In January, we told you about the Nike Amp+ iPod watch which doubles as a remote control for your iPod Nano. Recently, Nike introduced the Nike+ SportBand which seems to be a variation on the theme with a slightly different focus.

The SportBand answers the question "What if I don't want to run with music?" This isn't as theoretical as you might think since many races ban music players. With the Nike+ SportBand, you can see all the same information that the Nike Amp+ iPod displayed on the screen of your Nano (pace, distance, calories burned, etc.), but on an LCD integrated into the SportBand itself rather than on the screen of your iPod.

Like the Nike Amp+, you can still upload your running data when you get home, so it's just as well integrated into the whole Nike/Apple ecosystem. All you do is pop the Nike+ Link out of the SportBand, and plug it directly into your computer's USB port.

Nike has also introduced a web-based coaching system called Nike+ Coach with professionally crafted programs for a range of fitness goals. Everything from "Walk to run" to "Marathon" is laid out with motivational tools, progress tracking, peer challenges, and more. This might sound trivial, but I'm here to tell you that workout buddies — even virtual ones — are a major factor in keeping up an exercise program. Of course, you probably have to have the hardware to make much use of the virtual coach, but the cost of entry is really pretty minimal. The Nike+ SportBand sells for a very reasonable $59.

By Paul Hubbard

We've never covered a Wenger watch before, but with the introduction of the AeroGraph Countdown Chrono at Basel this year, with it's interesting combination of style and functionality, we figured it was finally time.

At first glance, the Aerograph Countdown Chronograph seems like a pretty standard watch: quartz movement, stainless steel case, 3-dial chronograph, and a date visible at the 4 o'clock position. However, take a closer look at the bezel, and you'll see that the numbers count down instead of up! We've only seen this on a very unusual Seiko dive watch, the Kobold Phantom, and the Sinn 103 UTC.

Most bezels count up. In other words, you rotate the bezel until the 0 is aligned with the minute hand, and as the minute hand moves, it counts up to a maximum of 59 minutes. With a countdown bezel, on the other hand, you rotate the bezel to a start time, and then when the minute hand hits zero, time is up. Simple, useful, quick, and honestly, probably more useful than a traditional bezel since you don't have to remember the target time once the bezel is set.

Wenger is marketing the AeroGraph Countdown Chrono to pilots, but it's equally handy for (light) diving, cooking, parking meters, or simply "call me back in 25 minutes".

Here are the specifications:

• 316L stainless steel case.
• Quartz movement.
• Three-dial (60sec/30min/12hr) analog chronograph.
• Date at the 4 o'clock position.
• Waterproof to 100m (330ft).
• Four versions:
  • Brown dial with a leather strap.
  • Black dial with a bracelet.
  • Black dial with a leather strap.
  • PVD-coated black with a black and orange strap.
• "'Scratch-proof" crystal (almost certainly mineral glass).
• Unusual count-down bezel (our favorite feature).
• SuperLuminova-coated markers and hands (should be very readable at night).
• List price of 450 - 530 Swiss francs (about the same in dollars right now).

For a change, I actually really like the brown-dial version, but I suspect the PVD-black version (which we couldn't find a picture of) would be gorgeous. The price isn't bad, either. We promise to keep more of an eye on Wenger in the future.

By Paul Hubbard

Breitling's newest watch to come out of Basel this year is the Avenger Seawolf Chronograph. Combining the versatility and reliability of the Avenger line with the water resistance of the Seawolf, Breitling seems to be getting as serious about diving as they are about aviation.

Breitling is touting the new Avenger Seawolf as the worlds only chronograph to be water tight and operational at depths up to 1,000 meters (3300 feet). This is impressive, but not entirely true. The Sinn U1000 also has the ability to remain operational at the same depths as the Breitling, but that just means they are in good company.

Breitling has developed new proprietary technology that makes their calibre 73 SuperQuartz operational at extreme depths. By using magnetically activated pushers, the pushpieces can be activated through the case with no direct contact with the module inside, keeping the watch perfectly sealed. The SuperQuartz movement is also thermo compensated which means it can account for the changes in temperature that make most quartz modules lose or gain time. The result is that the Avenger Seawolf is some ten times more accurate then a standard quartz movement.

In addition to the standard chronograph feature, the Breitling Avenger Seawolf has a "regatta timer" that will measure in ten minute scales for the beginning of a yacht race. The case is brushed stainless steel, and incorporates a helium release valve for extreme saturation diving, and a sapphire crystal.

Being a diehard Breitling fan, I really think they have a winner on their hands as this piece is gorgeous, functional, understated, and impenetrable.

By James Stacey

There aren't a lot of people who need a watch that can survive the airless void of space, but Richard Garriott happens to be one of them. He's headed for the International Space Station and some extra-vehicular activity (spacewalking). Garriott could have just chosen to wear the vacuum-rated Omega Speedmaster, or maybe a Fortis Cosmonaut, but instead he turned to one of my favorite watchmakers: Seiko.

Seiko has a long tradition of creating limited-edition watches for explorers in extreme environments. They've made some extraordinary watches, and routinely use the lessons learned in later production models. For example, they made Landmasters for trips to both poles (the GMT hand goes counter-clockwise for the Landmaster South Pole!), an amazing shrouded diver for commercial divers, a ceramic and titanium masterpiece for Mt. Everest, and even a watch specifically designed for hikers of Japan's mountains. As most of these are limited editions, they are tragically hard to find, and rarely even seen.

For Garriott, Seiko has designed a true masterpiece introduced this year at BaselWorld: the Seiko Spring Drive Spacewalk. Have a look at these features:

• Spring Drive 5R86 movement for accuracy under the extreme temperature swings of space (-20° to +70° Celsius, or about -4° to 160° Fahrenheit).
• Titanium case with the sides etched out by a new CNC (computer numerical control) machine that Seiko built in order to help get the weight down to only 92.5 grams.
• Completely air-tight case capable of surviving direct exposure to space.
• Oversized buttons for use while wearing space gloves.
• Domed sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating.
• Waterproof to 100m, or 330ft (in case of a water landing, I guess).
• 12-hour chronograph.
• GMT hand for 24-hour UTC time (which is used in both space and aviation).
• New luminescent material that Seiko says is three times as bright as a typical luminescent watch.
• A special dial and hand design for maximum readability.
• 53mm by 15.2mm which is huge.
• Limited edition of just 100 watches (price not yet announced).

