The must-have Macro Loupe for all watch lovers

Iconic watch art prints. Made in Switzerland, lifetime guarantee

Red watches are relatively rare on the market, especially dress watches.

I really like the dial of this timepiece because it's divided into sectors. It's the only piece in my collection with this feature. The hour markers echo the central cross, creating a beautiful balance with the textured burgundy center. The original strap, made of vegan leather (and therefore plastic), is a weak point of the watch, but it's very comfortable to wear and perfectly matches the dial. The lack of a date window frame is a drawback, but this is compensated for by the inner bezel. Finally, the sword hands enhance the watch's beauty.

Fantastic !

While the dial is the main draw of many watches, this is especially true for this one. Although I already owned a timepiece with an aventurine dial, I really wanted a genuine gemstone dial, and I found tiger's eye, with its caramel hue, particularly appealing. Generally speaking, the Luna is the most widely available model in the Omnis lineup. I find the hands and hour markers to be in perfect harmony with the dial. The only drawback of this watch, in my opinion, is its original strap, which, while comfortable, gave it a sporty look, whereas for me, it's a decidedly dressy timepiece. The lizard strap it's now fitted with enhances its appearance considerably. Finally, this Luna is important to me because it was a gift from my colleagues for a retirement party, so it holds a special place in my collection.

The eye of the tiger

I find this timepiece extremely elegant with its copper dial and open heart... which doesn't reveal the balance wheel, as is usually the case, but rather a rather unusual mechanism...
Indeed, thanks to this mechanism, the hour markers change every twelve hours to create a unique day/night indicator. This highly atypical complication, to my knowledge, was previously only found in Gruen watches.
The version I am fortunate enough to own is limited to 200 pieces with this dial and is made of steel and titanium.
Even though the watch required some repairs because the hour markers became stuck, it is now working perfectly again. The domed crystal enhances the elegant character of the model, and the original strap is suitable.

Duodecimal change

The most striking feature of this timepiece is undoubtedly its orbital minute complication, which immediately catches the eye.

It's indeed very rare to find a watch where the hours are indicated by a wheel marking the half-hours, which enhances legibility, but also, and perhaps more importantly, where the minute hand folds in half, offering a particularly original way to tell the time.

The domed crystal is also a positive aspect of the model, in my opinion.

Of course, there are a few minor drawbacks, such as the lack of a seconds hand, the less-than-perfect finishing, and the legibility of the minutes between 15 and 20 on the one hand, and between 40 and 45 minutes on the other.
These small flaws shouldn't detract from the pleasure of owning such an inspiring complication!

Exorbitant!

This watch has a mirror-polished case and a screw-down crown. The main asset of this timepiece is to offer an original reading of the time with its single hand. The glass is made of sapphire. The original bracelet with its slightly sporty side and its orange stitching gives an additional appeal to the watch. The white flange offers an interesting contrast with the black dial. Obviously the version with a Swiss movement is more prestigious but that does not detract from the attraction that this timepiece exerts.

Japanese automatic movement

This watch has a mirror-polished steel case. The glass is sapphire, which is nice. The cream-colored dial offers a very elegant day/night indicator. The applied indexes, as well as the date, reveal a certain quality. The very special handles give the model its personality. Finally, the hands are beautiful and complete the dressy character of the timepiece. If the finesse of the bracelet can be surprising at first, I find that it is consistent with the general subtlety that emerges from the watch.

