Watch Reviews

Hi, we hope you are all staying safe and well during lockdown from all of us at Chisholm Hunter, remember to keep smiling! We are looking at something that has recently been added to the Chisholm Hunter collection. A watch that commemorates a historic debut moment and a first for the brand in being their first ever automatic day date watch; making it legendary for its innovation alike the inspired rock legend Brian May and his iconic Red Special' guitar.

The brand I am talking about of course is Seiko and one Seiko in particular. The Seiko Limited Edition Brian May 5 SRPE83K1 which helped make Queen one of the most adored rock bands in the world. But before we start if you enjoy these videos please do subscribe to our channel for weekly watch reviews or follow our social media for daily watch content. We are delighted to announce that we are now official stockists of Seiko so these watches can be purchased through our website which I have linked below or in our luxury boutiques located throughout the UK. But without further ado lets get into this model.

Let's start with the obvious striking feature, the breath-taking dial that has been beautifully remodelled to echo the same red and black theme of the guitar. It features detailing of a guitar silhouette on the left and a unique wood grain pattern throughout the red. A distinct Red Special' script has also been added to the dial at 6 o'clock. The guitar Brian May hand made with his dad inspires this. The clever craftmanship of the guitar being carved from the wood of an old fireplace, with the pull of the strings balancing by a motorcycle valve spring, this Seiko timepiece mirrors the intricacy of this Rockstar design. The matt white day-date window is fantastically clear against the mahogany ombre dial and is a fantastic complication to have. Not only does this watch pull heart strings in its inspired influence but in it's striking colour palette. It is no question that this would be the perfect addition to any Queen lover out there. A perfect combination of two creative industries.

Getting into the specs of this Seiko, the Case size is perfect for an everyday watch with the case diameter of 42.5mm and a case thickness of 13.4mm giving a nice weight on the wrist.  In comparison to other models, the hands and indices are decorated in glow in the dark Lumbrite and housed beneath Hardlex crystal glass. It has a unidirectional diving bezel adorned with a 60 minute scale, boast a water resistant rating of 100 metres fitted with a black nylon strap.

When the watch is flipped, we can see its solid steel case back which is covering the Seiko movement 6R35. This is a Japanese automatic winding movement which can be seen through the decorated oscillating rotor is complimented by a special limited-edition decoration of Brain's signature; which adds to the incredible iconic design of the watch. The watch is also presented in a one-of-a-kind box inspired by the design of the Red Special's custom flight case. The box features a commemorative coin based on the sixpenny piece that Brian has used throughout his career as a plectrum.

As a whole this watch really pays tribute to Brian May and his journey of music travelling the globe with Queen. It shows its reliability and performance throughout the times. It has been a pleasure to review this watch and I look forward to seeing the next one!

If you would like to get your hands on a Seiko do be sure to visit our website which we have linked in the description or get in touch with one of our 27 stores throughout the UK. Remember that we are an official stockist of Seiko so any questions you have we would be happy to answer them. Thank you for watching and stay safe and keep smiling!

Last March, at BaselWorld, Oris unveiled their newly refined Aquis collection, this eyebrow raising move took a lot of people by surprise, why change the brands bestselling line? They simplified the dial, reduced the lug size and took about a third of the steel out of which was admittedly a fairly hefty bracelet. The new and improved diving watch received a lot of plaudits from journalists and customers alike, Oris had managed to retain the character and functionality of an extremely good value Swiss made mechanical diving watch without alienating fans of the original.

Not satisfied at revamping the line, Oris complimented this with the release of two limited edition Aquis pieces, the Hammerhead and the Staghorn Restoration, here we will focus on the former.

Oris have upped the Hammerhead's water-resistance to 500 meters from the standard 300m on the Aquis. The watch, as with most diving watches, features a screw-down crown with crown protectors, and a unidirectional rotating bezel with a black ceramic insert. Inside, Oris has gone with their calibre 752, a Sellita-based automatic movement with day and date indications at three o'clock. Despite slimming down the case and bracelet, Oris has, perhaps in the spirit of the colossal Hammerhead Shark, increased the case size to 45mm. All in all, it has quite a presence on the wrist without riding too high, a perfect watch for diving, either in the sea or at the desk!

Now for the interesting part, this watch has a specific and charitable aim, to raise funds for a shark conservation project run by the NGO Pelagios Kakunjá, this is supported by Oris ambassador and professional diver Jrôme Delafosse.

Of all sea creatures, sharks are perhaps the most feared. For 400 million years, this fascinating creature has dominated the oceans, and has essentially remained unchanged. Very few people are killed each year by sharks, yet their powerful jaws have become synonymous with danger. But for many shark conservationists, including Jrôme, this perception needs to change. Today, the shark is threatened around the globe“ and population numbers are dwindling fast. There are more than 500 species of shark worldwide, ranging in size from the small dwarf lantern shark, a species that measures around six inches in length, to the formidable whale shark, which is the largest fish in the world at 12 metres long. Each year, it's estimated that around 100 million sharks are caught around the world.

The piece is limited to just 2,000 pieces worldwide and is priced at £2,020.00. 

View the Hammerhead here.

"ORIS supports my mission in enlightening the public about saving the oceans. It's time to make a difference." 

JÉRÔME DELAFOSSE (Documentary Maker, Environmentalist and Professional Diver)