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The must-have Macro Loupe for all watch lovers

The N, for Nautilus or Nemo, is the first watch from the Ukrainian-Singaporean micro-brand Horizon. Its founders, Fred Bekher and Sugi Kusumadi, are mad, as surely are all those who create a micro-brand out of passion. But they are truly obsessed.

The first models are all dedicated to the world of Jules Verne. And it's a success; it's not just a marketing gimmick (how many brands say, "Hey, let's release a blue version and call it '20,000 Leagues Under the Sea,' and a red one and call it 'Journey to the Center of the Earth'?"). The watch really makes you think Captain Nemo could wear it. The date is hidden, integrated into the 4 o'clock marker. This is one of their trademarks: visually integrating the date.
I hesitated when I saw this model offered on Kickstarter. I didn't own a dive watch. I don't actually dive, except for staying on the surface with a mask and snorkel. However, I adore Jules Verne's books; he truly is the creator of pop culture in the modern sense of the term, and many characters in his world of extraordinary voyages are every bit as compelling as James Bond, Indiana Jones, MacGyver, or Han Solo. I was hesitant, but then after seeing a prototype on a YouTube channel, I decided to support the project. It was far from simple, because between the pre-orders and delivery, there was the resurgence of Covid in China and the lockdowns we thought were over, followed by the military invasion of Ukraine, the capture of Kherson, and its bloody occupation. But the watch was finally delivered after nine months. Its thickness initially impressed me, but you get used to it, and underwater, I must say the effect is impressive; it's like a shaft of light. I don't take underwater photos, so I'd have trouble showing what I'm talking about, but it looks much better underwater with a ray of sunlight. Divers from Marseille and Iceland have photographed it extensively, but I think it's even better in person than in the photos.

The movement is a Seiko NH35, which is inexpensive and easy to find. That's not what makes the watch stand out. The case back, however, is unique. It depicts a diver discovering a Jules Verne book in a chest, all behind a sapphire crystal. The initial idea was to include a gold coin found in the ocean by Captain Nemo (to finance anti-colonial struggles). But that wasn't realistic given the limited budget (€400) and reasonable thickness (14.1mm). The result gives the impression of diving into this imaginary world.

The character of Nemo is complex. Jules Verne was inspired by a Polish nobleman whose family was ruthlessly massacred by Russian imperialist repression, and who now dedicates his solitary existence to revenge, relentlessly harassing the Russian fleet. His publisher, P.J. Hertzel, would later develop the character into a Native American devoted to exploring the oceans, financing the anti-colonial war, and waging war against the British fleet. Indeed, from today's perspective, this was a judicious choice in 1869; British decolonialism had been far more successful in the previous century and a half than Russian decolonialism, which was only just beginning. Nevertheless, Hertzel's position was not pro-Russian either. Just a few weeks after the publication of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, the Prussian War against France and the occupation of Alsace-Lorraine altered the perception of the world. The following year, in 1871, he identified the occupied territories and defeated France with Ukraine under Russian oppression, coinciding with the publication of Maroussia by the Ukrainian writer Marko Vovtchok, which he himself adapted into French. Maroussia was, in fact, a huge bestseller.

Captain Nemo, which means "nobody" in Latin, is nobody, just as Ulysses at the beginning of the Odyssey is nobody in the face of the Cyclops. Nemo literally means "not a man," "ne" being the prefix of negation and "hemo" an archaic form of "homo," meaning man. Captain Nemo is no longer a man because his pain, his anger at the mass murder he miraculously escaped, the imperialist repression that killed all his people without exception, means that he no longer has any connection with other men except those who have sworn him devotion and who form his crew. He is no longer a man, for he no longer wishes to live on land but underwater with the fish and marine mammals. He has become something indefinable, somewhere between monster and god; he can act malevolently, as in 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, or benevolently, as in The Mysterious Island. In the 20th century, he would inspire the creation of superheroes like Captain Future or Captain Flam, or conversely, villains in the James Bond series. It's no coincidence that there are so many watch models named Nautilus.