In  

Citizen was founded in 1918 in Japan by Kamekichi Yakamazi of the Shokosha Watch Research Institute in Tokyo. Now one of the world's largest watch companies, recognized for its innovative watches and cutting-edge technology. The history of Citizen begins with the launch of its first pocket watch in 1924, called the "CITIZEN".
<h2 dir="ltr">History of the Citizen brand</h2>
This watch was equipped with a high-quality mechanical movement and was highly valued for its precision and reliability. It quickly gained popularity, establishing the foundation of Citizen's reputation in watchmaking.
Over the following years, Citizen continued to innovate and push the boundaries of watchmaking technology. In 1956, the company introduced the world's first pocket wristwatch, which revolutionized the way watches were worn. This innovation paved the way for a new era of more practical and functional watches. In the 1960s, Citizen released several revolutionary watches, including the Citizen Parawater, Japan's first waterproof watch, and the Citizen Cosmotron, the country's first solar-powered electronic watch. These technological advances have solidified Citizen's position as a pioneer in the watch industry.
Citizen has also played a key role in the quartz watch industry. In 1973, the company introduced the Citizen Crystron Solar Cell, the first quartz watch powered by solar energy. This innovation paved the way for a new generation of more precise and durable quartz watches with the 1976 launch of the technology&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/citizen/eco-drive">Citizen Eco-Drive</a>.
Over the decades, Citizen has continued to introduce new features and technologies into its watches. In 1993, the company launched the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/citizen/promaster_aqualand">Citizen Promaster Aqualand</a>, a diver's watch that has pushed the boundaries of underwater performance. It was equipped with features such as measuring depth and diving time, which allowed divers to explore the seabed safely.
In the 2000s, Citizen began developing ecological watches. In 2008, the company introduced the Citizen Eco-Drive Satellite Wave, the first solar-powered watch capable of receiving satellite signals for optimal accuracy around the world. This revolutionary technology eliminated the need to change batteries, providing a more durable and convenient solution for watch enthusiasts. Over the past few years, Citizen has maintained its leading position in the watch industry. The company continues to innovate in design, technology and sustainability, while maintaining its commitment to quality and precision.
Today, Citizen is a globally recognized brand, offering a wide range of watches to suit all tastes and needs. Whether for lovers of classic watches, diving watches, connected watches or sports watches, Citizen offers varied options meeting the expectations of consumers around the world. Citizen is one of the 3 major Japanese watchmaking groups with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/seiko">Seiko</a> and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/casio">Casio</a>.
The current range includes models such as&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/citizen/eco-drive">Citizen Eco-Drive</a>, <a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/citizen/promaster_diver">Citizen Promaster Diver</a>, <a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/citizen/tsuyosa">Citizen Tsuyoza</a>, Citizen Skyhawk or&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/citizen/chronomaster">Citizen Chronomaster</a>.
<h2 dir="ltr">How much does a Citizen watch cost?</h2>
The prices of Citizen watches change regularly and vary depending on the model. Most cost between $400 and $800 depending on the models and finishes. As an example, a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/citizen/eco-drive_diver_200m">Citizen Eco-Drive</a> starts to $250 and the top of the range Citizen with the collection&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/citizen/the_citizen">The Citizen</a> oscillates between $3,000 and $7,000. Prices also fluctuate depending on the distributor, and promotions sometimes allow you to benefit from a more competitive price. The second-hand market is also an opportunity to look at to buy a cheaper Citizen.
<h2 dir="ltr">Citizen: The other giant of Japanese watchmaking</h2>
Citizen Watch is a renowned Japanese watch company with a history dating back almost a century. From its first mechanical watches to its innovations in solar energy, quartz and sustainability, Citizen has played a major role in the evolution of the watch industry. Today, Citizen continues to position itself as a global leader, offering superior quality watches combining functionality, design and innovation.
Citizen is owned by a Japanese industrial group in the same way as the brands <a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/bulova">Bulova</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/alpina">Alpina</a>, Arnold &amp; Son and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/frederique_constant">Frederique Constant</a>. Citizen produces several million watches per year, all models combined. To choose the Citizen model that best suits you, Dialicious customer reviews are a valuable resource for evaluating different models through real owner experience.
Check out the <a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/top/the_best_japanese_watch_brands">ranking of the best japanese watch brands</a>, including Citizen.
(Updated December 2023)

The Citizen platform has become a great classic in a few years.
Affordable, reliable, a little rustic, with an almost vintage touch, versatile, there are many adjectives that stick to it.
Containing a caliber renowned for its reliability, with its soft rotor noise...
All for a very reasonable price, Citizen, as often, treats us to a well-finished watch, pleasant to wear and that we never get tired of, a must have!

