The must-have Macro Loupe for all watch lovers

Tactical Frog seems to have emerged in the early 2020s somewhere in China as a sub-brand of Heimdallr. Their main signature: solid and functional watches, with a design often inspired (or even copied) from iconic models (in my case, the Tudor FXD), but at a much more accessible price than established brands. My opinion and those of the other reviews on this site concerning this model converge: it's a real "banger" for its price! Certainly, it has no legitimacy, but for those who cannot afford the original Tudor, it's a very accessible good deal (less than 200 euros, or even less). What strikes you right away is its lightness due to titanium. The movement is the Seiko NH35, a real tractor (drift of 4 seconds per day on my copy), whose real flaw is the incompatibility with a thin watch. Note the dial's darker blue than the bezel, which itself is bidirectional but with very weak clicks (often due to the titanium). The lume is very good, and of course, it's sapphire crystal. I enjoy wearing this watch, which easily blends in, with its inspired look and high-quality craftsmanship. I appreciate its 42 mm diameter, which I think is ideal for a diver. The chrono version might be worth a look.



Superb tribute to an iconic Tudor at a ridiculous price

Hong Kong-based watch brand UNDONE was founded in 2014 by Michael Young. Despite its affordable price points, UNDONE uses high-quality materials like stainless steel and sapphire crystal, and many models draw inspiration from classic watch designs throughout history. Looking for a Type 20 chronograph for a few hundred euros (an Auricoste was therefore out of the question), I was torn between a lovely Baltany model equipped with a meca-quartz movement and a Landeron model equipped with a Seagull mechanical movement. In the end, I settled on the Urban Chronograph model, which made Undone so successful. The Classic version is the closest to the legendary Breguet Type XX military, and the 41.5 mm diameter is ideal for my large wrist. I was lucky enough to come across a model with a transparent case back (Undone allowing advanced customizations), which is very rare for a quartz watch. This Type XX therefore offers a hybrid quartz-mechanical Seiko VK64 movement, which gives it precision, reliability and the aesthetic pleasure of the chronograph seconds hand. I love the look. One could criticize it for the presence of a solely mineral glass and the lack of inscriptions on the bezel and the flyback inscription on the dial (available for customization) but I prefer this less busy side and this domed mineral glass giving a vintage look to my taste. In addition, I would have preferred a small seconds sub-dial rather than a 24-hour one. Frankly, for 300 euros, the pleasure this chronograph brings me is incredible. Yes, its look is borrowed, but it made me want to acquire a more legitimate Auricoste for example.

Beautiful and accessible reinterpretation of the Breguet type 20

Berny is a watch brand founded in 1995 in Shenzhen, China. The brand's name is said to be a nod to the city of Bern, the historic center of Swiss watchmaking. The brand emphasizes good value for money, while offering elegant alternatives to high-end watches. Regarding my 40.5 mm diameter Berny Field titanium model with date complication, I chose the white full lume version (quite impressive). This one, in addition to its light weight thanks to the titanium, has a sapphire crystal and uses a basic but very well-regulated Miyota movement. All this for around a hundred euros. What made me fall in love with it, of course, was the dial and hands, which are reminiscent of the iconic Sinn 556, a watch beyond my financial means. I like this watch, which is very simple in appearance but very well finished. The orange second hand adds a fun touch, and I'm looking for a strap with an orange reminder that could delight it. Given its low price, there's no fear of wearing it on any occasion. A small purchase sometimes means a small pleasure.

Nice watch with solid features and a stylish look

The Steeldive SD1957 is a dive watch distinguished by its vintage style and robust features. This Chinese brand has taken advantage of the rise of Asian online platforms to make a name for itself. This watch is heavily inspired, or even a copy for many, of the famous Omega Seamaster 300M, made famous by James Bond 007. There's no Swiss movement here, but a basic Japanese NH35 on this Steeldive, and no helium escape valve. Being uninhibited about tribute watches and an admirer of the real Omega, but unable to afford it, a quick purchase for less than 180 euros allowed me to have this Steeldive on my wrist.
What's striking, aside from its awesome looks, is its weight, its robust feel (316L steel, sapphire crystal), and its very decent finishing. The lume is decent, but short-lived. If the strap is good, a NATO strap in the right colors makes it more comfortable. It's a watch that I wear from time to time, especially in sunny weather, which suits it perfectly. Aside from its lack of legitimacy, it's a good watch, just penalized by a certain thickness