They made some interesting design decisions on this one, and I'm smitten by the results. The dial is ultra-readable, with unobtrusive chrono hands, a subtle but still readable "there if you need it" blue skeletonized GMT hand, and bold white hour and minute hands reminiscent of the 6S37 Flightmaster. The power reserve subdial is subdued, and the date window is symmetric with the 9 o'clock marker. Blue makes a low-key accent, carefully placed to be non intrusive. The sculpted case and top-mounted buttons and crown (referred to as a "bullhead" design) make for a stunning and unique timepiece.

The Seiko Spring Drive Spacewalk is to space what the new Rolex Sea-Dweller DEEPSEA is to the ocean. Even at 53mm, I'd happily wear it. It's gorgeous, functional, and built like a titanium tank. Let's hope Seiko introduces a production model soon.

Update (June 15): Richard Garriott gives us an update on how the Seiko Spacewalk is performing so far during training.

At BaselWorld 2008 this year, Rolex announced an update to their already amazing, top-of-the-line diver: The Rolex Sea-Dweller. They're calling the new model the Rolex Sea-Dweller DEEPSEA. The DEEPSEA has several changes from the original Sea-Dweller:

• As with the new Yacht-Master 2, it's more heavily branded. The previous Sea-Dweller was notable for its restraint; this one adds the "ROLEX" repeated around the chapter ring, additional blurbs on top of the "ringlock", and "DEEPSEA" above the center. At least there's still no cyclops (date magnifier), and thankfully, they did not add polished center links like the new GMT Master 2.
• As with the Anniversary Submariner and new GMT Master 2, the Sea-Dweller DEEPSEA gets the new "maxi-dial" which means that the hour markers are larger, and both the the minute hand and the hour hands are slightly wider.
• The depth rating increases from silly to ludicrous: 1,220m (4,000ft) on the original to 3,900m (12,800ft) on the DEEPSEA.
• The crystal goes from flat thick sapphire to domed thick sapphire.
• New super-hard ceramic bezel with platinum-filled numbers. We first saw this design on the new GMT Master 2.
• Much-improved ratcheting clasp that increases in 1.8mm increments.
• The caseback goes from flat stainless steel to a titanium/steel alloy.
• The new "Ringlock System", which is a stainless steel ring under the crystal that absorbs some of the pressure.
• New blue-colored lume on the dial and bezel dot — very cool!.
• Larger case with slightly updating styling.

As before, it has a helium escape valve, which only matters if you do saturation diving. The movement is the same 3135, but with the addition of the new antimagnetic Parachrom Blue hairspring which we've discussed before on the Rolex Milgauss.

Price was not announced, but expect it to be steep. The Sea-Dweller has always been one of their more expensive models, and these updates certainly won't make it any cheaper. (We'll update this article when pricing is available.)

I was honestly a bit surprised to see this update. Rolex is usually slow to revise or introduce new models, and they've done several in the past year or two: The Anniversary Submariner, The Rolex Milgauss, The new Yacht-Master 2, the new GMT Master 2, the Cellini, and now the Sea-Dweller DEEPSEA. While I don't always like the results, I'm delighted to see Rolex increasing the pace and updating their classic styles. Bravo!

By Paul Hubbard

Casio seems to be gradually bringing the G-Shock and Pathfinder lines closer together. The first Casio Riseman was introduced back in 1997, but has been discontinued for some time. About three years ago, Casio introduced the G-Shock GW-400J which borrows from the Pathfinder line by integrating a thermometer. More recently, Casio announced the Ultimate Pathfinder (PAW1500) which, like the G-Shock line, is now water resistant to 200 meters (650 feet) rather than the previous 100 meters. And now Casio is reviving the Riseman line with the very strong Casio Riseman GW-9200.

Features include:

• New multi-band atomic timekeeping. Most of Casio's atomic watches are multi-band now, meaning they calibrate with atomic clocks in Mainflingen (Germany), Rugby (England), Fort Collins (Colorado), Fukushima (Japan), and Fukuoka (also Japan). But the Riseman GW-9200 goes a step further by also calibrating with the 77.5 kHz atomic signal in China, making it the first 6-band atomic watch I've ever seen.
• Solar powered.
• Water-resistant to 200 meters, or about 650 feet.
• Barometer pressure indicator and differential pointer (graph) with a range of 260 to 1,100 hectoPascals (millibars).
• Altimeter with a range of -700 to 10,000 meters, altitude data storage, and altitude differential pointer (ascent/descent graph).
• Thermometer with a range of -10°C to 60°C.
• Stopwatch with a resolution of 1/100th of a second, and a maximum capacity of 24 hours.
• World time with support for 33 cities.
• Countdown timer with a maximum of 24 hours (a nice improvement over the Pathfinders).
• 5 daily alarms and one snooze alarm.
• Time transfer function which allows you to swap the primary time zone with a secondary time zone (simplifying frequent travel between two zones).
• Electroluminescent backlight with automatic illumination feature (the ability to automatically illuminate the LCD by tilting the watch toward you).
• Dimensions: 51mm x 48.8mm x 15.9mm, and 60.9g.

All that is keeping the new Riseman from being a true triple sensor Pathfinder is the digital compass which, unfortunately, is one of my favorite features of the Pathfinder line. However, the GW-9200 is clearly one of the most sophisticated digital watches on the planet. It looks fantastic, and has some additional small improvements like the ability to view the date and day of week simultaneously. I just hope that, unlike the GW-400J, we will be able to toggle between metric and imperial units for things like temperature and barometric pressure, however I'm guessing not, and I'm guessing it will not be released in the US (though I will be very happy to be proven wrong).

The Casio G-Shock Riseman GW-9200 will be available on June 28th, 2008 and will retail for ¥27,000 which, as of today, is about $260.

Suunto recently introduced an entry level dive computer that they're calling the D4. It's not as complex as either the D9 or the Vyper we covered previously; rather, Suunto describes it as "the introductory model in the Suunto diving line". When you're talking about Suunto, however, even "introductory" means an astounding number of features for both SCUBA divers, and free divers:

• Standard digital watch features like 12/24 hour display, dual time, date, daily alarm, and stopwatch with split time.
• Four modes: time (for when you're not diving), free dive (for diving without a tank), air (for diving with standard air), and nitrox (for diving with different gas mixtures).
• Dive planning and analysis functions. The "no-stop-time planner" can help you plan a dive that requires no decompression stops.
• Sophisticated free dive data measurement including depth sampled at three times per second, maximum depth, surface time, deepest dive of the day, longest dive of the day, and more.
• Data transfer function which allows you to download data from the watch to the Suunto Dive Manager PC desktop software.
• Audible and visual alarms for dive time and depth.
• In dive mode, current depth, maximum depth, current time, dive time, decompression time, and temperature.
• Suunto's "Deep Stop RGBM" algorithm (Reduced Gradient Bubble Model).
• Adjustable for altitude and personal settings.
• Multi-step ascent rate indicator.
• Battery power monitor and warning function so you don't find yourself diving with a dead battery.
• Glass face, metal/composite housing.
• Metric or imperial units for display.
• Bitmapped display capable of showing graphs as well as numbers and text.
• Up to 240-hour profile and logbook memory.