The promise of creating a watch that evokes the world of Jules Verne without succumbing to Steampunk or mere marketing hype is fully fulfilled. The bronze case version is perhaps even more evocative, but I chose the steel version with the more classic Aegean blue dial. I added the rice grain strap, which suits it very well.

The hands are absolutely fantastic; they evoke the world of the Nautilus like no other. Of course, there is some difficulty in reading the minute hand in certain positions, which can be annoying and was corrected on subsequent watches (the Pilgrim and the Nemo), but this removes some of the charm of these Nautilus hands.

The music I would listen to with it would be Für Elise by Nautilus Pompilius https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTGGTLM05I4. The group's entire universe revolves around the ocean and its imagery. And Beethoven's Für Elise is an aspiration to the ideal, a love that is not of this world, and a universal work that absolutely everyone knows.

A romantic epic

Automatic watches weren't the most common type of Soviet-era production; they were thicker and heavier than manual-winding watches, even though winding a watch daily isn't exactly the most strenuous activity of the day.

This one, however, is relatively lightweight at 79g with a metal bracelet, measuring 42mm in width (including the crown) and 12mm in thickness. Its design, with English inscriptions, gives it a rather exotic look. There's a strong contrast between the chrome-plated brass case, the black dial, and the fluted gold bezel, which matches the crown.

The movement is a Poljot 2616.2H automatic, with 23 jewels. The soundtrack that comes to mind when I think of this watch is Machina Vermeni, specifically "Povorot," the band's iconic song from 1979 that describes a rally driver's race, turning corner after corner, the rhythm marking the steering wheel's movements as they anticipate what lies beyond the next turn. A metaphor from motorsport that represents life in the 1980s, a time of constant twists and turns and radical changes.

https://youtu.be/8SK1qaDCGVk?si=o6gMryEjvAWxLqew&t=23 Adjectives: roaring, automatic, contrasting, swaggering

One turning point after another

The simplest-looking watches aren't necessarily the most common. This one, the Luch 75349026-1801.1, is a prime example. Its dial is white with a minute track and elongated black Roman numerals, and it has only two hands, but the result is very successful. The case is made of chrome-plated brass, 36mm in diameter and 7.9mm thick, with a snap-on steel case back.

As is often the case with Luch, elegance is combined with simplicity.

The movement is tiny, as you can see when you unclip the case back. The risk with a two-hand watch is that it can be flat and static, but in my opinion, there's none of that here. There's such a sense of tension on the dial that the seconds hand doesn't feel out of place. I can't quite explain why.

The soundtrack that reminds me of this unisex watch is 90s Britpop, specifically Elastica https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHlypG2kJuc
Adjectives: classic, classy, simple, clean



High voltage

If there's one thing that's certain, it's that I dream of watches that don't exist. But they correspond to sensations I've experienced in dreams or when recalling a memory: a painting from an exhibition, a piece from a concert, a moment from a trip. Ring watches, in this respect, are a powerful dreamlike device; they're on the finger, on the projective element of the hand. It's as if they're flying, as if they're obeying us instead of remaining demurely behind the wrist like wristwatches. Unfortunately, there are few ring watches available. I've always bought cheap Chinese knock-offs, quartz watches with hands, all the while dreaming of something of higher quality.

And now, after fifty-one years in business, Casio is offering G-Shock watches to wear on your finger. The design choice for this Nano DWN-5600 is to create a miniature G-Shock wristwatch, designed to give the impression of a wrist on your fingertip. This is what makes this watch so compelling, fun, but also so weak.

Its strength lies in its convincing design and meticulous execution. It's fun because it's truly quirky and amusing. Its weakness is that, ultimately, it wasn't designed to be a ring watch. Readability isn't the best; the time only occupies the lower half of the screen, with the upper half reserved for the mode: Dual Time or Chronograph. The pin buckle strap is there to mimic a wristwatch, but in practice, it's not very practical for a ring. The main drawback of a ring watch is that you often have to remove it to wash your hands. Previous models with elastic straps are probably better suited for everyday wear, although less fun.

