As retro themed timepieces go, this is an interesting one for sure. This Special Edition Panerai Radiomir Titanium PAM00349 is based on a design from the 1930s. It features an interesting design on the dial called a "California dial." This is where the top half of the numerals are Roman, and the lower half are Arabic. The dial is also sterile, which means it has no text or branding. While the timepiece is attractive, its clear homage to an older watch and lack of Panerai branding mean that it is almost exclusively a collector's item. The fact that Panerai is making only 12 of them further makes this point obvious.

The 47mm wide cushion shaped case is in titanium (clearly a modern element). Case is water resistant to 100 meters. The lugs are removable so that you can change the strap. On the dial you have rose gold hands covered with lume and a classic style of Panerai subsidiary seconds dial. Around the dial is a thin toothed chapter ring that has always look nice and adds depth to the look. Some people are going to love the dial, while others find it too bare. I would have preferred the hands be a bit longer. Notice the turnip shaped crown that is easy to operate, and where you can finally see some Panerai branding.

The watch movement is apparently in-house made, based on a Minerva movement. This might sound odd, but Minerva is owned by Montblanc, which is itself owned by Richemont, which is the parent company of Panerai. So there is some connection. The movement is the Panerai caliber OP XXVII that is hand-wound and visible through the caseback of the watch. With a very niche appeal and interesting vintage look, the Radiomir Titanium 47mm watch will only be found at select Panerai boutiques. Price is apparently a whopping $25,000 - $30,000.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

High-end independent luxury watch maker Thomas Prescher presents a new creation from his Tempus Vivendi collection. Right out of his workshop in Switzerland comes the Qatar watch, a timepiece dedicated to the nation of Qatar.

The origins of the Tempusvivendi collection, with their double retrograde hands stems back to the 19th century - seen on only the most luxurious and decorated for clocks and pocket watches. The concept allows for a striking and artistic way of telling the time and providing space for the watch makers to apply imagery to the watch face.

The all gold 39mm wide watch case features an specially made automatic mechanical movement that has been ornately decorated all over. Visible through the sapphire crystal caseback, the automatic rotor is engraved and highly personalized, while the movement itself features hours of traditional style engraving work. Each gold surface is hand engraved as well. The watch is attached to a hand-sewn alligator strap.

Time is read by observing the position of the tips of the two Arab style swords as they move along the indicators. Each sword is individually connected to the movement at the bottom and overall each over and they move down. If you prefer to look at the time as an artistic statement, you can press a pusher located in the crown and the hands will jump back to their "natural" position (as seen in the image). Pressing the pusher again will give you a view of the time once more. The image on the dial is hand engraved on gold and shows an Arabic coat of arms with a sail ship in water, and an island with two palm trees. The timepiece is of the highest craftsmanship quality for dedicated watch lovers of the Qatar region who will no doubt be enchanted by the timepiece as an instrument, and as an honor to their country.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

This is actually the second set of limited edition Cutthroat watches from Montana based American watch maker Bozeman Watch Company. The brand is known for classic looking luxury watches with an outdoorsy American twist, using Swiss movements. There are really very few smaller Americans brand such as this. As an homage to fishing and the famous Cutthroat trout, this newest edition of 100 pieces is broken up into at least 5 color choices. Four dials are in silver with either red, orange, blue, or green trim (as the color of the lume on the hour markers and tips of the hands), and one version with a black colored face. These are distinguished by regional or thematic names such as the "Yellowstone" or "Whitefish" editions.

In a classically handsome manner the watches are nice in a subtle way. Understated and functional. Inside the watches are Swiss automatic GMT movements (likely an ETA 2893-2) that have been COSC Chronometer certified. The arrow shaped (literally like an arrow used with a bow) GMT hand is red tipped on all models, and follow a neatly marked GMT hour scale on the chapter ring. The dial is very easy to read with all markers present. One of the things I really like about the watches is that all the hands are perfect in length. This is a sign of a good watch designer. The counterweight on the seconds hand is shaped like the brand logo. The watches are each in a 42mm wide, highly polished steel case with a sapphire crystal and 100 meters of water resistance. They are matched to simple leather straps with contrast stitching. Price for these hand-tooled watches is between $4,200 - $4,700 (each model is in a limited edition of 15 or 40 pieces - together totaling 100). The pictured model is the Bozeman Cutthroat Mack Creek Edition. You can learn more from Bozeman Watch Co. here.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

Finally! A classy looking skeletonized tourbillon watch in platinum with what looks to be a... blue horseshoe on the dial. Is that right? Horseshoe? Sure why not. A little good imagery always does watches good. The whimsy doesn't stop there as the matching blued hands squiggle ("serpentine") in delight, pointing to the time. The manually wound Calibre DR780 Tourbillon Squellete (skeleton) movement is chamfered and hand filed and polished until it gleams of worthiness (this includes hand polishing of the screws as well!). The movement is quite nice actually, with an 82 part tourbillon carriage spinning with lots of white area around it to ease your view, as well as 64 hours or power reserve.