Unlike a lot of dive computers, the D4 looks more like a general outdoors/fitness watch, and would even be very reasonable as a daily wearer. I really like Suunto's use of bitmapped displays; as with the X9i and Lumi, they let you convey a lot of information very clearly, as well as graphs, big numbers, and so forth.

Street price for the Suunto D4 is around $500 USD, and should be available any day now ("early 2008"). You won't find the D4 or other Suunto dive computers in mall watch stores, however. Suunto considers these watches sophisticated dive computers, and only sells them through dive shops and related retail outlets.

We've talked about American watchmaker RGM here before, and Roland Murphy's small company which produces exquisitely made high-end watches. It looks like RGM is now stepping into the very exciting world of professional dive watches with the new and beautiful RGM Model 300.

Features of the RGM Model 300 include:

• Brushed stainless steel case.
• Water resistant to 2,500 feet, or about 750 meters.
• 5mm thick flat sapphire crystal (that's extremely thick).
• Anti-magnetic casing.
• 43.2mm wide, and 15.7mm thick.
• Modified ETA 2892 movement.
• Double gasket screwdown crown, and double gasket caseback.
• Unidirectional ratcheting bezel with black aluminum insert.
• Date.
• Your choice of two different dials: glossy or matte.
• Available with a 22mm strap, or a brushed stainless steel bracelet with dive extension.

The price is $3,500 which is actually pretty good compared to some of its high-end competition like the Rolex Submariner, Sea Dweller, or Omega Planet Ocean. We're big fans of dive watches here at Watch Report, so we're very please to see RGM branching out like this. We'd love to get our hands on one of these and put it up against a Sea Dweller.

I've very excited to announce the newest addition to Watch Report: The Watch Report Marketplace.

We believe that the Watch Report Marketplace (WRMP) is the easiest and most powerful way for anyone to buy, sell, and trade watches online. Rather than just a sales forum or classifieds, WRMP is custom software written from the ground up to make watch trading simple, efficient, and effective. Members only need to post a watch once, and it stays easily discoverable until they choose to remove it. And WRMP isn't just for selling. Watches can be posted to sell, trade, sell or trade, or you can even make a post about a watch that you're looking to buy.

The emphasis of WRMP is on the extremely powerful search and browse features. Members can easily browse to or search for watches based on brand, watch type, features, movement, materials, and much more. WRMP is designed to help people find the exact watch they're looking for, or to help members discover new watches that meet their specific needs.

If you have anything in your collection that you're ready to let go of, or if there's anything you're specifically looking for, I hope you'll consider posting it on the new Watch Report Marketplace.

Thanks,
Christian Cantrell

We're big fans of Timex watches here at Watch Report. They have a wide variety of styles, functions, and we think Timex represents excellent value. However, we've always wondered why they haven't tried to compete more directly with Casio G-Shocks. G-Shocks have been extremely successful for Casio, and although Timex has a great line of Ironman watches, it seems they've been hesitant to encroach directly on G-Shock territory by adding features like solar power. Until now.

Timex recently introduced several new solar powered watches. You can see the entire Timex Solar lineup on their site, but here's a breakdown:

• Three analog/digital combinations.
• Three shock-resistant digital models.
• Six in the Triathlon series.
• Two reverse LCD displays, which are white on black. (The conventional LCDs all seem to have the new high contrast displays we found in the Timex iControl.)

All the Timex Solar watches have the following in common:

• One-year warranty.
• Indiglo night light with the "FLIX" system (more below).
• Power (charge) indicator.
• Water resistant to either 50 or 100m (165 or 333ft).

Prices range from $80 to $110 USD which, in typical Timex fashion, is very reasonable for what you get. I like that they've added what they're calling FLIX; like Casio, this is a feature that allows you to activate the electroluminescent backlight when its dark just by flicking your wrist. Very clever and useful when you're in dim situations where your hands are full.

So let's see: shock-resistant, automatic backlight, and solar powered. These are all things we've traditionally loved about G-Shocks, and hopefully we'll love them just as much in the new Timex Solar watches.

I've written about Sinn watches before, and in particular, their commitment to innovative engineering. Now it looks like they have outdone themselves once again with a new dive chronograph (stopwatch). Meet the Sinn U1000, a mechanical watch waterproof to 1,000 meters (3,300 feet), and available in either steel or PVD black.

As with the other Sinn watches, this one is made from Tegimented steel which is both harder and more corrosion resistant than the normal 316L-grade steel. Innovations like argon gas filled case, copper sulphate crystals (to dehumidify), and ultra-wide-temperature-range oil are all present and accounted for in the U1000. (To learn more about these innovations, see Introduction to Sinn: a Convergence of Watchmaking and Engineering.) The crystal is, as you would expect, domed sapphire with an anti-reflective coating.

One feature that's new is the ability to use the chronograph underwater. It's not often mentioned, but almost every other chronograph cannot be used while submerged. The action of the buttons is very difficult to seal, so they are generally equipped with locking screws to hold them in place while diving. Sinn has managed to engineer a solution which is doubly impressive given that it works down to the full 1,000 meters of the U1000's range.

They also moved the crown and pushers to the left to keep them from digging into your wrist, and enlarged the pushers for use while wearing gloves. After all, if you do dive anywhere near that far down, it gets cold, and you'll need a pair. Since this is rated to -45° (Celsius or Fahrenheit — the two almost converge down that low), glove-friendly buttons make a lot of sense. The Sinn U1000 is also rated to +80°C (176° Fahrenheit), which is, of course, way warmer than you want to get.

The movement is based on the reliable ETA/Valjoux 7750, but Sinn innovated here too. After some modifications, the movement has a 60-minute sum at the 6 o'clock position, replacing the normal 30-minute dial. Much easier to read and use. The hour counter is above it at the 12 o'clock position. They also have a seconds subdial at 3 o'clock position that is black-on-black and very unobtrusive. Overall, it's a very readable, distinctive, and functional face.

Two years ago, I wrote an article called The Ultimate Casio Pathfinder in which I raved about the PAW1200 series. This was the first time Casio had combined their atomic and solar technologies with their famous Triple Sensor (digital compass, altimeter, barometer, and thermometer). A year later, I reviewed what I considered to be the new ultimate Casio Pathfinder — the PAW1300 — which is essentially the same watch in a significantly slimmer package. Today, I'm extremely pleased to introduce what even Casio is now referring to the Ultimate Pathfinder: the PAW1500 series.