Entrance to the platform

My first automatic watch that immersed me in this vast and interesting world that is mechanical watchmaking, before I was more of a Casio, then for Christmas I chose this Citizen it had just come out and its khaki green dial, its aviator style and its vintage style case attracted me, and bam here I am with my first automatic mechanical watch on my wrist, Citizen Platform Mechanical Automatic 42 mm case and 8200 movement. I wear it very often because there is something between us! Which is indescribable.

My first mechanical watch

Bought several months ago, I fell in love with this Japanese pilot's field watch with a retro look and cushion shape.
This discreet Japanese watch amazes me every day with its various bevels and its brushed and mirror polishing.
The slightly sunray gray dial gives it an almost neo-retro dress watch style with its 42mm case, but it doesn't look huge when worn.
Powered by a very reliable and proven Miyota 8210 that barely takes 10 seconds per day.
Impressive value for money.
Not very heavy and very comfortable on the wrist.
The price is ridiculously low considering the quality of this model: €179.
I went for it and I'm enjoying this marvel every day.

Neo retro watch in the CITIZEN style

Ollech &amp; Wajs est une maison horlog&egrave;re suisse fond&eacute;e en 1956 &agrave; Zurich par Joseph Ollech et Albert Wajs ; d&rsquo;abord d&eacute;taillant puis acteur de la vente par correspondance, le duo a b&acirc;ti sa r&eacute;putation sur des montres &laquo; tool &raquo; robustes &mdash; plongeuses, militaires, d&rsquo;aviation &mdash; vendues aux particuliers comme aux forces arm&eacute;es, avant d&rsquo;orchestrer un retour au premier plan au cours des ann&eacute;es 2010 avec une gamme contemporaine qui r&eacute;active les signatures historiques.
<h3>Zurich, Stockerstrasse et la vente par correspondance&thinsp;: les d&eacute;buts d&rsquo;un label outil</h3>
D&egrave;s l&rsquo;ouverture de leur petite boutique zurichoise, les fondateurs s&rsquo;attachent &agrave; proposer des montres fiables &agrave; prix tenu, puis &eacute;tendent rapidement l&rsquo;activit&eacute; vers le courrier et les annonces sp&eacute;cialis&eacute;es, et cette distribution directe fa&ccedil;on &laquo; mail-order &raquo; deviendra l&rsquo;un des marqueurs durables de la marque.&nbsp;Le basculement d&rsquo;un r&ocirc;le de d&eacute;taillant vers la cr&eacute;ation de montres sous leur propre nom s&rsquo;op&egrave;re en quelques ann&eacute;es, avec des lignes d&eacute;di&eacute;es aux usages concrets (terrain, mer, cockpit) et une construction volontairement simple et r&eacute;parable, et l&rsquo;obsession est moins la &laquo; complication &raquo; que l&rsquo;endurance et la lisibilit&eacute;.
Dans les ann&eacute;es 1960, la diffusion s&rsquo;&eacute;tend aux bases am&eacute;ricaines et aux PX, o&ugrave; des montres militaires et de plong&eacute;e sign&eacute;es O&amp;W trouvent un public pr&ecirc;t &agrave; les &eacute;prouver en conditions r&eacute;elles, et cette validation par l&rsquo;usage contribue &agrave; installer l&rsquo;image d&rsquo;un outil professionnel abordable.
<h3>Caribbean 1000 et Ocean Graph&thinsp;: la profondeur, la d&eacute;compression et l&rsquo;imaginaire des grandes eaux</h3>