Interestingly, by reducing the size of the watch, you make it much more visible, eye-catching, and striking. This even harks back to the origin of the French word "montre" (watch), referring to the time-telling device that is displayed, unlike in other languages where it's the object itself that indicates the hours, or the object that signals when to raise one's guard. Naturally, on the fingers, this is noticeable. And it can be a signal: when you want to indicate to someone that time is important, rather than wearing a chronograph that day to subtly convey this message, don't hesitate to wear a G-Shock Nano; it's even clearer.

Now, I know that the word "épatage" (impressing/stunning) that I used in the title doesn't exist in French, contrary to what people who don't speak French might think, at least in this sense. The verb and the adjective do exist, but not the noun; it's a truly remarkable phenomenon in itself.

The soundtrack to listen to would be "Tonight We Fly" by The Divine Comedy, a sort of Neil Hannon reimagining Marc Chagall's Above the City. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypeegdF7GyM

Adjectives: Fun, amusing, dreamlike, desirable, demonstrative, digital, ostentatious, stunning

Nano-show-off: how G-Shock wows the crowd

Fleux is a small Canadian brand that offers convincingly affordable neo-vintage timepieces. The brand name, pronounced "Flouksse," is a tribute to diving pioneer Henri Fleuss (1851–1933).

Of course, when we talk about neo-vintage, we find familiar elements from iconic watches in horological history, but the "neo" signifies something new, something fundamentally different. This model is entirely devoid of numerals or minute track. It's an abstraction: a black disc on a white background, divided into four sections by thin white bands. It could be Suprematism, abstract art. A Malevich or Mondrian dream. Even the bezel has no markings, just a simple dot; it's bidirectional, click-free, yet stable, allowing you to place a marker on the hour disc.

For me, it's a successful watch. It evokes a sense of déjà vu, a fleeting feeling of familiarity even if you've never seen it before, and simultaneously, a sense of novelty in its ascetic simplicity. It has the soul of a diver's watch, but mounted on a leather-Cordura strap. In fact, the strap is the only truly flawed element. It's a Spanish strap from Seaqual made from recycled material. It's too stiff and doesn't fit the wrist well. I replaced it with a black French Sibra strap, which is a much better fit. The domed crystal is made of Hesalite, which complements the overall vintage feel, but it does have the drawback of scratching easily. The FLX004 is the fourth watch from this young brand, concluding their efforts to revisit the skin diver aesthetic. It measures 39 mm in diameter and 14 mm in thickness (12 mm case + 2 mm crystal). The movement is a Seiko NH38A at 3Hz. The luminescent coating is Super-LumiNova C3 "Old Radium," which offers a superb contrast with the deep black of the dial.

The soundtrack could be the music of Panov Stelar, a patchwork of reminiscences yet a fully original work in its own right, captivating and invigorating: https://youtu.be/ljKdbYGO62Q?si=Zwk2WMfZYTt0jo8M&t=2041

Adjective: Dreamlike, classy, abstract, danceable, grounded, minimalist

The past revisited

Circula is a small German family brand that was resurrected a few years ago in the third generation. The models are quite well-crafted and there is an interesting community spirit around the brand. Customers are consulted on the choices made for the development of new models.

The Protrail is a military field watch released in 2022. It comes in 3 versions. Sand, Black and limited edition Black old radium. It is the latter that seduced me with its simplicity, going so far as to reduce the numbers to the four essential ones, its extreme readability in all conditions.

The case is quite massive (40mm in diameter and 12 millimeters thick for 100g with a leather/fabric strap) due to the anti-magnetic shielding. But the watch also knows how to be forgotten, it is black and even more than black, its color always fascinates me. It may be because it comes from the Black Forest or because it has a DLC (Diamond-like-Carbon) coating that gives it robustness.