In addition to being solar and multi-band atomic, having all the digital watch features you'd expect like multiple alarms, countdown timer, world time, and a stopwatch, and in addition to being a Triple Sensor, Casio has added three significant new features to the PAW1500 line:

1. Tide graph.
2. Moon phase indicator.
3. An additional 100 meters of water resistance for a total of 200 meters, or about 650 feet.

I really have to give Casio a lot of credit for adding precisely the right features to the Pathfinder line. It used to be that I had a hard time choosing a Pathfinder over a G-Shock day-to-day because I insist that all my Casio watches be solar and atomic. But then Casio made the Pathfinder line solar and atomic. I now wear my PAW1300 fairly often, but I still love the additional ruggedness of my G-Shocks. So naturally, Casio has made the new PAW1500 series more rugged by increasing the water resistance, and adding robust button guards.

There's one more feature that, in my opinion, really helps to make the PAW1500 the ultimate Casio Pathfinder. For the first time, the day, date, and month are all visible simultaneously. This may seem like an insignificant detail, but it means a lot to people like me who lead such hectic lives that it's sometimes hard to keep track of the day of the week, much less the month and date.

The new Ultimate Casio Pathfinder will be available in May in either black resin ($350), or resin with a titanium band ($400). You can bet we'll have a thorough review as soon as humanly possible.

The past few years have seen steady growth in the diameter of men's watches. In the 1950s, a dress watch was expected to be slim and small, the normal size being somewhere between 32 and 35mm wide. These days, anything less than 38mm is considered dainty, and even 50mm and beyond isn't unheard of.

However, not everyone wants such a large watch, or for that matter, the bold styling that often accompanies it. These more traditional men seem to be the target market for Seiko's recently introduced line of four mechanical dress watches, all with classic styling and very conservative 36mm cases. They are based on the new 23-jewel 6R15B movement with both hand-winding and hacking, and are known as the Seiko Mechanical line.

Features of the new Seiko Mechanical line include:

• 6R15 23J Automatic movement with hand winding and hack function.
• Accuracy of +25/-15 seconds per day.
• 50 hour power reserve.
• 19mm drilled lugs.
• Sunburst dial finish.
• Water resistant to 100m (330 ft) with a non-screwdown crown.
• Mineral glass crystal and display caseback.
• 125g on the bracelet, 65g on the leather strap.
• 12.5mm thick, and 36mm wide.
• Pricing between ¥50,400 and ¥52,500 (about $465 - $485 USD).

One of my favorite watch complications is the GMT hand: a separate (typically fourth) independently settable hand marking 24-hour time. It's extremely useful for people like pilots, travelers, and businesspeople who not only need to be able to switch between different time zones easily, but who also need to be able to keep track of two time zones simultaneously.

The addition of the GMT hand came in the mid-1950s when Pan Am worked with Rolex to create a watch for pilots flying transatlantic flights. You can read more about the history of GMT watches in Christian's review of the Rolex GMT Master II. But for now, back to Citizen.

I recently learned that Citizen has added several new GMT models to their Attesa line of high-end quartz watches. I was particularly struck by the unique, stark, and tough look of the Attesa ATD53-2903. Of course, as is typical of most of the coolest Japanese watches, it's only available in Asia, but since watches know no boarders, I was still able to find plenty of information:

• List price is ¥68,250 (about $600 USD as of 12/21/07).
• 39mm in diameter, 10.9mm thick, and 47g heavy.
• 24-hour indices on the chapter ring.
• DLC coated titanium case (read more about Diamond Like Carbon).
• Eco-drive (solar-powered quartz).
• 100m water resistant (about 330 feet).
• Atomic Radio-set (but only receives the Japanese time signal — bummer).
• ±15 seconds per month (with no radio reception).
• Sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating.
• Calf skin band (would really love to see a matching DLC titanium bracelet option).

I really like the look of the Citizen Attesa ATD53-2903. I like the clean and readable face since I find that jet lag reduces my comprehension, and I get very grumpy about unreadable watches while traveling internationally. This Attesa has the sort of clutter-free face and clean, distinct hands (plus nice little touches like anti-glare sapphire crystal) that make for a great travel companion.

There aren't a lot of affordable (i.e. quartz) GMT watches out there, so I'm pleased so see such an attractive new entry from Citizen. If only if were 5-band atomic like the new Oceanus 5 Motors, I think Citizen would have one of the best looking affordable travel watches out there.

By Paul Hubbard

There aren't a lot of women's outdoor watches on the market. Geeky multifunction tools like the Casio Pathfinder and the Suunto X9i are large even for men, and tend to be functionally styled. The size of the watch case required to accommodate the type of technology found in modern hiking watches, combined with the fact that marketing departments tend to link technology more with men, have kept these types of adventure watches off the wrists of women.

The problem is that plenty of women are obviously into hiking, rock climbing, kayaking, skiing, etc. and have just as much of a need for helpful instruments as men.The answer, therefore, is not to ignore women, but to design something both functional and feminine. The answer is something like the new Suunto Lumi.

The Suunto Lumi is the only ladies' ABC (Altimeter/Barometer/Compass) watch that we're aware of. While not as small and dainty as a formal ladies' watch, it still manages to look stylish while packing in a very impressive set of features:

We've written pretty extensively about Seiko here at Watch Report. We just plain love 'em. Their self-powered Kinetic watches, which use a mechanical winder to store energy in a battery driving a quartz movement, are very cool. As with a mechanical watch, an offset weight rotates around an axle in response to the movement of your arm. In an automatic, this action winds a main spring, however in a Kinetic, it actually generates enough power to charge a battery.

At Basel World this year, Seiko announced the Velatura collection of marine watches: eleven watches with four different movements, two of which are brand-new. All are Kinetic quartz, and some of the new models use a new yacht timer movement. As Christian explained in his article about the new Rolex Yacht-Master II, this is a specialized countdown/stopwatch combination used by yacht racers. If you need it, I'm sure it's quite helpful. Unfortunately, I haven't gotten around to buying a yacht just yet, so I'll have to get back to you on that one.

Seiko has now added the ability to handwind Kinetic watches which is a faster way to charge them. They're calling it the Kinetic Direct Drive, and we like it. Unlike the simple "gas gauge" power reserve meters that other watches have, this one is multi-purpose: as you handwind the watch, the gauge "revs" indicating how fast you're winding. Once you stop, the needle moves to indicate how much power has been stored. It's a nice and unique addition, and quite probably a lot of fun to use.

