Kim.Ono's review on his Eterna Galaxis

There are watches I search for for months. And then there are those I wasn't looking for at all, but which somehow manage to captivate me. This Eterna Galaxis clearly belongs to the second category. Originally, my Eterna obsession lay elsewhere. For some time now, I've been searching for a Porsche Design by Eterna 6501.10, this automatic titanium diver that ticks so many boxes for me: a very distinctive design, an integrated bracelet, a truly neo-vintage personality, and above all, that almost industrial approach to design characteristic of Porsche Design creations from that period. The problem is, I'm quite particular when it comes to sourcing a watch. I'd rather wait six months or a year than buy the wrong one. And regarding the 6501.10, the models I've found so far always had something holding me back: either the condition wasn't quite perfect enough, or, a much more complicated problem with this type of integrated bracelet, the bracelet was too short and no extra links were available. So I'm still looking. And it was precisely during this time that this Galaxis came into the picture. A few months ago, I stopped by The Watch Gallery. It was there, on consignment. I wasn't particularly familiar with the reference number, and I certainly wasn't there specifically for it. I tried it on. Mistake. Instant love. What struck me first was its rather unexpected balance. It's sporty-chic, clearly, but with a touch of edginess that I adore. Not flashy, not ostentatious, just unconventional enough to avoid becoming just another understated steel watch. And above all, that blue. It brings just the right amount of light and presence to a piece that could otherwise become almost too serious. Depending on the angle, the watch can be quite understated, then become much more expressive as soon as the light catches the dial and its famous Sapphire Ring. It's precisely this contrast that appeals to me. There's also something about the overall construction that immediately reminded me of the Porsche Design I was initially looking for. Not in a copying sense, of course, but in this way of thinking about the watch as a unified object. The case, the dial, the strap: nothing really gives the impression of having been assembled separately. The watch functions as a complete form. And this is something I'm increasingly drawn to. I like watches where the strap is a genuine part of the design, rather than those where two strands seem to have simply been added between the lugs at the end of the process. Here, everything flows seamlessly. On the wrist, it also has that slightly retro-futuristic feel that I love so much in certain watches from the 90s and 2000s. A time when you could still offer fairly radical designs without constantly resorting to the codes of a 60s diver or a 70s sports watch. Ultimately, it doesn't look like much else. And that, in a collection, is starting to become a particularly important factor for me. Yet, I didn't buy it that day. Why? The date. I often get hung up on dates when they disrupt a dial that I find graphically successful, and here again, I probably would have preferred the watch without it. At the time, that was enough to make me hesitate. So I left. But the watch itself never really left my mind. And that's usually where the dangerous phase begins: the digging phase. I look at the references, the listings, the available models, the prices, the condition. I close the tabs. I reopen them a few weeks later. I look at photos again. In short, the Galaxis had quietly captivated me. Over time, the date that had stopped me from buying it during the first fitting became increasingly secondary compared to everything I loved about the watch. And finally, I recently stumbled upon the one I'd been waiting for: a brand new, old stock model. That was much harder to resist. I caved. That's also how I buy watches these days. Even when a model sparks an immediate attraction, I like to let some time pass. Let the novelty wear off. See if the desire remains once the watch is no longer in front of me. Some watches then completely disappear from my radar. Others keep coming back. And generally, when several months later I'm still looking at the same model, the die is cast. This Galaxis falls squarely into that category. The Porsche Design Eterna 6501.10 is obviously still on my radar, and I'll eventually find the right one, with the right strap and in the right condition. But this Galaxis didn't end up being just a watch I bought "in the meantime." It carved out its own space. A relatively exclusive Eterna, with a strong, sporty-chic design that's anything but bland, with just the right touch of flair and that rather rare ability to instantly captivate me… and then convince me a second time several months later. And ultimately, it's often these kinds of purchases that I prefer. The immediate attraction, followed by a long period of reflection. Then the sourcing. Then the right one. Game over.