What is a tool watch? When you ask that to a watch enthusiast, you are bound to get many different answers, but I definitely think you could consider this Ollech & Wajs Early Bird a tool watch; a dial that displays the entire 24-hour day, an hour hand that only goes around the dial once in 24 hours, with a modified and bespoke Soprod C-125 GMT movement. This watch is the answer to many OW enthusiasts who wanted the 1965 original model to be modernized and brought back. This EB-24 uses one of the modern 39.5mm OW cases, one that has been used for quite a few other models, has a bidirectional dual-anodized friction bezel, a custom 24-hour dial, and domed sapphire. Pricing starts at $2,400 with a leather strap, but you can upgrade to a few different strap or bracelet options at an extra cost.
Specifications
24 Hour Dial
39.5mm Stainless Case
12.5mm Thick
48mm Lug to Lug
20mm Lug Width
Weight-155 Grams
Screw Down Crown
300m Water Resistant
Double Domed Sapphire
Bespoke Soprod C-125 Movement
M- Link Bracelet (As shown)
Starts at $2400 USD
Price- $2,780 as reviewedย https://ow-watch.com/collections/pilot/products/ow-early-bird-numered2
The Intelsat I, or โEarly Birdโ as it is better known, was the worldโs first geosynchronous communications satellite, and handled all commercial telecommunications transmissions between Europe and North America between 1965 and 1969. Albert Wajs wanted to pay tribute to this landmark moment of modern engineering by creating a watch in its honour. The 24-hour โmilitary-timeโ dial reflects the time taken for the satellite to complete one orbit of the Earth. The blue-and-red metallic bezel echoed the colours of the satellite itself. t was created specifically for military personnel, particularly pilots and radio operators, for whom a 24-hour โmilitary-timeโ dial would be invaluable.
The above paragraph was taken in parts from the Ollech & Wajs Early Bird page, and I figured it was easier to copy what they wrote instead of paraphrasing. I have also read it was quite popular with soldiers in the Vietnam War, and apparently only 500 were ever made.
ORIGINAL 1965 OW EARLY BIRD
But let’s turn our attention to the modern Ollech & Wajs Early Bird that we have here. This interpretation uses the modern 39.5mm stainless steel case used on plenty of other models by OW. Now this is not to say Ollech does not have other cases, but I would say this one is used more than others. It’s a slightly blocky case, has a shape like a skin diver, and it is all brushed everywhere you look. It’s not a super fine brushing either, but this is the way OW does it on all their watches. This is a tool watch after all. It has a screw-down crown, 300m of water resistance, and a big ol’ double domed sapphire.
Now I have seen this watch was highly requested by O&W fans; how many fans I do not know, but it was obviously enough to get Ollech & Wajs to make it. And while I have not talked about the dial or movement yet, I have to say, looking at the original and looking at this modern version, I can see the similarities, but I do wish we got an all-new case. While we do have the distinct dual colored bezel and a 24-hour dial, if you have this case with any of the other Ollech models, are the dial and bezel enough to make it truly different in looks?
But let’s talk 24-hour dials. I talk about and show how to use this dial in the video review above, but if you don’t want to watch the video and are not familiar, a 24-hour dial is just that. All 24 hours are shown in military time on the dial, and that hour hand will circle the dial once in 24 hours. 24 at the top is midnight; what would be your 3 o’clock position on a 12-hour watch is 6 am, and 12 at the bottom is noon, and what would be 9 o’clock on a standard dial is 6 pm, and I think you can figure out the rest. So, the right side of the dial will be your morning hours and the left side, afternoon and evening.
The bezel, blue and red(ish) anodized aluminum, and the outer edge of the bezel is all anodized in that blue, a contrast to the original that was all red, is a GMT bezel, of course, so not only do you have a 24-hour dial, but you can use this watch to set a second time zone as well. The bezel is bi-directional, and it is a friction bezel, so it moves without any clicks and does not really lock into place, though I never found it easy to accidentally move it from where I set it.
The dial of the Ollech & Wajs Early Bird is pretty straightforward: a 24-hour dial, the indices and all text are printed on the dial here, and I find the dial easy enough to read; the indices and numbers are as big as they can be without making the dial feel crowded. The hour and minute hand quite large, especially for the size of this watch, and all brushed steel to match the case. Unfortunately though, because of the thin printed indices, the lume is not great.
Of course, we need to talk movement. The base movement of the Ollech & Wajs Early Bird is the Soprod C-125 GMT movement, and this is modified to work with a 24-hour dial. I am not exactly sure what Soprod added or removed from the movement to allow for the 24-hour dial complication. I mean, the GMT hand is obviously reviewed, but I assume Soprod had to adjust the hour hand to click at all 24 spots on the dial, and possibly make a few other adjustments as well. This is a no-date movement, so that disc is removed, and Ollech states this has a 42-hour power reserve, an accuracy of +7/-7 seconds a day, custom screws, and a bespoke 1956 Ollech & Wajs rotor. As you can see below, though, we see none of that because OW opted for the fairly basic case back we have seen before.
Because this case is used for a few different models, I knew what to expect when I put this watch on my 7 1/2 inch (19.05cm) wrist. The 39.5mm case feels slightly larger than its stated specs, and that is mostly due to the 48mm lug-to-lug, which is somewhat long for a watch under 40mm. That crown is large but does not dig into the back of my hand or wrist, and then there is this M-link bracelet…
If you do not select any other strap or bracelet, the Ollech & Wajs Early Bird will come on a black leather strap. There are a few other strap or bracelet choices, but for an extra $356 USD, you can get this multi-link bracelet with a quick adjustment clasp. Overall, I am not a fan of this bracelet. Its all brushed, it does use screws and while the clasp is the older style of tooless quick adjust clasps, it is functional, I do not find it to be ver well finished for its price tag, and while taking it off is easy becuse o the drilled lugs, you will spend quite a few more minutes trying to put it back on due to the lug ends, and just how these lugs fit up to the case. If it were me, I would forgo any bracelet options, and get it on the RAF strap or the leather strap.
I have to tell you, this was a hard one. I have a fondness for Ollech & Wajs watches, and while I do not consider all of the models to be home runs like Ollech & Wajs C-1000 A was, which in my opinion is still one of the best modern OW watches, there’s something about this watch that is just not connecting with me. Yes, the 24-hour dial is niche; hell, the OW website mentions that specifically. There are not many 24-hour watches out there like this. So this is a niche product, and while it was probably a great watch for soldiers and pilots back in the 60s, I am not sure how much something like this would be used today.
I also feel this is quite an expensive watch at almost $2,800 on this bracelet. I understand the movement is modified, but beyond the dial and colored bezel, this is not a new case for Ollech; the friction bezel is used on other watches, this one is just anodized blue and red, and the bracelet is used for other models as well. I like the nod to history, and the Ollech & Wajs Early Bird is eye-catching with that bezel, but I think you would have to really love 24-hour dials, or just want something eccentric in your collection, to grab one of these.
I've been an avid watch lover since the age of 7. Watches are not only my hobby but a passion. My favorite style used to be dive watches, but field or non bezel watches have been growing on me. When I'm not reviewing watches I am either cooking or with family and friends.