Depending on the lighting conditions and the distance at which you stand, you can see the circular streaks in the center of the dial, which add a nuance in keeping with the brand name, which sometimes make you think of an old vinyl, a Chuck Berry record that you would put on the turntable. And there, daydreaming about old memories, you tell yourself that time is definitely passing and that you are already old. Chuck Berry is already dead and we don't play vinyl anymore, we are in another era. Making people dream of another era while being firmly anchored in the 21st century is the bet of Cornelius Huber who was able to resuscitate Huber & Co in Pforzheim at the time when he himself became a father.

This unclassifiable watch that I bought for a reason that I did not understand myself, I like it a lot, what is more this series limited to 99 copies and numbered and by the greatest of chances I came across my favorite number. The movement is a Sellita SW 200-1 Elaboré (COMPATIBLE ETA 2824), it has a discreet but clear noise at 4Hz. There is no date, so as not to compromise the antimagnetic shielding. Of course there are many Field watches that have a long military experience with which this watch is not really comparable, and yet it brings an air of freshness so pleasant.

A watch oxymoron, a clash of generations

It's a fun watch, which you wear when you want to keep smiling despite the grayness. When you want to keep in mind the wide open spaces of the American national parks despite the low November sky and the concrete of the city. So of course it's not very precise, there is no second, for the minutes, you have to look at the nose of the sea lion and the readability of the hours is very poor because the hours are hidden behind the green algae. It's a shame that there is not a small fish to wiggle and bring a little animation to the dial. It's also a shame that the dial is not finer and more worked. But overall it's successful, I was looking for a fun watch in light green tones. 
The movement is Chinese (Seagull TY2709 Jump Hour Automatic, 20 Jewels, 21,600 BPH) the case back is visible with a rather amusing green tinted glass. Oddly enough the crown is on the left. In short, it's a fun watch that you wear deliberately when you're not two minutes away and you want to escape or want to arrive late.
adjectives: marine, fun, amusing, dreamlike, landscape, American

