Five Summer Watches: Zenith, Moser, Breitling, Omega, Seiko

Forbes

4 days ago

The updated Breitling Superocean Heritage collection, made for the beach.
It's summertime, and although that means less time watching the clock, there are still reasons to keep track of time, whether you're diving or just timing your exposure to this ridiculous heat. Summer watches serve the dual purpose of making you look chic in an era when dressing the part is more important than the job at hand, and adding a reliable tool to your ensemble of summer essentials. Here are five timepieces to get you through the season, whether you're yachting in Portofino or just reading on the beach at home.
H. Moser & Cie Pioneer Spiced Aqua
The Pioneer Spiced Aqua Center Seconds from H. Moser & Cie.
This limited series recalls the neon blue of the Mediterranean and the hot orange hue of a summer sunset. There are three pieces: a simple three-hand with center seconds ($16,900); a tourbillon with a rate-balancing double hairspring for greater accuracy ($59,500); and a skeletonized tourbillon with a rare cylindrical hairspring ($93,500). They are steel and come with rubber or leather straps.
Omega Aqua Terra Turquoise
Like the waters of the Mediterranean Sea, the Omega Terra Turquoise.
The turquoise lacquer dial on this watch reflects the model's purpose, which is water sports. Water resistant to 150 meters, it is fully lumed on the hands and indexes for underwater viewing. The dial is a gradient of turquoise, and the movement is a chronometer-rated automatic. This one is 41mm ($7,000), but for smaller wrists, Omega also just dropped 12 new 30mm-sized versions of the Aqua Terra, ranging in price from $6,600 - $40,100 in gold.
Seiko Prospex Jaws
The Seiko Prospex Jaws Anniversary Edition.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the release of the movie Jaws, which put both Steven Spielberg and the great white shark on the map forever. Seiko is commemorating the occasion with a special edition of the Prospex. The dial, in a gradation of colors of the sea, reveals the shark emerging from the waves depending on the light and viewing angle. The caseback is engraved with the image of the Orca, the boat from the film, and the shark's dorsal fin emerging from the water. Limited to 5,000 pieces at $795.
Zenith Defy Extreme Diver Shadow and Diver Revival
Zenith Defy Extreme Diver Shadow and Diver Revival.
The Diver Revival ($8,200) is a tribute to Zenith's 1969 Defy dive watches, but modernized with an edgy sand-blasted titanium case and bracelet. The unidirectional rotating bezel is also titanium, but with a yellow tinted sapphire insert for high visibility and racy looks. The crown is positioned at 4:30, as on the original. It's 37mm wide and water resistant to 600 meters. The Diver Shadow, also in sand-blasted titanium, ($12,300) is bigger, at 42.5mm. It can also descend to 600 meters, and there is even a helium escape valve in case you really want to go that deep.
Breitling Kelly Slater Superocean Heritage
Breitling's updated Superocean Heritage collection.
Breitling's 40mm and 36mm versions of the Superocean Heritage take up far less wrist space than the previous 46mm size, and they look cool too. It is part of a full update to the collection, which includes a 40mm limited edition model co-designed by surfing champ Kelly Slater (500 pieces, $6,450). It has a blue dial with tropical foliage pattern, and a blue mesh-look rubber strap or flat-end steel mesh bracelet. The wider collection includes several colors.