly the high points of these watches. The movement, for one, bears mentioning; N.O.S. stands for New Old Stock and is a tip of the hat to Asaoka’s acquisition and customization of Citizen’s entire stock of the discontinued Miyota 9134 calibre, which he updated in various ways before renaming it the 9134PWT. If this doesn’t represent the unique sense of dedication to a vision that Japanese craftsmen are so well known for, then perhaps the dials on these watches will do the trick.

Guilloché work is tricky stuff, particularly when done by hand and double-especially when you have to incorporate sub-dials and power meters which break symmetry and thus, deny the very nature of the pattern. I’m happy to say that here, the work is flawless and whether on the striking blue, or the salmon variant, the complexity of the task is apparent. Finally, the choice between blued steel hands and Arabic numerals or Kanji markers and silver hands is likely a difficult one to make. Either way, if you can get one of these on the aftermarket (they’re sold out on Bunkyo’s site), you’d do well to pick either.

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Watch Fact

At first thought, most people would assume Switzerland or Japan to be the strongest contenders for the most productive countries in terms of watchmaking. Most people would be wrong. That title goes to the Chinese, who manufacture far more timepieces a year than anyone else.

3-Watch Collection

3 Watch Collection: Moonphase Edition

Perhaps the most poetic complication of all, the moonphase almost always adds a touch of class and intrigue to a watch. After all, isn’t our connection to the cosmos surrounding us still life’s greatest mystery? Here are three moonphases to complete a sky-searcher’s dream trio.

Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch Moonphase (Sport watch) - No one here is a stranger to the inimitable charm of Omega’s seminal Moonwatch - it’s practically an institution unto itself at this point. However, if you’re willing to see this Speedy in a slightly new light (ahem, moonlight) then the moonphase is arguably the most romantic way to do so. In any case, there’s something so sensible about having a moonphase complication on the only watch that’s ever been up there… Grab one for $11,200.

H. Moser & Cie Endeavour Perpetual Moon (Dress watch) - While $46,000 is a lot of scratch for all except about 200 people on planet Earth, it doesn’t take long to work out where that money went when looking at this unparalleled Moser. No numerals, indices, text, or windows (other than the obvious one) clutter the dial. Every nanometer of the dial is used to create a mesmerizing star system that’s underpinned by a simple moon phase window, all encircled by a stunning gold case. Gorgeous.

Jaeger LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Duoface Calendar (Everyday watch) - If we’re talking icons, few watches more frequently make a top-5 list than the Reverso and of all Reverso models, this Duoface Calendar may be the most alluring. On one face, a Greek-inspired night/day design is set within a midnight blue dial while on the other, a more traditional moonphase window is surrounded by a calendar ring. That’s a lot of cool for $16,700.

Total Collection Cost (USD): $73,900

Watch News Bites

Quick Bites

• As its 60th anniversary looms, Oris’s Divers Sixty-Five has been re-released as the Divers Date. The new kid features subtle updates that fans of the original watch will love, including a ceramic bezel and increased water resistance!
  
  

• Continuing a flawless run of new releases, TAG Heuer has teamed up with Porsche for a ridiculously cool limited edition, the Carrera Chronograph Tourbillon x Panamericana. There’s endless detail here, so maybe go to a quiet place for a while to take it all in.

  
  

• French independent Yema is exploring wildly playful territory with their new Alain Silberstein collaboration, which is a refreshing take on the modern marine timepiece. If you’re after something totally different, this is it.
  
  

• HYT’s new S1 Titanium takes the lead on the brand’s latest sports collection and it’s as much a statement of technicality as a timekeeper. The catch? There are only 8, and you have to go to Japan to get one.

  
  

• If you’re in the market for an unsung dive watch that’s equal parts casual and task-ready, look no further than Christopher Ward’s lume-a-licious C60 Trident Lumière. Get a pre-order in now and thank me later.

Vintage Watches

Rolex Cellini Rectangular (1970s)

Why It’s Worth It: No single line represents vintage dressiness quite as well as the Rolex Cellini range. Although a few iterations of the rectangular shape exist, reference 4127 from 1976, with its 18k white gold case and hobnail bezel, is a standout. The manual wound calibre 1601 and a devilishly simple silver dial command this stylish build, which can be had for around $7,000.

Pre-Owned Watch Deals

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