Au milieu des sixties, la maison se distingue par des plongeuses d&rsquo;avant-garde dont la Ollech &amp; Wajs Caribbean 1000, pi&egrave;ce record annonc&eacute;e pour 1000 m qui cristallise l&rsquo;ambition technique de l&rsquo;&eacute;poque et installe le nom O&amp;W dans le paysage de la plong&eacute;e sportive comme professionnelle, et l&rsquo;association avec des partenaires sp&eacute;cialis&eacute;s nourrit une esth&eacute;tique rationnelle et sans fioritures.
Dans la m&ecirc;me veine, l&rsquo;Ollech &amp; Wajs Ocean Graph introduit une lunette et une logique de lecture con&ccedil;ues pour accompagner la mont&eacute;e du plongeur et les paliers de d&eacute;compression, ancrant la montre dans un usage pr&eacute;cis plut&ocirc;t que dans l&rsquo;&eacute;vocation d&eacute;corative de la mer, et le cadran reste clair pour pr&eacute;server l&rsquo;instantan&eacute;it&eacute; de la lecture sous l&rsquo;eau.
Ces r&eacute;f&eacute;rences historiques, souvent cit&eacute;es et collectionn&eacute;es aujourd&rsquo;hui, ont fa&ccedil;onn&eacute; un langage fait de bo&icirc;tiers costauds, d&rsquo;&eacute;tanch&eacute;it&eacute;s s&eacute;rieuses, de bracelets adapt&eacute;s et de typographies contrast&eacute;es qui affleurent encore dans les mod&egrave;les actuels, et c&rsquo;est cette continuit&eacute; de &laquo; montre-outil &raquo; qui permet de relier le pass&eacute; et le pr&eacute;sent.
<h3>Relance contemporaine, ancrage helv&eacute;tique et cha&icirc;ne courte&thinsp;: le retour d&rsquo;O&amp;W</h3>
Apr&egrave;s avoir travers&eacute; la p&eacute;riode quartz et ralenti la cadence, la marque est reprise par Charles Le Menestrel et relanc&eacute;e &agrave; la fin des ann&eacute;es 2010 avec la volont&eacute; explicite de prolonger l&rsquo;esprit des origines plut&ocirc;t que de s&rsquo;&eacute;parpiller en s&eacute;ries cosm&eacute;tiques, et&nbsp;le bureau de cr&eacute;ation reste &agrave; Zurich tandis que l&rsquo;assemblage et les r&eacute;glages s&rsquo;effectuent dans le Jura suisse.
La d&eacute;marche privil&eacute;gie des mouvements automatiques suisses &eacute;prouv&eacute;s, une architecture de bo&icirc;te simple &agrave; entretenir, des &eacute;tanch&eacute;it&eacute;s cr&eacute;dibles et des bracelets &agrave; la fois robustes et faciles &agrave; vivre au quotidien, et le cahier des charges reprend la triade historique : fiabilit&eacute;, lisibilit&eacute;, r&eacute;parabilit&eacute;.
La relance ne se contente pas de &laquo; r&eacute;&eacute;ditions &raquo; au millim&egrave;tre : elle propose des montres nouvelles inspir&eacute;es des usages historiques, rehausse le soin apport&eacute; aux finitions et met en avant un contr&ocirc;le qualit&eacute; par &eacute;tapes, et le r&eacute;sultat vise une modernit&eacute; pragmatique qui &eacute;vite le pastiche.
<h3>P-101, P-104, Navichron, C-1000 et Ocean Graph&thinsp;: familles actuelles et usages concrets</h3>
Les premi&egrave;res r&eacute;f&eacute;rences de l&rsquo;&egrave;re r&eacute;cente prennent la forme de montres d&rsquo;aviation &agrave; taille contenue, Ollech &amp; Wajs P-101 et Ollech &amp; Wajs P-104, qui relecturent les codes cockpit dans une bo&icirc;te polyvalente autour de 39&ndash;40 mm avec saphir et couronne viss&eacute;e, et elles ciblent une lecture instrumentale et une r&eacute;sistance suffisante pour le quotidien.
C&ocirc;t&eacute; plong&eacute;e, la maison propose aujourd&rsquo;hui la Ollech &amp; Wajs C-1000 (ainsi que des &eacute;ditions anniversaires) comme incarnation contemporaine de l&rsquo;esprit Caribbean : valves, joints, fonds viss&eacute;s et traitements soign&eacute;s s&rsquo;additionnent pour offrir un instrument de mer moderne, et le cadran conserve l&rsquo;intelligibilit&eacute; qui a fait la r&eacute;putation de la lign&eacute;e.