Solid and accessible reinterpretation of an omega icon

Timepiece enthusiasts have praised the exceptional value for money of the Citizen brand. Looking for a sporty-chic, even dressy, watch, I wanted to try on a Tsuyosa in a Louis Pion boutique near my home and it was a revelation. I was amazed by the presence and charisma of this small watch (even though I usually only wear 41-44 mm). The hardest part was choosing the color. It's a watch that attracts attention when I wear it and people have a hard time believing its price. I cherish it and only wear it for evenings with friends. It's one of my favorite watches, and yet not the most expensive. Its gradient blue dial and overall look are mesmerizing. Its bracelet particularly sets it off. I appreciate the presence of the cyclops. Its only drawback, in my opinion, is the crown, which is difficult to operate. In short, it's a must-have in its style and a must-have for those on a tight budget.

A real gem for a mini price

Although Invicta is often criticized and mocked because of its aggressive marketing strategies and its models considered too extravagant or "flashy", with very random durability, I think that certain models like the 1953 or the more famous Pro Diver are to be considered for beginners with a very small budget. For my part, looking for an everyday watch, automatic and very affordable, the model presented here does the trick. Sure, the finish is basic but the Japanese movement does the job and it is visible thanks to a lightly loaded dial. I am not afraid to tinker with it and it will last as long as it lasts. It is far from a pleasure watch, it is just a tool but I find it charming because of its simplicity and its colors (green, brass look). It was that or a Casio duro. I wear it with a matching rubber strap that suits it better than the original aged leather strap.

Basic and colorful Invicta automatic watch

I discovered the English brand Spinnaker during a presentation on a very well-known website (it was the Dumas model which seemed to be very popular at the time). Spinnaker being known for making accessible and high-quality diving watches, a quick glance at their catalog allowed me to discover the Fleuss model which, with its Fifty Fathoms look, won me over. Bought on an online site, it did not disappoint. Easy to wear despite its 43 mm (my 18.5 cm wrist helping), I find it has a certain vintage charm. The finish is good and the NH35 movement does the job. One could regret that it is not thinner. The addition of a Milanese bracelet suits it perfectly. Very satisfied with my purchase...

Solid 50th Fathoms-inspired watch

Seiko being a reference in diving watches, it was natural that I turned to this brand to treat myself to one. Thanks to a decent budget, I was able to directly skip the Seiko 5 range and go for a Prospex. After some research, my choice fell on a Big Samouraï, not the latest (SRPL...), but a previous model (SRPE...), which has the advantage of still having sapphire crystal. It was at one of the local jewelers that I found my happiness. From the moment I tried it on, I knew it was mine. I love it. It exudes solidity, is certainly imposing, but wears very well thanks to the shape of the case and the contained dimension of the lug. The finish is of a high level. Despite everything, it is not a watch that I wear often, being too afraid of damaging it... but I like to touch it, to look at it in my watch box

Beautiful, imposing diver of good quality

Ingersoll is an American brand founded in 1892 in New York by brothers Robert and Charles Ingersoll. The "Ingersoll Dollar Watch" (or "Yankee") launched in 1896, a pocket watch sold for one dollar, made the brand famous. By selling watches at low prices and on a large scale, Ingersoll democratized the use of watches in the United States. Like any watch enthusiast, I was looking for a watch in the style of AP's Royal Oak. Not having the finances, my first option being the Herbelin Cap Camarat, I came across this model, the Catalina from Ingersoll. It was its Tiffany blue color that immediately appealed to me and prompted me to make the online purchase in its 44.5 mm size (error!, to be taken in 38 mm). Upon receipt, I was charmed by this beautiful watch, but an insufficient curvature of the first links (case side) makes this watch quite uncomfortable despite my large wrist of 18.5cm. Despite everything, I did not return it because it has a charming and distinguished side, a bit like my tsuyoza. Definitely not an everyday watch, but for occasions.

Nice affordable alternative to a Royal Oak

The young American brand Praesidus quickly made a name for itself by paying homage to historical military watches. In this case, it is the reinterpretation of the famous A11 type military watch, known for its crucial role during the Second World War (Bulova being one of the brands to manufacture its watches for the American army). With this A-11, Praesidus pays tribute to Tom Rice, an American paratrooper veteran who lost his watch during the landing. While looking for an A11, I came across this model with a very vintage style and its domed glass. If it exists in smaller sizes, mine is 42, which suits me for better visibility. I find it pretty, stripped down with good lume, especially on the hands. The movement is a Seiko NH35, I think, because of the ghost position. Really not disappointed by this affordable watch.

