Gyre Watch is a watch brand that offers an affordable, fun dive watch that supports a good cause. Founded by Dutch watch journalist Bernard Werk, the brand is making its debut with the Gyre SeaCleaner.

An affordable, no-nonsense sports watch with a solar-powered movement, the SeaCleaner has a case and strap made from recycled ocean waste – with part of the proceeds from its sale going to an ocean cleanup charity.

Initial thoughts

Bold in its contrasting-colour scheme, the SeaCleaner has brightly-coloured accents in green, blue or black, and a large, 42 mm cushion case that’s reminiscent of 1970s dive watches, giving it a retro vibe. Inside is a robust Seiko movement that’ll do what it’s supposed to do. In short, the SeaCleaner is tried-and-tested look that works well for a sports watch and it costs only about US$200.

Environmentally supportive

Gyre will donate 5% of sales to The Ocean Cleanup – a Dutch NGO that is working to remove plastic waste from the oceans. And with both the straps and cases made of recycled material, the watches themselves will contribute to the cleanup. The black plastic cases are made from recycled fishing nets, which are mostly made of plastic.

Collected by fishermen around the Indian Ocean – Gyre pays the fishermen for the nets – the discarded nets are cleaned and turned into plastic pellets that are then moulded into the cases. Unlike many all-black watch cases that are done that way for aesthetic effect, the composite derived from recycled fishing nets is naturally black.

Similarly, the straps are woven from nylon thread that is made from recycled PET bottles. That said, Gyre is working on producing straps made from recycled nets.

The watch is equipped with the Seiko cal. VS42A that’s solar-powered and requires no batteries, a more environmentally-conscious option. According to Gyre, the movement will run for six months after three hours of exposure to light.

Key Facts and Price

Gyre SeaCleaner

Diameter: 42 mm
Height: 11.5 mm
Material: Plastic recycled from fishing nets
Crystal: Anti-reflective sapphire
Water resistance: 100 m

Movement: Seiko cal. VS42A
Functions: Hours, minutes and date
Winding: Solar-powered

Strap: Nylon recycled from PET bottles

Availability: Now till June 14, 2020 on Kickstarter
Price: Starting from €189 (or about US$217)

For more information, visit Kickstarter.

The most affordable watch of any kind offered by Jaeger-LeCoultre, the Reverso One is an elegant watch for ladies with a modest amount of diamonds and a quartz movement. Originally available only with a silver dial, the new Reverso One Red Wine adds a more lively colour to the range of options.

Initial thoughts

While the quartz movement won’t appeal to a watch aficionado, it makes sense for someone who wants a good-looking, classic design without the hassle of a mechanical movement. Seen from that perspective – especially when combined with the affordable price – the Reverso One is a fuss-free, sensible buy.

Red guilloche

The launch version of the Reverso One was plain, with an ordinary silver dial dial. The Red Wine livens things up, and does it with more detail than would be expected on an entry-level quartz watch. The dial has a stamped sun-ray guilloche motif that’s covered in translucent red lacquer, creating the rich finish.

As with many Reverso models, the flip side of the case is polished and left empty for personalisation. The options for personalisation includes a set of initials that Jaeger-LeCoultre can engrave for a small fee. And the steel case is set with 27 diamonds for a bit of sparkle.

Key Facts and Price

Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso One Red Wine
Ref. Q3288560

Diameter: 40 mm by 20 mm
Height: 7.9 mm
Material: Stainless steel
Water resistance: 30 m

Movement: Cal. 657
Functions: Hours and minutes
Frequency: Quartz

Strap: Alligator strap

Availability: At boutiques and retailers from June 2020
Price: US$5,300; or 7,800 Singapore dollars

For more information, visit Jaeger-LeCoultre.com.

Unlike last year’s El Primero A384 Revival that was a one-for-one remake of the vintage original, the latest A384-based watch is a modern creation inspired by a vintage prototype.

The Chronomaster Revival “Shadow” takes it monochromatic colours from a 1970 prototype that had a large, 41 mm case in black-coated steel. It had an entirely look and feel, but the black-and-white colour have been applied to the Shadow with striking effect.

Initial thoughts

The Shadow adopts a look often found in sports watch, but it’s an effective, functional look. And Zenith was smart with the details, streamlining the dial for a clean, stark look. The outer seconds track and date, for instance, have both been done away with, and the tachymetric scale has been simplified. That does affect functionality – elapsed seconds can’t be measured – but it’s an attractive look.

And the micro-blasted case finish is relatively delicate, since even the tiniest nick or scratch will stand out against the matte, grained surface, but it’s a perfect fit for the design.

Overall the Shadow is a good alternative for someone who likes the A385 case shape, but wants a clean, modern style instead of a faithful vintage remake.

Vintage inspiration

The Shadow is a blend of modern and vintage elements. The 37 mm case is identical in size and form as the A385, but unlike the A385 case that is in steel, this is in micro-blasted titanium. It’s same material used for the case of the Defy 21 Land Rover. Created by using extremely tiny beads for the blasting process, the result is a grained but smooth surface.

Inside is the automatic El Primero 4061, which is a standard El Primero calibre and visible through the case back.

Key facts and price

Zenith Chronomaster Revival ‘Shadow’
Ref. 97.T384.4061/21.C822

Diameter: 37 mm
Height: 12.6 mm
Material: Titanium
Water resistance: 50 m

Movement: El Primero 4061
Functions: Time and chronograph
Frequency: 36,000 beats per hour (5 Hz)
Winding: Automatic
Power reserve: 50 hours

Strap: Black leather with pin buckle

Limited edition: No, regular collection
Availability: At boutiques and retailers in summer 2020
Price: US$8,200

For more, visit Zenith-watches.com.