En parall&egrave;le, l&rsquo;Ollech &amp; Wajs Ocean Graph revient sous une forme actualis&eacute;e, avec sa logique de lecture li&eacute;e &agrave; la d&eacute;compression qui en fait une plongeuse de caract&egrave;re imm&eacute;diatement reconnaissable au poignet, et cette signature d&rsquo;usage distingue le mod&egrave;le dans un segment satur&eacute;.
La famille Ollech &amp; Wajs Navichron s&rsquo;adresse &agrave; celles et ceux qui veulent un chronographe &laquo; outil &raquo; lisible, fid&egrave;le &agrave; l&rsquo;esprit O&amp;W sans exc&egrave;s de complexit&eacute;, avec une ergonomie de poussoirs travaill&eacute;e et une &eacute;chelle claire pour structurer le temps court, et le dessin reste volontairement pratique plut&ocirc;t que d&eacute;monstratif.
<ul>
<li>Ollech &amp; Wajs P-101 &mdash; pilote contemporain, diam&egrave;tre contenu, saphir, r&eacute;sistance &agrave; l&rsquo;eau &eacute;lev&eacute;e, cadran tr&egrave;s lisible, usage &laquo; bureau-terrain &raquo;.</li>
<li>Ollech &amp; Wajs P-104 &mdash; variante d&rsquo;aviation avec autre signature de lunette et de marquages, m&ecirc;me esprit robuste.</li>
<li>Ollech &amp; Wajs C-1000 &mdash; plongeuse moderne inspir&eacute;e de la Caribbean, &eacute;tanch&eacute;it&eacute; pouss&eacute;e et lecture directe.</li>
<li>Ollech &amp; Wajs Ocean Graph &mdash; plongeuse instrumentale &agrave; logique de d&eacute;compression, identit&eacute; forte au poignet.</li>
<li>Ollech &amp; Wajs Navichron &mdash; chronographe &laquo; tool &raquo;, cadran a&eacute;r&eacute; et poussoirs francs, lisibilit&eacute; du temps court.</li>
</ul>
Au-del&agrave; des noms, l&rsquo;important est l&rsquo;usage : pilote pour la lisibilit&eacute; &agrave; plat et la r&eacute;sistance aux chocs de la vie active, plongeuse pour l&rsquo;eau et la robustesse, chronographe pour rythmer les t&acirc;ches et les entra&icirc;nements, et ce d&eacute;coupage aide &agrave; choisir une O&amp;W en fonction d&rsquo;un sc&eacute;nario r&eacute;el plut&ocirc;t que d&rsquo;un simple style.
<h3>Signature &laquo; tool watch &raquo;&thinsp;: mat&eacute;riaux, mouvements, dimensions et bracelets</h3>
Les bo&icirc;tiers actuels privil&eacute;gient l&rsquo;acier, des traitements de surface sobres, des lunettes fonctionnelles et des glaces saphir, avec des diam&egrave;tres g&eacute;n&eacute;ralement compris entre 39 et 42 mm pour pr&eacute;server la polyvalence au quotidien, et le port&eacute; se veut stable gr&acirc;ce &agrave; des cornes ma&icirc;tris&eacute;es et des bracelets ajust&eacute;s.
C&ocirc;t&eacute; motorisation, la marque recourt &agrave; des automatiques suisses contemporains adapt&eacute;s &agrave; l&rsquo;usage intensif, certains r&eacute;gl&eacute;s ou certifi&eacute;s selon versions, et l&rsquo;accent est mis sur la facilit&eacute; d&rsquo;entretien par un horloger comp&eacute;tent partout dans le monde, et cette pragmatique m&eacute;canique refl&egrave;te la vocation utilitaire des montres.
Les bracelets &mdash; acier, textile de type RAF/NATO ou caoutchouc &mdash; sont choisis pour leur s&eacute;curit&eacute;, leur r&eacute;sistance &agrave; l&rsquo;eau et leur confort, tandis que les boucles et end-links sont travaill&eacute;s pour limiter les points durs, et la modularit&eacute; permet d&rsquo;adapter la m&ecirc;me montre &agrave; des contextes tr&egrave;s diff&eacute;rents.
<h3>Positionnement, prix, distribution et profils d&rsquo;acheteurs</h3>