A window open to America's national parks

Atelier Jalaper est une marque horlog&egrave;re franco-belge fond&eacute;e en 2019 par Louis Jalaber et Simon Szleper. Elle se distingue par une approche unique qui fusionne l'horlogerie traditionnelle avec l'h&eacute;ritage automobile en int&eacute;grant des &eacute;l&eacute;ments authentiques de voitures l&eacute;gendaires dans ses montres.
<h3>Origines et Fondation</h3>
Louis Jalaber et Simon Szleper se sont rencontr&eacute;s lors de leurs &eacute;tudes &agrave; l'ESCP Europe, partageant une passion commune pour l'horlogerie et l'automobile. Leur ambition &eacute;tait de cr&eacute;er une montre qui ne se contenterait pas de s'inspirer du design automobile, mais qui int&eacute;grerait v&eacute;ritablement une partie de l'histoire automobile. Cette vision les a conduits &agrave; fonder Atelier Jalaper en 2019.
<h3>Concept et Philosophie</h3>
La philosophie d'Atelier Jalaper repose sur l'id&eacute;e de donner une nouvelle vie &agrave; des voitures embl&eacute;matiques en les int&eacute;grant dans des montres de haute qualit&eacute;. Chaque garde-temps est con&ccedil;u avec des cadrans fabriqu&eacute;s &agrave; partir de pi&egrave;ces authentiques de voitures l&eacute;gendaires, offrant ainsi aux passionn&eacute;s une connexion tangible avec l'histoire automobile.
<h3>Collections et Mod&egrave;les</h3>
Collection DB5
La premi&egrave;re collection d'Atelier Jalaper rend hommage &agrave; l'Aston Martin DB5, une ic&ocirc;ne des ann&eacute;es 1960. Les cadrans de ces montres sont d&eacute;coup&eacute;s dans le capot en aluminium d'une v&eacute;ritable DB5, conf&eacute;rant &agrave; chaque pi&egrave;ce une patine unique. La collection comprend quatre mod&egrave;les :
<ul>
<li>AJ001-S : Mod&egrave;le avec affichage de la date, bo&icirc;tier en acier inoxydable</li>
<li>AJ001-B : Version avec bo&icirc;tier en PVD noir</li>
<li>AJ002-S : Mod&egrave;le avec affichage du jour et de la date, bo&icirc;tier en acier inoxydable</li>
<li>AJ002-B : Version avec bo&icirc;tier en PVD noir</li>
</ul>
Ces montres sont &eacute;quip&eacute;es de mouvements automatiques Miyota, offrant une r&eacute;serve de marche de 42 heures.
Collection Miura
La deuxi&egrave;me collection s'inspire de la Lamborghini Miura, souvent consid&eacute;r&eacute;e comme la premi&egrave;re supercar au monde. Les cadrans sont fabriqu&eacute;s &agrave; partir de pi&egrave;ces authentiques de la Miura, et la collection propose plusieurs variantes :
<ul>
<li>AJ-P400-V : Version avec r&eacute;haut vert</li>
<li>AJ-P400-N : Version avec r&eacute;haut noir</li>
<li>AJ-P400-O : Version avec r&eacute;haut orange</li>
<li>AJ-P400-B : Version avec r&eacute;haut bleu</li>
</ul>
Ces mod&egrave;les sont anim&eacute;s par des mouvements &agrave; remontage manuel Sellita SW270-1 M, offrant une r&eacute;serve de marche d'environ 45 heures.
Collection Jaguar Type E
La troisi&egrave;me collection s'inspire de la Jaguar Type E, l'une des autos les plus reconnaissables entre toutes. Les cadrans sont fabriqu&eacute;s &agrave; partir de pi&egrave;ces authentiques d'une Jaguar Type E semi-lightweight de 1962, et la collection propose deux variantes :
<ul>
<li>AJ-003-B : Version au cadran stri&eacute;</li>
<li>AJ-003-W : Version au cadran noir anodis&eacute;</li>
</ul>
Ces mod&egrave;les sont anim&eacute;s par des mouvements &agrave; remontage automatique Sellita SW300-1, offrant une r&eacute;serve de marche d'environ 42 heures.
<h3>Processus de Fabrication et Savoir-Faire</h3>
Atelier Jalaper collabore avec des artisans et des experts horlogers bas&eacute;s &agrave; La Chaux-de-Fonds, en Suisse, pour assurer une qualit&eacute; exceptionnelle. Le processus de fabrication implique une d&eacute;coupe pr&eacute;cise des pi&egrave;ces automobiles pour cr&eacute;er des cadrans uniques, suivie d'un assemblage minutieux pour garantir la fiabilit&eacute; et l'esth&eacute;tique de chaque montre.
<h3>Engagement envers l'Authenticit&eacute; et l'Innovation</h3>
La marque s'engage &agrave; pr&eacute;server l'authenticit&eacute; des mat&eacute;riaux utilis&eacute;s tout en innovant dans le design et la fonctionnalit&eacute;. Chaque montre est num&eacute;rot&eacute;e et porte en elle l'&acirc;me de la voiture dont elle est issue, offrant aux collectionneurs et aux passionn&eacute;s une pi&egrave;ce de l'histoire automobile &agrave; leur poignet.
<h3>R&eacute;ception et Perspectives d'Avenir</h3>
Depuis son lancement, Atelier Jalaper a re&ccedil;u des retours positifs pour son concept novateur et la qualit&eacute; de ses montres. La marque continue d'explorer de nouvelles collaborations avec des voitures l&eacute;gendaires, &eacute;largissant ainsi sa collection et renfor&ccedil;ant sa position unique &agrave; l'intersection de l'horlogerie et de l'automobile.
En conclusion, Atelier Jalaper se distingue par sa capacit&eacute; &agrave; fusionner l'art horloger avec l'h&eacute;ritage automobile, cr&eacute;ant des montres qui racontent une histoire unique et offrent une exp&eacute;rience &eacute;motionnelle aux passionn&eacute;s des deux univers.
Inspirez-vous des avis clients Dialicious pour choisir la montre Atelier Jalaper qui vous convient le mieux. D&eacute;couvrez &eacute;galement le <a href="https://www.dialicious.com/top/les_meilleures_marques_de_montres_de_sports_mecaniques">classement des marques de montres inspir&eacute;es du sport automobile</a>.
(Mise &agrave; jour Mars 2025)