All of the models have dramatic diamond-shaped hands that I find readable and attractive, and sapphire crystals with anti-reflective coatings (a personal must-have). List prices range from €600 to €900, or $845 to about $1,200. Oh, and one more thing: we just found out they're coming to the US very soon! Naturally, we will have a review.

Update: read the Seiko Velatura SRH005 review.

By Paul Hubbard

Citizen announces the new high-end Calibre 3100 collection. Done in the style of a classic dress watch, the Citizen Calibre 3100 collection sports modern touches like large date mixed with the vintage look of Roman numerals, subseconds at 6 o'clock, and an elegant dial.

Features include:

• Perpetual calendar, good until the year 2100.
• Eco-Drive solar power.
• Large twin date display at the 12 o'clock position.
• 24-hour dial at the 9 o'clock position, probably for a second time zone.
• Anti-reflective crystal.
• 100m water resistant (about 330 feet).

The Calibre 3100 collection contains a total of 7 watches with the BT0000-15A and BT0003-17A being limited editions. The BT0000-15A (999 pieces) is stainless steel, and the BT0003-17A (1,500 pieces) is rose gold-tone stainless steel. Both have have anti-reflective sapphire crystals (the others have mineral glass crystals), and something I've never seen on a Citizen watch before: genuine alligator straps! MSRP for these limited edition pieces are $650 and $675, respectively. MSPR for the rest of the collection is between $375 and $500.

On a personal note, I really like how they've melded clean looks with modern features, making a dress watch that will last for many years with zero maintenance, keeping great time all the while. These really have very nice proportions and would go well in almost any situation. The 100 meter rating means you don't have to baby them either.

By Paul Hubbard

The Casio STP-100 looks like an average digital watch, but adds a new trick: a pedometer. By measuring how many steps you take, and combining that data with information that you provide (your stride length and weight), it can estimate distance, calories burned, pace, and more. It's similar to the "Nike+iPod" sport kit, or the older Nike SDM Triax watch, however the Casio STP-100 has everything you need built right into the watch — no additional parts required.

From reading the manual (PDF), it looks like the STP-100 uses a more basic sensor than Nike's technology since it simply measures the swing of your arm as you walk. Interestingly, it can only measure accurately when worn on your left wrist (so don't try to attach it to your belt, or toss it in your bag). Adjust the sensitivity until it reads correctly, and the onboard software not only tracks workouts, but also keeps track of how much activity you accumulate during the course of your day. Neat!

The Casio STP-100 series is available in three colors: yellow, blue, and gray, all with the thick black racing stripe. Of course, as is the case will all Casio digital watches, the STP-100 series has a full complement of features, too: backlight, stopwatch, 10-lap memory, 5 daily alarms with snooze, low-battery warning, and a slick dot-matrix display.

The STP-100 series was released in Europe and Japan in July of this year at a list price of about $120. Unfortunately, no word on a US release, but we'll be watching.

By Paul Hubbard

Apple's line of solid-state iPods have long been popular for exercise and sports. The iPod shuffle and nano are shockproof and have a longer battery life than the higher capacity hard drive models, making them a great choice for running, hiking, and general active use. The nano can even be used with the Nike iPod interface which transmits data from your shoe to the iPod's display. Very cool!

So if your shoe can talk to your iPod, why not your watch? Introducing the Timex iControl IRONMAN watch. As you can see from the picture, it looks just like a standard 50-lap IRONMAN, but adds a few more buttons. Combined with a small receiver that plugs into the iPod, the iControl allows you to control your iPod from your watch up to ten feet away!

I can see some serious potential in this. For instance, if you have your ipod strapped to your waist or upper arm, it's easier to place one hand on the watch while running as opposed to groping for the iPod itself. Or if you've got your iPod stashed in your backpack with just the headphone cable emerging, you can still drive the tunes. Another possibility is if you, like me, use your iPod while in your car, the Timex iControl gives you a cool remote control which you're not likely to misplace. An additional benefit is that leaving your iPod out of sight, especially when combined with a pair of generic non-white ear buds, reduces the changes of theft since nobody will even know you have an iPod.

According to the Timex iControl home page, the iControl is compatible with both the 1st and 2nd generation iPod nano, and the 5th generation iPod video. For more details as to how it works, check out the manual (PDF).

As you'd expect, the watch portion of the iControl remains at Timex's highly functional standard, with a readable face and a long list of features: time, alarms, countdown timer, Indiglo, interval timers, etc. Visually, the new buttons are not obvious, so the iControl can easily pass for a standard IRONMAN. However, if you want to stand out, Timex offers the iControl in five colors: blue, green, orange, black, gray, and silver.

If reaching for your watch is more convenient for you than reaching for your iPod, the Timex iControl is available now for $125, so go have a look. Personally, I love the gadget factor, and would like being able to leave my iPod in my backpack while on public transit. Count me in.

Update: Read the Timex iControl review.

By Paul Hubbard

Citizen is generally less well known than Seiko for their dive watches, however they do offer some very interesting pieces (e.g. a 1,000m mechanical nicknamed "Autozilla"; a 300m Eco-drive called "Eco-zilla"; and a new 200m Eco-Drive known as "Orca", among others). Adding to their innovative diver collection, and challenging what it means for a dive watch to be considered a "diver", Citizen now has a new line of Eco-Drive divers with chronographs and alarms. At the head of the pack is the BL5315-50E.

The Citizen BL5315-50E

At 44mm of stainless steel, it's large but understated. Features include:

• Stainless steel case and bracelet
• Perpetual calendar (nice!)
• Eco-Drive (4-month power reserve)
• 1-hour stopwatch
• 12/24 time and dual time zone support
• Alarm
• Water resistant to 200 meters, or about 660 feet
• Mineral crystal
• Unidirectional ion-plated ratcheting bezel
• 44mm case, not counting the crown (nice and chunky)

There are several similar versions available with slightly different colors and looks. The BL5314-52E is the most expensive at $475 while the BL5334-04E sits at the lower end at $375.

Citizen really seems to be stepping up their game lately. Lots more to come.

Citizen has just released a new limited watch in their Japan-only Attesa line: the Perfex Multi 3000 20th Anniversary Limited Edition, an atomic Eco-Drive powerhouse that manages to look semi-dressy while still packing in the features:

• Worldwide atomic receiver (works in Japan, US, and in Europe).
• Eco-Drive (Citizen's term for solar powered), with an astounding 2.5 year power reserve.
• Second time zone LCD and an analog UTC subdial.
• 99-minute countdown timer.
• Stopwatch with a resolution of 1/100th of a second and a maximum duration of 24 hours.
• Integrated bracelet (nice enough, but a minor negative for those of us who like to switch to a strap occasionally).
• Two world time alarms.
• Titanium case and bracelet with DLC coating (diamond-like carbon — very scratch-resistant).
• Synthetic sapphire crystal with antireflective coating.
• LED backlight.
• Battery charge indicator.
• Water resistant to 100 meters, or about 330 feet.