O&amp;W occupe aujourd&rsquo;hui un segment &laquo; outil de qualit&eacute; &raquo; : finitions soign&eacute;es mais sans ostentation, fiches techniques coh&eacute;rentes, contr&ocirc;le qualit&eacute; serr&eacute; et communication ax&eacute;e sur l&rsquo;usage plut&ocirc;t que sur le prestige, et le rapport contenu/prix vise la cr&eacute;dibilit&eacute; d&rsquo;un instrument plut&ocirc;t que la posture luxueuse.&nbsp;La distribution m&ecirc;le vente directe en ligne et r&eacute;seau restreint de partenaires, comme <a href="https://bit.ly/4igLuis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Horel</a> &agrave; Bordeaux (France) ou <a href="https://bit.ly/4p27od0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">La Vitrine Horlog&egrave;re</a> en Belgique, avec un discours p&eacute;dagogique sur l&rsquo;h&eacute;ritage et les usages, et&nbsp;ce canal court facilite la coh&eacute;rence tarifaire et la relation avec l&rsquo;atelier.
Le public typique r&eacute;unit des amateurs de montres &laquo; &agrave; faire &raquo; plut&ocirc;t qu&rsquo;&laquo; &agrave; montrer &raquo;, des plongeurs loisirs, des voyageurs qui appr&eacute;cient la solidit&eacute; et des utilisateurs professionnels qui veulent un objet fiable et r&eacute;parable, et la marque parle &agrave; celles et ceux qui pr&eacute;f&egrave;rent la preuve par le port&eacute;.
<h3>Guide de choix&thinsp;: sc&eacute;nario d&rsquo;usage, lisibilit&eacute; et ergonomie</h3>
Commencez par d&eacute;finir l&rsquo;environnement principal : eau, cockpit, bureau-terrain ou sport chronom&eacute;tr&eacute; ; si l&rsquo;eau domine, une Ollech &amp; Wajs C-1000 ou une Ollech &amp; Wajs Ocean Graph seront naturelles, tandis que P-101/P-104 conviendront aux lectures rapides et aux cadrans &eacute;pur&eacute;s, et le chronographe Navichron servira aux temps courts et aux routines fractionn&eacute;es.
Validez ensuite la lisibilit&eacute; : contraste aiguilles/fond, taille des index, absence de surcharge, visibilit&eacute; de la minuterie et coh&eacute;rence de la lunette avec l&rsquo;usage r&eacute;el, et faites le test &laquo; un m&egrave;tre/un coup d&rsquo;&oelig;il &raquo; en lumi&egrave;re naturelle avant d&rsquo;arr&ecirc;ter votre choix.
Enfin, essayez la montre pour jauger l&rsquo;assise (corne-&agrave;-corne), la couronne dans la paume, la souplesse du bracelet et le tomb&eacute; g&eacute;n&eacute;ral avec vos manches et vos activit&eacute;s, et gardez la version que vous oubliez le plus vite une fois port&eacute;e.
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
Ollech &amp; Wajs demeure identifiable par sa vocation d&rsquo;outil : des montres pens&eacute;es pour l&rsquo;usage, lisibles, robustes et suivies par une cha&icirc;ne suisse claire. Entre plongeuses h&eacute;riti&egrave;res de la Caribbean, pilotes modernes et chronographes de travail, la gamme s&rsquo;articule simplement autour de sc&eacute;narios r&eacute;els. Pour d&eacute;cider, partez de votre terrain d&rsquo;emploi, testez lisibilit&eacute; et confort, puis ajustez mati&egrave;re et bracelet ; vous obtiendrez un instrument pertinent qui vieillit bien. Pour croiser ces rep&egrave;res avec des retours d&rsquo;exp&eacute;rience, appuyez-vous sur les avis clients Dialicious.
Consultez le <a href="https://www.dialicious.com/top/les_meilleures_marques_de_montres_suisses">Classement des meilleures marques de montres suisses</a> dont Ollech &amp; Wajs fait partie.
(Mise &agrave; jour Ao&ucirc;t 2025)