Atelier Jalaper is a Franco-Belgian watch brand founded in 2019 by Louis Jalaber and Simon Szleper. It is distinguished by a unique approach that merges traditional watchmaking with automotive heritage by integrating authentic elements of legendary cars into its watches.
<h3 dir="ltr">Origins and Foundation</h3>
Louis Jalaber and Simon Szleper met during their studies at ESCP Europe, sharing a common passion for watchmaking and automobiles. Their ambition was to create a watch that would not only be inspired by automotive design, but would truly incorporate a part of automotive history. This vision led them to found Atelier Jalaper in 2019.
<h3 dir="ltr">Concept and Philosophy</h3>
Atelier Jalaper's philosophy is based on the idea of ​​giving new life to iconic cars by integrating them into high-quality watches. Each timepiece is designed with dials made from authentic parts from legendary cars, providing enthusiasts with a tangible connection to automotive history.
<h3 dir="ltr">Collections and Models</h3>
Collection DB5
Atelier Jalaper's first collection pays homage to the Aston Martin DB5, an icon of the 1960s. The dials of these watches are cut from the aluminum cover of a real DB5, giving each piece a unique patina. The collection includes four models:
<ul>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
AJ001-S: Model with date display, stainless steel case
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
AJ001-B:&nbsp;Version with black PVD case
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
AJ002-S: Model with day and date display, stainless steel case
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
AJ002-B: Version with black PVD case
</li>
</ul>
These watches are equipped with Miyota automatic movements, offering a power reserve of 42 hours.
Collection Miura
The second collection is inspired by the Lamborghini Miura, often considered the world's first supercar. The dials are made from authentic Miura parts, and the collection offers several variations:
<ul>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
AJ-P400-V: Version with green flange
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
AJ-P400-N: Version with black flange
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
AJ-P400-O: Version with orange flange
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
AJ-P400-B: Version with blue flange
</li>
</ul>
These models are powered by Sellita SW270-1 M hand-wound movements, offering a power reserve of approximately 45 hours.
Jaguar E-Type Collection
The third collection is inspired by the Jaguar E-Type, one of the most recognizable cars of all. The dials are made from genuine parts from a 1962&nbsp;Jaguar E-Type semi-lightweight, and the collection offers two variants:
<ul>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
AJ-003-B: Version with vertically brushed dial
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
AJ-003-W: Version with black anodized dial
</li>
</ul>
These models are driven by Sellita SW300-1 self-winding movements, offering a power reserve of approximately 42 hours.
<h3 dir="ltr">Manufacturing Process and Know-How</h3>
Atelier Jalaper collaborates with artisans and watchmaking experts based in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, to ensure exceptional quality. The manufacturing process involves precise cutting of automotive parts to create unique dials, followed by careful assembly to ensure the reliability and aesthetics of each watch.
<h3 dir="ltr">Commitment to Authenticity and Innovation</h3>
The brand is committed to preserving the authenticity of the materials used while innovating in design and functionality. Each watch is numbered and carries within it the soul of the car from which it comes, offering collectors and enthusiasts a piece of automotive history on their wrist.
<h3 dir="ltr">Reception and Future Prospects</h3>
Since its launch, Atelier Jalaper has received positive feedback for its innovative concept and the quality of its watches. The brand continues to explore new collaborations with legendary cars, expanding its collection and strengthening its unique position at the intersection of watchmaking and automobiles.&nbsp;In conclusion, Atelier Jalaper stands out for its ability to merge the art of watchmaking with automotive heritage, creating watches that tell a unique story and offer an emotional experience to enthusiasts of both worlds.
Take inspiration from Dialicious customer reviews to choose the Atelier Jalaper watch that suits you best. Also discover the <a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/top/the_best_brands_of_motor_sports_watches">ranking of watch brands inspired by motorsport</a>.
(Updated March 2025)

Asterisk National Park Owner Review : Wild, fun and wacky

A window open to America's national parks

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