Daniel Roth further suggests oddness in the watch as it is an inherent paradox (if you see it their way). While the case itself is make out of platinum (a very heavy metal) the dial is highly skeletonized suggesting lightness. Thus the watch mixes the concepts of high weighted stateliness with a feeling of feather-light delicacy. Are they harmonious or do they oppose one another? The light tone of the platinum and blued steel on the dial meld well with the midnight blue hand-sewn alligator strap. The strap clasp is in white gold as opposed to platinum (likely to prevent scratches on this "high contact area" of the watch). This Daniel Roth Tourbillon Lumière Platinum horological acquired taste will likely be available soon in limited numbers.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

A sexy Speedmaster is here. This is the first retro styled watch I've ever really drooled over. I really love the combo of design elements here from the new style Speedmaster case, to the railroad style numerals and of course the Olympic game touches. It all started back in 2008 with Omega's limited edition Speedmaster Summer Olympics watch in gold with a new type of movement modification giving a five Olympics rings style chronograph and calendar. When I discussed it back then I loved it, and I still do. Then recently I saw that they were to released an De Ville model with the same movement. Finally someone at Omega realized the style was a hit.

Now I discover that at least two more Speedmaster and Seamaster based models are coming with the same movement. Not only that, but they are part of a new Timeless Olympic collection that features connections to Omega's link as the official time keeper of the Olympic games. Until now, these were all limited editions as far as I know. So let's recap. Cool movement is being used in more watches, and there are going to be at least four Timeless Olympics collection models with Olympic design cues. I am thrilled.

The best model in my opinion is this Omega Timeless Olympic Speedmaster 5-Counter watch. Simple, straight-forward name and a great, clean look (also little text on the dial). Omega takes the look from classic Omega timepieces and combines them with the modern look of the Speedmaster case. It is an interesting combo. You also get the vintage style red Omega logo. The arrow hour hand mixes well with the dagger minute hand and the older style Arabic numerals. The tachymetre bezel completes the Speedmaster character. The rear of the watch likely has some Olympics themed engraving. Size is probably about 42mm wide and the watch will be in steel.

Inside the watch is the Omega Caliber 3888 Co-Axial automatic movement - which is likely Chronometer certified. Functions more or less include a 12 hour chronograph and day-date calendar. A very cool and functional design the perfectly arouses our thoughts of Omega and the Olympics. Only thing they left out was the Olympic rings logo as the counterweight on the chronograph seconds hand - but having it in would have obstructed the dial too much. Price will be 5,380 euros, likely available early next year.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

Bovet has been steadily making itself standout as a unique luxury watch maker since earlier this decade when it was purchased by Pascal Raffy in 2000. With a steady stream of about 2000 watches made a year, the exclusive brand is still a nice luxury watch maker. The watches are quite impressive actually, and the company plans to up to production to about 4000 watches a year soon.

The next step for the luxury watch brand is to make its own in-house made movement. This is quite an ambitious feat for a brand with this modest level of production, but they can certainly do it. Although development on the new movement has begun, it will not be released until 2013 - a testament to how long it can take for a movement to by developed, tested, and perfected before production. The movements will likely be very high-end, mostly being hand made and decorated. The included images are not necessarily of the new movement, but display examples of the craft work that Bovet places in its watches. I have a feeling that the upcoming movement will be very impressive and more than just a mere basic movement with "Bovet DNA."

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

The used Rolex watch market is robust and maybe even a bit crowded. Why? Because pre-owned Rolex watches are big business given the fact that Rolex watches have such an incredible ability to retain value. Still, it is sometimes hard to justify buying an older model when new models exist. One good way to breathe life into older, good condition Rolex watches is to modify or customize them. That way you aren't one of legions of people who have the exact same Rolex watch.

Rolex modification is a growing segment in the watch market with retailers offering everything from brand new Rolex watches that have been modified, to performing such modifications on used models. Many of these modifications have been around for years. Often involving the addition of extra gold or precious jewels such as diamonds to the watch. Recently such modifications have taken a less "blingy" route to offering modified Rolex models that have altered colors and materials. Opinions vary as to the desirability of modified Rolex watches - the same way people argue against the modification of luxury cars. Keep the Mercedes Benz stock, or take it to Brabus for a hot horsepower injection?

Of the most popular trends in Rolex watch modding is the "all black look." Never has there been a factory black Rolex watch (to my knowledge). Thus, the market has met (assumed) demand and offering everything from high priced new Rolex watches with all sorts of black colored modifications, to doing the same to pre-owned Rolex watches. The latter being a better value than the highly limited new modified Rolex watches that are tough to get by all (except a host of celebrities who are gobbling up customized Rolex watches fast enough to make you think Rolex is suddenly shifting to making wallpaper). Producers of new stock Rolex watches can charge double or more than retail for the timepieces.