Ollech &amp; Wajs is a Swiss watch company founded in 1956 in Zurich by Joseph Ollech and Albert Wajs; initially a retailer and then a mail-order operator, the duo built a reputation on robust tool watches&mdash;divers, military pieces and pilot instruments&mdash;sold to civilians and service members alike, before orchestrating a modern comeback in the late 2010s with a contemporary range that revives the brand&rsquo;s historic signatures.
<h3>Zurich, Stockerstrasse and mail order: the beginnings of a tool-driven label</h3>
From their small Zurich storefront, the founders soon moved from selling other brands to shipping their own watches by post, and this direct &ldquo;mail-order&rdquo; route became a lasting hallmark of the company.&nbsp;The shift from retailing to making watches under their own name took only a few years, with dedicated lines for concrete use cases (field, sea, cockpit) and constructions that favoured simple, repairable mechanics, and the focus was less on &ldquo;complication&rdquo; than on endurance and clarity.
In the 1960s, distribution extended to US military PX stores, where O&amp;W military and dive watches were tried in real-world conditions by service members, and this usage-led validation helped cement the image of an affordable professional instrument.
<h3>Caribbean 1000 and Ocean Graph: depth, decompression and the great-waters playbook</h3>
By the mid-sixties the brand stood out with cutting-edge divers, notably the Ollech &amp; Wajs Caribbean 1000, a thousand-metre-rated watch that crystallised the era&rsquo;s technical ambition and lodged the O&amp;W name in both recreational and professional diving, and partnerships with specialist makers fed a rational, no-nonsense aesthetic.
In the same spirit, the Ollech &amp; Wajs Ocean Graph brought a bezel and reading logic tailored to ascent and decompression stops, rooting the watch in a specific task rather than mere maritime d&eacute;cor, and the dial stayed clean to preserve underwater glance legibility.
These historic references&mdash;often cited and collected today&mdash;shaped a language of stout cases, serious water-resistance, practical bracelets and high-contrast typography that still surfaces in current models, and this through-line of &ldquo;tool first&rdquo; connects past to present.
<h3>Contemporary relaunch, Swiss anchoring and a short chain: O&amp;W&rsquo;s return</h3>
After weathering the quartz era and slowing down, the brand was revived in the late 2010s by Charles Le Menestrel with the explicit aim of extending the founding spirit rather than scattering into cosmetic runs, and&nbsp;design remains in Zurich while assembly and adjustment take place in the Swiss Jura.
The approach favours proven Swiss automatic movements, serviceable case architecture, credible water-resistance and bracelets built for comfort and durability, and the specification re-embraces the classic triad: reliability, legibility, serviceability.&nbsp;The comeback is not a millimetre-for-millimetre facsimile exercise; instead, it offers new watches inspired by historic use, upgrades finishing and emphasises stepwise quality control, and the outcome is a pragmatic modernity that avoids pastiche.
<h3>P-101, P-104, Navichron, C-1000 and Ocean Graph: today&rsquo;s families and real use</h3>
The first modern releases took the form of compact pilot watches, the Ollech &amp; Wajs P-101 and Ollech &amp; Wajs P-104, which reinterpret cockpit codes in versatile 39&ndash;40 mm cases with sapphire and screw-down crowns, and they target instrumental reading and all-day resilience.
On the dive side, the brand offers the Ollech &amp; Wajs C-1000 (along with anniversary editions) as a contemporary take on the Caribbean ethos: seals, casebacks, and careful treatment combine into a modern sea instrument, and the dial retains the intelligibility that made the line&rsquo;s reputation.
In parallel, the Ollech &amp; Wajs Ocean Graph returned in an updated form, with its decompression-centred readout making for an instantly recognisable diver on the wrist, and this task-specific signature sets it apart in a crowded segment.
The Ollech &amp; Wajs Navichron family serves those who want a readable, work-ready chronograph true to the O&amp;W spirit, with well-judged pushers and crisp scales for short-time duties, and the design stays deliberately practical rather than showy.
<ul>
<li>Ollech &amp; Wajs P-101 &mdash; contemporary pilot, compact diameter, sapphire, strong water-resistance, very legible dial for desk-to-field wear.</li>
