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Niloticus
·Ma… Tu sei Niki Lauda?
Have you ever dreamt of being mistaken for a 70s F1 driver? The glam, the speed, the danger?
I present humbly to you my fellow forum members my 1970s Cardinal “Racing” diver (wait, what?).
Yes you read correctly, this peculiar design meshes a 1960s skin diver watch (it is said to be waterproof, convincingly showing a diver on the caseback - yet it is not a screwdown and I see no crown gasket!) - infused with an unmistakable 1970s Formula 1 vibe, displaying an aggressive rallye-inspired stepped, striped dial and beautiful red and orange hands.
If you hadn’t noticed it yet, this is a cool watch. An Interlagos Lotus 72D watch. A Niki Lauda vs. James Hunt watch. A Gilles Villeneuve vs. René Arnoux watch. On the wrist, you feel transported.
Everything about it feels… 70s. Nothing is subtle, the case is thick, the color blocks are in your face, the font is deceptively simple (sans-serif) but brutally effective. This is a BUSY watch. Its not meant to exude elegance, its meant to look like a cockpit instrument. What is the crown doing at 4 o’clock? Nobody knows, but why the hell not?
Frankly, it feels like the orange seconds hand is racing around the dial - on the checkered stepped dial, past the markers and past the dual red finish line. Its like having a 70s race track on the wrist.
Ah, and I forgot to mention, its a “Meangraf”, following the Yema and Le Jour template. All three brands created the identical beauty which you are presented with today.
You will find a nice “Le Jour” example on sale right now on the bay, north of $1,200 - but thats just silly. This watch is in all respects, identical, and not at the same price.
Maybe this description is enough to woo you, but just in case it is not, here is the nitty gritty:
Under ze hood: french FE233 movement with date
• 17 jewels
• Incabloc shock protection
• ~18,000 bph
• Manual wind
• Date at 3 o’clock
La carosserie:
• 37mm without crown
• 19mm lug width
• Stainless steel caseback
• Crown at 4 o’clock (weird, right?)
• Acrylic crystal
• Bi-directional dive bezel
Price: $700 + shipping (preferably USA) via paypal or Zelle.
For another $30, I can source a correct 19mm vintage racing tropic strap, to complete the look!
On another note, if you haven’t seen “Rush” - I highly recommend it.
Thank you Omega Forum!
Have you ever dreamt of being mistaken for a 70s F1 driver? The glam, the speed, the danger?
I present humbly to you my fellow forum members my 1970s Cardinal “Racing” diver (wait, what?).
Yes you read correctly, this peculiar design meshes a 1960s skin diver watch (it is said to be waterproof, convincingly showing a diver on the caseback - yet it is not a screwdown and I see no crown gasket!) - infused with an unmistakable 1970s Formula 1 vibe, displaying an aggressive rallye-inspired stepped, striped dial and beautiful red and orange hands.
If you hadn’t noticed it yet, this is a cool watch. An Interlagos Lotus 72D watch. A Niki Lauda vs. James Hunt watch. A Gilles Villeneuve vs. René Arnoux watch. On the wrist, you feel transported.
Everything about it feels… 70s. Nothing is subtle, the case is thick, the color blocks are in your face, the font is deceptively simple (sans-serif) but brutally effective. This is a BUSY watch. Its not meant to exude elegance, its meant to look like a cockpit instrument. What is the crown doing at 4 o’clock? Nobody knows, but why the hell not?
Frankly, it feels like the orange seconds hand is racing around the dial - on the checkered stepped dial, past the markers and past the dual red finish line. Its like having a 70s race track on the wrist.
Ah, and I forgot to mention, its a “Meangraf”, following the Yema and Le Jour template. All three brands created the identical beauty which you are presented with today.
You will find a nice “Le Jour” example on sale right now on the bay, north of $1,200 - but thats just silly. This watch is in all respects, identical, and not at the same price.
Maybe this description is enough to woo you, but just in case it is not, here is the nitty gritty:
Under ze hood: french FE233 movement with date
• 17 jewels
• Incabloc shock protection
• ~18,000 bph
• Manual wind
• Date at 3 o’clock
La carosserie:
• 37mm without crown
• 19mm lug width
• Stainless steel caseback
• Crown at 4 o’clock (weird, right?)
• Acrylic crystal
• Bi-directional dive bezel
Price: $700 + shipping (preferably USA) via paypal or Zelle.
For another $30, I can source a correct 19mm vintage racing tropic strap, to complete the look!
On another note, if you haven’t seen “Rush” - I highly recommend it.
Thank you Omega Forum!
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