It so happened that any value needs the selection of a special environment. A sparkling diamond is inserted into an appropriate frame, an expensive painting is shown in a prominent place in a decent frame, and a famous person selects a fashionable wardrobe for publication. Someone said that our watches show how much we value our time. Like an expensive frame, the watch case and bracelet surround the most important and significant part - the dial, which displays precious minutes for us.
Based on this paradigm, today I wanted to talk about elements in watch design that are not paramount, but extremely important and setting the tone.
One of the signatures of the watch forum participant reads: “Basel is a city in Switzerland. Bezel - part of the case clock, framing clock face. We don't confuse!" Today we are not talking about geography, so let's talk about the BEZEL as an element of watch design and functionality. And the Titoni 878-S-ST-606 model, which stands out for its rather unusual bezel, will help us in this.
Let's try to consider the history of this important technical element in more detail. It is authentically known that the first watch with a rotating bezel was produced by LONGINES in 1929. Only it was not a watch for scuba diving at all, but quite the opposite - for airplane pilots. And the rotating bezel helped to count not the minutes of the dive, but the seconds needed for the pilot to determine his location.
Since then, it has started ... Convenient - "minutemeter" began to be used by watch manufacturers for water diving. Then it turned out that the tachymeter scale on the bezel is needed by racers. Later, the pilots placed a universal calculator on the rotating bezel - a slide rule. And marking the second time zone has become necessary for everyone who flies long distances.
Now the bezel is used for everything! To the already listed, you can add a telemetry scale (for determining distances), a compass scale (for determining the cardinal points by the sun), a scale with different time zones (for determining world time), a heart rate monitor scale (for measuring heart rate), a decompression scale for divers, and even an exotic scale for determining the time of high and low tides!
And the bezel can be an important decorative element! Different materials, different colors, different shapes, different textures - all this gives manufacturers scope for self-expression.
By the type of bezel, you can guess the type of watch. The narrow, polished bezel is an option for a business suit. Narrow with an aluminum insert - most likely a sports chronograph. Massive, with a ceramic insert - divers. Medium width, satin - universal Tool Watch. Flat, not round, with a linear satin finish - the creation of the genius Jenta. Bezel with precious stones - women's watches or models for benchmark millionaires.
One of my favorite textures is Coin Edge Bezel. Bezel with coin-like ribs. The first watch with a fluted bezel as part of the watch design was produced by Rolex in 1926. Now such cases are one of the hallmarks of Rolex. But for me, watches with a Coin Edge bezel are associated with pilot's watches from the period of the first third of the 20th century. Now I understand why the Titoni model caught my attention at first sight. Let's take a closer look at the hero of our review.
In general, this is an everyday watch with a touch of some elegance and adventurism. The shape of the case and the unusual bezel signal that the owner is not too keen on modern trends, but rather ... rather on his own mind. What is there to hide? The design of the model is strongly reminiscent of the Omega Globemaster, an original model, but much less known and popular than the Seamaster or Moonwatch.
The steel case combines satin and polished elements. With a size of 41 mm, in my opinion, the watch looks a little larger. If the width of the belt (non-standard 21 mm) can also be attributed to the desire to be different, then the size and shape of the crown is difficult to justify. Setting the time and winding the watch by hand is quite inconvenient: the small and narrow crown slips out of your fingers. Apparently, this is a direct allusion to the constant wearing of watches, because they have an automatic Sellita SW200-1 movement. So manual winding and frequent time adjustments are not particularly needed. The manufacturer claims that the mechanism rotor is gold-plated. But you have to take our word for it, because the back cover engraved in the form of a globe is not transparent.
If the back cover is not particularly pleased with the frills of decoration, then the design of the dial is very worthy. Color - light cream. It features faceted hour markers, signature design hands, an applied date frame and a logo flower. All elements are embossed, with a large number of faces. Therefore, the readability is good (which is unusual for light dials). And, of course, the notched bezel.
It's just a highlight. The notches are curved and create an interesting graphic pattern in the light. Although, personally, I would like to see the relief of the bezel clearer. But it is, nitpicks.
The model comes with a black strap with white stitching. The inconvenience of the non-standard width of the belt is compensated by the beauty of the branded clip. It is of excellent quality, polished, with the name of the brand and the familiar cinquefoil. The watch is suitable for medium and large hands. Thickness, a little more than 11 cm with a water resistance of 100 meters, is very good. But for a wrist less than 18 cm, in my opinion, they will still be large.
Once again, Titoni has released an interesting model. A model that hints at eminent competitors, but at the same time has branded features. Dressy and functional. A model that will become an interesting and worthy setting for the time it will show you.