<li>Ollech &amp; Wajs P-104 &mdash; aviation variant with a different bezel and markings signature, same robust intent.</li>
<li>Ollech &amp; Wajs C-1000 &mdash; modern diver inspired by the Caribbean, serious water-proofing and direct readout.</li>
<li>Ollech &amp; Wajs Ocean Graph &mdash; instrumental diver with decompression logic, strong identity on the wrist.</li>
<li>Ollech &amp; Wajs Navichron &mdash; &ldquo;tool&rdquo; chronograph, open dial and assertive pushers, clarity in short-time work.</li>
</ul>
Beyond names, what matters is use: a pilot for flat-plane readability and shock tolerance in active life; a diver for water and sturdiness; a chronograph to pace tasks and training, and this split helps pick an O&amp;W by real scenario rather than by style alone.
<h3>Tool-watch signature: materials, movements, dimensions and straps</h3>
Current cases prioritise steel, sober surface treatments, functional bezels and sapphire crystals, with diameters largely between 39 and 42 mm to sustain daily versatility, and on-wrist stability comes from disciplined lug spans and well-matched bracelets.
Mechanically, the brand uses modern, Swiss automatic calibres suited to intensive use&mdash;some adjusted or certified depending on versions&mdash;while ensuring that any competent watchmaker can service them, and this pragmatic mechanics reflects the utilitarian brief.
Bracelets&mdash;steel, RAF/NATO-type textile or rubber&mdash;are chosen for security, water-readiness and comfort, with buckles and end-links designed to minimise hot-spots, and modularity lets a single watch adapt to very different contexts.
<h3>Positioning, prices, channels and buyer profiles</h3>
O&amp;W sits in a &ldquo;quality tool&rdquo; segment: tidy finishing without ostentation, coherent spec sheets, tight quality control and messaging anchored in use rather than prestige, and the value proposition seeks instrument credibility rather than luxury posturing.
Distribution blends direct online sales with a small partner network and a didactic narrative about heritage and use, and this short channel supports coherent pricing and a clear link to the workshop.&nbsp;The core audience mixes owners who prefer watches to &ldquo;do&rdquo; rather than to &ldquo;show,&rdquo; recreational divers, travellers who prize sturdiness and professionals who need reliable, serviceable objects, and the brand resonates with those who trust proof of wear over glossy claims.
<h3>Selection guide: use case, legibility and ergonomics</h3>
Start by mapping your main environment&mdash;water, cockpit, desk-to-field or timed sport; if water rules, a Ollech &amp; Wajs C-1000 or Ollech &amp; Wajs Ocean Graph is natural, whereas P-101/P-104 suit quick, uncluttered reads, and the Navichron chronograph serves intervals and structured routines.
Next validate legibility: hand-to-dial contrast, index size, minimal clutter, minute track visibility and bezel logic that matches how you actually use it, and run the &ldquo;one-metre/one-glance&rdquo; test in natural light before deciding.
Finally, try the watch to judge stance (lug-to-lug), crown feel in the palm, bracelet suppleness and how it sits with sleeves and tasks, and keep the version you forget the fastest once strapped on.
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
Ollech &amp; Wajs remains identifiable by its purpose-built vocation: watches made for use&mdash;readable, robust and supported by a clear Swiss chain. Between divers that channel the Caribbean legacy, modern pilot pieces and work-ready chronographs, the range is organised simply around real-world scenarios. To choose well, start with where you&rsquo;ll wear it, test clarity and comfort, then tune material and strap; you&rsquo;ll land on a capable instrument that ages well. To square these cues with long-term ownership feedback, a helpful compass remains Dialicious customer reviews.
Consult the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/top/the_best_swiss_watch_brands">Ranking of the best Swiss watch brands</a> of which Ollech &amp; Wajs is part.
(Updated August 2025)

This watch has a cushion-shaped mirror-polished steel case. While the case is relatively large, the bezel and dial make the timepiece appear smaller than it actually is. The gray dial is the model's strong point. Not liking steel bracelets, I equipped my watch with a Bond-style NATO strap, which suits it particularly well. I am less fond of the logo-free crown and the solid caseback. Nevertheless, this timepiece remains particularly competitive.

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