The Citizen Attesa Perfex Multi 3000 is 41mm in diameter which is a nice contemporary size without being too large. It's 12.6mm thick, and 102g in weight. The ATV53-2832 goes for ¥115,500, or about $944.

I consider the Attesa line to be in competition with Oceanus watches from Casio and the Seiko Brightz World Time. These are superb watches if you travel frequently as they are maintenance-free (Eco-Drive), extremely accurate (world-wide atomic), and they make it very easy to switch between time zones. The Citizen Attesa even makes a decent dress watch, though the LED display would probably bar them from the most formal settings.

By Paul Hubbard

Christian already told you about the new Rolex Yacht-Master II and the new GMT Master II. The other Rolex announcement at Basel of interest is the new Rolex Milgauss, so named for its ability to resist a magnetic field of 1,000 Gauss.

Why should you care?

If you take a mechanical watch into a strong magnetic field, some of the parts in the movement become magnetized which causes problems; typically the watch will start to run quite fast and require demagnetization. The hairspring, made of an alloy called Nivarox, is particularly susceptible. A watch is normally considered "antimagnetic" (DIN 8309) if it can ignore 4,800 A/m. This works out to about 60 gauss, or 6% of what the new Rolex is rated for. Rolex achieved the superior rating of the Milgauss by encasing the movement in soft iron, which is known as a Faraday cage. They also introduced a new hairspring material, Parachrom-Blu, which is unaffected by magnetism. Quite an achievement!

The Milgauss model has an interesting history. It was introduced in 1954 for people who worked in environments with strong magnetic fields: power plants, research labs, etc. As you might suspect, that's a pretty small market, further crowded by the IWC Ingenieur, the Patek Philippe Amagnetic, and the Omega Railmaster, all of which had similar magnetic resistance. The Milgauss was the slowest seller in the Rolex lineup, and was sold for about 20 years before being removed from their catalog.

The Milgauss comes in the new, slightly larger case size of 40mm, with the 3131 movement. There are white and black dial versions available, both with a nifty and surprisingly modern lightning shaped second hand and 'ROLEXROLEXROLEX' around the face on the chapter ring. (As Christian noted, for better or worse, the new models are more heavily branded than their predecessors.) One difference between the two versions is that the black dial has a sapphire crystal that is slightly green at an angle, as you can see from the image gallery on their site. List price on both is rumored to be $5,900.

One word of caution: for the new model, Rolex also lists "medical imaging" as a target market, but a bit of math reveals this to be disingenuous. Current MRI systems start at 0.3T and go up to 5T. Even the smallest of those is 3 times the rating of the Milgauss, so don't take your new watch into the MRI!

I used to work in a couple of physics labs, so I like seeing reintroduction like this. Nowadays, the IWC Ingenieur and Ball Engineer are the only competition for mechanical watches designed to function in strong magnetic fields. Compared to the competition, the Milgauss adds an elegant face, first-class movement, the unique second hand, and the green sapphire crystal. I've never considered a Rolex before, but if I do, it'll be the black-faced Milgauss.

By Paul Hubbard

We wrote about the MTM Special Ops Watch in September of 2005, and found them unique, functional, and durable. We can now add "stealthy" to the list with the release of their three new models available in a camouflage finish. Stainless steel is difficult to paint, so MTM had to PVD (Physical Vapor Deposition) them first, then apply paint. Not only is each watch individually numbered since this is a limited edition series, but each watch also has a slightly different paint job, so no two are alike. From MTM's site:

Each Camouflage Hawk is unique - no two are the same. The patented Camouflage finish is a painstaking process with each watch showing variations and slight imperfections in color and design. These variations are not defects but rather they add to the character and uniqueness of each and every Camouflage Hawk.

MTM has also added four watches in titanium for those preferring a lighter-weight timepiece. The titanium pieces are PVD and plain -- no cool camouflage. I was a bit surprised that the crystals are mineral instead of sapphire, which would be more durable, but would also drive the cost up.

If you're looking for a rugged watch with an unusual look and some interesting history, go see what MTM has to offer.

By Paul Hubbard

At BaselWorld 2007, Rolex announced a new sports watch for yachtsmen: the Rolex Yacht-Master II. When Rolex releases a sequel to an existing model, you can always expect to see impressive new functionality. Rolex made significant changes to the GMT Master movement between the original GMT Master, and the GMT Master II, the latter allowing the hour hand and the 24-hour hand to be set independently. Likewise, the Explorer II changed dramatically from the original Explorer, adopting the same movement as the GMT Master II which added a 24-hour hand and date. And now the Yacht-Master II represents another extremely important step in Rolex evolution.

I'm not a boater myself, but in my opinion, the original Yacht-Master doesn't really do much more for yachtsmen than a standard dive watch can do. The bi-directional rotating bezel can be used to track the start sequence of a regatta (fancy word for boat race), and the Triplock crown keeps the case impervious to sea spray, but that's about it. Nothing else except the name, and possibly the watch's exorbitant price, really has much to do with yacht racing.

Not so, with the Yacht-Master II. The new version has an extremely complex and innovative new movement with a countdown timer which can be programmed to start between one and ten minutes in order to accommodate regattas with varying start sequences. I use the term "program" rather than simply "set" because the value is actually remembered, and when the countdown timer is reset, the countdown hand will return to the last programmed value. For a mechanical watch, this is an extremely impressive feat. There is a tradeoff, however: the date which was present in the initial Yacht-Master had to go to make room on the dial, and no doubt to allow for the additional complication of the movement.

The other tradeoff is that the Yacht-Master II is a tad complicated to operate. For watch aficionados, a single demonstration will probably be a sufficient lesson, but I'm sure the Yacht-Master II will be worn by plenty of yachting types who appreciate the aesthetics much more than the functionality, and for whom it will be enough of a challenge to keep the time set correctly. For a very good demonstration of how the Yacht-Master II works, check out the Yacht-Master II home page on Rolex's site, and specifically, the operational tutorial.

I found the reaction from the hardcore Rolex fans out there to be mixed. I think most of them were so accustomed to looking at more or less the same Rolex styles for so many years that the new Yacht-Master II really caught them off-guard. The two biggest complaints I heard focused on the surprisingly prominent "YACHT-MASTER II" branding on the bezel (for better or for worse, the new generation of Rolex watches are much more heavily branded), and the fact that you have to unscrew the crown in order to set the countdown timer, leaving the watch more vulnerable to moisture, of which there tends to be plenty around yachts.