Modified Rolex watches (new or used) are only as good as the work put into them. The process is harder than it seems. So look carefully, and know what you are looking for. The most popular forms of black color treatment are either PVD or DLC coatings (the latter being more modern, but not as well refined in all instances as the much more common PVD treatment) Time and Gems, an outfit located in Los Angeles offers a host of modified or otherwise custom altered Rolex watches. Time and Gems is not an authorized Rolex dealer, but instead specializes in the sale of used Rolex timepieces. They have recently got into the modded Rolex game and offer up a growing selection of DLC (and PVD) black Rolex Submariners, Sea-Dwellers, GMT Masters, Explorers, Milgausses, and more. The image above is of a Time and Gems DLC black Rolex Submariner watch (priced at $6,500). While modified pre-owned Rolex watches cost more than unmodified Rolex watches, they are arguably more interesting, and clearly involve a good deal of work. You can see black DLC Rolex watches from Time and Gems here.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

If TechnoMarine's desire was to catch my attention and maintain my curious observation with (what I think is) their holiday card - then they have succeeded. The brand best known for their late 1990s act of "breaking taboos" and mixing plastic with diamonds has been quietly undergoing a transformation over the last few months under new direction by Vincent Perriard, formerly of Concord watches.

While I didn't always agree with the design direction at Concord while Perriard was at the helm, he did supremely succeed in getting the world's attention. Whether you liked or disliked the new Concord, at least you knew about it. While Concord was very upscale and highly limited, TechnoMarine is a company with higher volumes in mind. As such I am extremely curious to see what the brand will offer with its newest watches when they are to be unveiled in March 2010.

In the above image you can see a blizzard obscured (thank you cold winter of Photoshop) new TechnoMarine watch design. Black and blue mixes comfortably in a watch that seems to suggest the brand identity well. Aside from this, I know nothing yet about this new chronograph dive watch. What I do know, is that I don't quite understand the holiday message. But it sounds awfully fun, and I'd smile if I heard it come from a TechnoMarine office worker's intoxicated optimistic new year's greeting, while attending some fantasy company holiday party they may have had. Happy "marine time" to you too TechnoMarine, see you in 2010.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

Baume & Mercier offers up a Valjoux 7751 movement based watch so similar in theme to a similar offering by Longines, that the brand can never deny who its intended competitor is. By all accounts the new Baume & Mercier Classima Executives XL Chronograph Calendar watch is a nice looking watch, but it does not feel particularly special. Actually that sounds like most of the recent Baume & Mercier watches. I think they are too afraid to infringe upon their higher end relatives in the Richemont Group. A few years ago we saw a host of exciting looking Capeland, Riviera, and Hampton models coming out. Did that stream dry up?

In a 42mm steel case the watch style is classic with just a hint of personality. Baume & Mercier supplies the watch with a relatively attractive guilloche engraved finished dial. It feels like it is missing Roman numerals, but that would have made the dial too busy. Dark gray hands instead of the expected blued steel hands give the watch a Tuxedo look - while the red gold date hand and gold toned moon on the moon phase indicator add a suggestion of luxury. Sapphire crystal on the front and rear of the watch allow clear views, with a Baume & Mercier signed automatic rotor see in the back. The Valjoux 7751 automatic movement is related to the Valjoux 7750, but adds a host of features including an annual calendar, synchronized 24 hour hand, and moonphase indicator in addition to the time and 12 hour chronograph. While there is nothing wrong with the attractive watch, give the competition, anything above $3,000 would be too much to pay for a watch like this. Though I don't know the price of the watch yet.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

Men who enjoy wearing bracelets have an incredible amount of options out there. Bracelets and other non-watch wrist wear are increasing in popularity and are suitable as something to wear on one's wrist opposite a watch, or even with a watch on the same wrist. Alternatively they can be worn on days you take a break from your watch, but you still want something there to keep your wrist from feeling naked.

Watch and jewelry maker IceLink has a neat line of Bicycle Bracelets for men. While IceLink's timepiece collection is clearly priced in the luxury range, these bicycle chain styled bracelets are much more value priced. The brand offers a range of the bracelets in different styles, widths, and with various levels of decoration. Seen above are just two examples with an all stainless steel metal version and other with alternating black link segments.

With a design directly inspired by bicycle chains, the line of bracelets is intentionally "gear minded." With the communicative power to suggest that its wearer is both active, and has an appreciation of well-made sports equipment such as a bike or motorcycle. Price is in the $175 range (give or take a bit). You can visit their website for a full catalog of the IceLink Bicycle Chain bracelet choices.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

Thanks to IceLink for the review item. Editorial is 100% independent.