Whether you like the new Yacht-Master II or not, there is no denying that it represents a major new innovation in the world of watchmaking. In many ways, Rolex is the Apple (as in computers) of the Swiss watch world. They are arrogant and secretive, they end up setting most of the trends, and they command an extremely loyal following who sometimes complains, but in the end, always comes around.

The new Rolex Yacht-Master II is rumored to start appearing this summer. It will be available in yellow or white gold, and is expected to retail somewhere around $30,000 (no, that's not a typo -- the theory is that if you can afford a yacht, you can afford a Yacht-Master II).

We previously wrote about Seiko's innovative Spring Drive watches, and I'm personally a big fan of their Marinemaster Spring Drive diver. At the annual Baselworld conference, Seiko announced the long-awaited Spring Drive chronograph. Unfortunately, it's a 300-piece limited edition, with an exclusive price of €5,500 (about $7,500).

There's a lot to like about the Seiko Spring Drive Chronograph and its design, including:

• Glide motion movement, meaning all hands move completely smoothly, not in "ticks".
• Titanium case and bracelet.
• GMT (24-hour) hand.
• 12-hour chronograph (the only glide motion chronograph in the world).
• 72-hour power reserve indicator.
• Date.
• See-through sapphire caseback.
• Deployment clasp with push-button release.
• Water-resistant to 10 meters, or about 30 feet.

I've always liked the idea of the Spring Drive movement -- primarily for its superior accuracy, and its completely smooth motion -- and now that it has been enhanced with a glide-motion chronograph, I'm extremely intrigued. Hopefully, this technology will move out of the realm of the limited edition and into the mainstream very soon.

By Paul Hubbard

Last year, Rolex introduced the 50th anniversary edition of the GMT Master II. The improvements over the older style GMT Master II (which I reviewed about a year ago) seemed substantial, but there was one major problem: it was only available in two-tone (18k gold and stainless steel). For two-tone lovers, it was a dream come true, but being a pure stainless steel man myself, I decided to hold off even writing about the update until there were other options.

At BaselWorld 2007, Rolex finally made the announcement I've been waiting for: an all stainless steel version of the new GMT Master II. I haven't seen one in person yet, but judging from all the pictures I've seen, it's one of the most beautiful Rolexes ever produced.

I have a particular affinity for the GMT Master II because I think it's one of Rolexes most practical watches. For a detailed breakdown, read my review, but just to summarize, it basically does four things, and it does them perfectly:

1. Tells the time in your time zone.
2. Tells the date in your time zone.
3. Tells the time in a second time zone.
4. Allows you switch between time zones and move the date forward or backward extremely easily.

If you're looking for an elegant but durable travel watch, you won't do any better than the Rolex GMT Master II.

So how did Rolex manage to improve such a well designed watch? As I said, I haven't been able to get my hands on one yet, but from what I can gather, these are the major changes:

Timex has just introduced the new T Series, a collection of simply-styled analog quartz watches incorporating Indiglo, long battery life (7 years), stainless steel cases, and good water resistance (100 meters, or 330 feet).

Several have perpetual calendars, which automatically correct for shorter months, and others have chronographs (stopwatches) for event timing. All have clear, readable faces, and are affordably priced at $80 to $120 retail.

The T Series represents classic Timex: good values, reasonable styling, and a few nice features.

By Paul Hubbard

Christian says: The other day, my sister-in-law was asking me for advice on a simple, affordable (she's in college), nice looking metal watch for her boyfriend who doesn't wear a watch at all. The T Series seems to fit the bill perfectly.

Historic American watchmaker Timex has been doing some interesting things lately. In addition to their broad line of quartz watches, they've reintroduced a line of inexpensive mechanical watches based on Chinese movements, and more recently added upscale lines under the TX brand. These are analog quartz watches, with retrograde displays (where the hands move back and forth in an arc) and lots of hands. Timex designed these in Germany over a five-year period, with six-sigma manufacturing. The watches have a lot of the details that you get with nicer watches, such as sapphire crystals, four motors, legible faces, deployant buckles, enameled crowns, and nicely finished cases.

There are three series of TX watches right now: the 300 perpetual calendar (which doesn't require adjustments on months with less than 31 days), the 500-series with a second time zone display, and 700-series with a stopwatch, second time zone, and an electronic compass. The picture is from the 730 model.

It's difficult to find prices for TX watches online, but they appear to be in the $500 range, which is quite good for what they offer. It's good to see the classic American brand stage a comeback, and I hope these new models succeed.

By Paul Hubbard

Oceanus has just released a very nice new 5 Motor watch. I recently reviewed an earlier 5 Motor model which I was very impressed with. If you are new to Oceanus watches, Oceanus is a Casio brand which does an excellent job of combining digital technology with a clean and handsome design.

The point of the 5 Motor is to pack a great deal of functionality into a nice looking case without using a single LCD. Why the aversion to LCDs? Simple aesthetics. Having a high-tech watch used to mean trading a clean, classic design for LCDs and big blocky digital numbers. The Oceanus 5 Motor is for men who are geeks at heart, but who don't want to wear their geekiness on their sleeves.

For an in-depth review of the 5 Motor and its features, check out my review of the OCW600TDA-1AV. The OCWM700TDA-1A has the following new features:

• The new 5 Motor is now a multi-band atomic watch, which means it is capable of calibrating in the US, UK, Germany, and in Japan. (Previous models only calibrated in the US and Japan.)
• Tide indicator. After selecting your home city, the new Oceanus 5 Motor will give you a rough indication of the local tides.
• Available in a very nice black IP (ion-plated) finish (titanium version shown here).

Update: Read the Oceanus OCWM700TDA review.

Suunto, a long-time maker of sophisticated sports watches, also has a line of very nice dive computers for both recreational and professional use. In addition to standard timing features, Suunto dive watches will monitor your air pressure, measure depth and water temperature, and compute things like remaining dive time and decompression stops. These watches are not toys -- they are tools to keep divers alive, and hence are priced accordingly.

Suunto has just announced updates to the D9 which is now available with either a rubber strap or a titanium bracelet. Features of the Suunto D9 include:

• Air, nitrox, and gauge modes. Air mode is for diving with standard air, nitrox allows you to use up to three different gas mixtures, and gauge mode is for free-diving (diving without any tank at all).
• Integrated digital compass.
• Altitude adjustment in case your dive doesn't start from sea level (as may be the case with lakes).
• Optional wireless transmitter which attaches to the high-pressure port on your tank and sends pressure data to the D9.
• Low battery warning -- essential for preventing a diver from finding a dead computer mid-dive.
• Temperature measurement.
• Multiple decompression modes.
• All the expected digital watch functions (12/24h modes, multiple alarms, dual time zones, stopwatch, clock, calendar).
• USB interface with PC software for downloading dive logs.
• Graphical interface for depth and dive time.
• Maximum depth reading of 200 meters, or 660 feet.

The Vyper2, a slightly less fancy computer that can also be worn as a gauge, lacks the graphical abilities of the D9 and the pressure transmitter, but it does have all of the dive computer and logging features. It also has larger buttons than the D9 which are probably easier to operate with gloves on.

The Vyper2 will be available "early 2007" as will the titanium version of the D9. The D9 is available in rubber now with a street price of approximately $970 to $1,800, depending on the retailer.

By Paul Hubbard

For many years now, Seiko has sold a line of mechanical dive watches based on the trusty 7S26 movement (the heart of the watch). They retail for under $200, they are well made and reliable, and they are generally considered to be excellent "beaters".

The problem is that the 7S26 movement is burdened with a couple of design compromises: you can't wind it by hand, and it is a non-hacking movement, which means that when you pull the stem out all the way, the movement doesn't stop as you might expect (making it very difficult to set the watch with much accuracy). Of course, Seiko sells several other watches with better movements, but they cost more.

As of April 2007, that's about to change. Seiko is introducing three new divers based on the 6R15 movement which is more accurate, can be wound by hand, and can be hacked. With stainless steel cases, they come in black (SBDC001), blue (SBDC003), and orange (SBDC005), and will be priced at $428 (63,000 yen).

The 6R15 divers cost a bit more then their predecessors, but still represent excellent value for the money, and are generating a lot of interest on the net. I can safely predict that they'll displace the 7S26 divers from a lot of wrists.

By Paul Hubbard

I don't have a Seiko Spring Drive yet, but I hope to get my hands on one fairly soon. The biggest reason for my procrastination is that, as usual, Seiko is saving all their most interesting Spring Drive models for Japan (like the Marinemaster GMT Spring Drive). I took a look at the Seiko US Spring Drive site the other day, however, and discovered a few new models since the last time I checked including the white dial SNR007 and the black dial SNR009. They look more or less like their predecessors, the SNR001 and SNR005, with the exception of a 24-hour hand.

Features of the Seiko GMT Spring Drive SNR007 and SNR009 include:

• Spring Drive technology.
• GMT, or 24-hour hand, to keep time in a second time zone.
• 72-hour power reserve.
• Stainless steel case and bracelet.
• Sapphire crystal (with anti-reflective coating).
• See-through sapphire caseback.
• Water-resistant to 10 bar (100 meters, or about 330 feet).

The US Spring Drive collection is getting more interesting, but I'm not ready to pull the trigger yet. If Seiko introduces a Spring Drive diver in the US, though, I'll be the first in line. Maybe we'll see some interesting announcements at Baselworld 2007.

It looks like Casio just repackaged the Oceanus 5 Motor's insides in a dark and bold G-Shock GIEZ case. Currently only available to the Japanese (and to resourceful and fanatical foreign watch geeks), the Casio G-Shock GIEZ 1000BJ appears to be identical to the Oceanus 5 Motor that I just reviewed, but with a much tougher, "special ops" look to it.

Rather than titanium, the case is stainless steel with some sort of black, abrasion-resistant coating, and in place of the titanium bracelet is a pretty standard G-Shock rubber strap. The sapphire crystal of the Oceanus 5 Motor has also been replaced with whatever type of scratch-resistant plastic or acrylic that is used in G-Shocks. I'm not going to bother listing this watch's features since the Oceanus 5 Motor review covers them in detail (including a video), but I will say that aesthetically, this reinterpretation of the Oceanus really creates an entirely new watch.

In fact, there might even be some advantage in owning both since your titanium, around-the-office, out-for-drinks timepiece could work identically to your weekend, change-the-oil, help-a-friend-move "beater". I think there could be a marketing opportunity here.

The Casio G-Shock GIEZ 1000BJ goes for about $227.

Update: Read the Casio Giez 1000BJ review.

The SBHL003 is an interesting new addition to Seiko's Ignition line. There are two things which differentiate it from other Seiko Ignitions. First, while the watch uses a classic analog display to present the time, the inner dial is an LCD used for timing and alarm features. Second, the stopwatch has a very precise resolution of 1/1,000th of a second (like the Seiko Sportura SNJ005 and the TAG Heuer Microtimer).

Since the watch is not available in the US, I've had some trouble determining a definitive list of features, but here's what I've been able to gather so far:

• Synthetic sapphire crystal.
• Titanium case and bracelet.
• Stopwatch with a resolution of 1/1,000th of a second.
• Daily alarm.
• Countdown timer.
• 40mm in diameter, and 12mm thick.
• Water resistant to 100 meters, or about 330 feet.
• Battery life of approximately 3 years.

The Seiko Ignition line is a tribute to the world of auto racing, and each watch tries to visually capture the essence of a race car's cockpit. The outer portion of this particular model's bracelet and portions of the case are coated using some sort of process which seems to translate into "diamond sealed" and both protects the watch from casual scratches, and gives the titanium a unique and very interesting look. The Seiko Ignition SBHL003 is only available in Japan for now, and seems to go for about $520. I'm a big fan of Seiko watches in general, but as you can probably tell, I'm a much bigger fan of the Asian models.

While I'm on the topic of GPS watches (I wrote about the new Casio GPR-100 GPS watch last week), Suunto just released software that allows you to plot your hikes on Google Earth. From what I can tell, it looks pretty straightforward to use.

The Suunto X9i has an "activity mode" which records data to what it calls a log file (aka, the watch's memory). The frequency with which it records location information is configurable, and, more than anything else, determines battery life (4-5 hours with a 10 second track log interval, and 12 hours with a 1 minute track log interval). You can then transfer your track log to your PC using a USB cable and an application called the Suunto Trek Manager (PC only, naturally). And now, using a new application called the Suunto Track Exporter, you can export data from your watch directly into Google Earth, which allows you to visualize your route with actual satellite imagery. Very cool.

You can find out more information on Suunto X9i and Google Earth integration, as well as download the free Suunto Track Exporter software, on Suunto's new Google Earth page.

I have a brand new Suunto X9i sitting on my desk right now waiting to be reviewed. I think this announcement just bumped it up in priority. As part of my review, I'll do some trekking through the wilderness of San Francisco and let you know how it all works.

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