Beautiful interpretation of the legendary military A11

To begin with, Iron Annie, founded in 1919, is a German watch brand that draws its inspiration from the history of aviation and more specifically from the legendary Junkers JU-52 aircraft, nicknamed "Iron Annie". The design of their watches is often inspired by the aviator style but also by the more classic Bauhaus movement. The watches are designed and assembled in Germany using Japanese and Swiss movements. I was looking for a watch with an aviator look that wasn't necessarily very faithful to the first references (Laco, IWC, Stowa, Wempe and A. Lange & Söhne). This one therefore has the day/date complication and this green circle on the dial brings a little fun. Finally, the price of less than 200 euros definitely convinced me, as did the size of 42 which for my 18.5cm wrist is perfect. While the finishes and the light lume are correct for the price, the Miyota 8205 movement is very noisy because of its unidirectional rotor, which spoils the pleasure a little.

Beautiful, accessible watch inspired by aviation

La marque Ollech &amp; Wajs a &eacute;t&eacute; cr&eacute;&eacute;e en 1956 par Joseph Ollech et Albert Wajs &agrave; Zurich en Suisse. Albert &eacute;tait charg&eacute; de la conception, de l&rsquo;ing&eacute;nierie et de la fabrication des montres, tandis que Joseph s&rsquo;occupait du marketing et de la vente au d&eacute;tail. Avant de cr&eacute;er leur propre montres sous la marque Ollech &amp; Wajs, ils ont commenc&eacute; leur activit&eacute; en 1954 en fabriquant des bracelets en acier pour d&rsquo;autres marques.
La marque est connue pour avoir distribu&eacute; des montres &agrave; des unit&eacute;s de l&rsquo;arm&eacute;e am&eacute;ricaine pendant la guerre du Vietnam et pour avoir gagn&eacute; sa renomm&eacute;e aupr&egrave;s des plongeurs et pilotes du monde entier.
Apr&egrave;s 12 ans de n&eacute;gociation et apr&egrave;s avoir &eacute;t&eacute; son distributeur pour le march&eacute; fran&ccedil;ais, en 2017, Charles Le Menestrel, un passionn&eacute; d&rsquo;horlogerie, rach&egrave;te la marque. La gamme actuelle comprend des mod&egrave;les comme la Ollech &amp; Wajs P-101 et la <a title="Page Ollech &amp; Wajs P-104" href="https://www.dialicious.com/ollech_&amp;_wajs/p-104">Ollech &amp; Wajs P-104</a>, la <a title="Page Ollech &amp; Wajs C-1000" href="https://www.dialicious.com/ollech_&amp;_wajs/c-1000">Ollech &amp; Wajs C-1000</a>, la <a title="Page Ollech &amp; Wajs Ocean Graph" href="https://www.dialicious.com/ollech_&amp;_wajs/ocean_graph">Ollech &amp; Wajs Ocean Graph</a> et la Ollech &amp; Wajs Navichron.
<h2>Combien co&ucirc;te une montre Ollech &amp; Wajs ?</h2>
Les prix des montres Ollech &amp; Wajs &eacute;voluent et diff&egrave;rent selon les mod&egrave;les. La plupart co&ucirc;tent entre CHF 1,500 et CHF 2,000 selon les mod&egrave;les et les finitions. Comptez CHF 1,456 pour une Ollech &amp; Wajs 350CI et pr&egrave;s de CHF 2,300 pour une Ollech &amp; Wajs Navichron Chronographe. Le march&eacute; de l'occasion est &eacute;galement une opportunit&eacute; &agrave; regarder pour acheter une Ollech &amp; Wajs moins ch&egrave;re. Les mod&egrave;les Vintage notamment les Ollech &amp; Wajs Navichron et&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dialicious.com/ollech_&amp;_wajs/astrochron">Ollech &amp; Wajs Astrochron</a>, sont tr&egrave;s pris&eacute;es des collectionneurs et ils convient de bien se renseigner sur le vendeur avant de franchir le pas de l'acquisition d'une vintage.
Ollech &amp; Wajs est une marque de montres ind&eacute;pendante et produit plusieurs centaines de montres par an, tous mod&egrave;les confondus. Pour choisir une Ollech &amp; Wajs qui vous correspond le mieux,&nbsp;les avis clients Dialicious sont une pr&eacute;cieuse ressource pour &eacute;valuer chacun des diff&eacute;rents mod&egrave;les &agrave; travers l'exp&eacute;rience r&eacute;elle des clients.
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 Octobre 2024)

The brand Ollech &amp; Wajs was created in 1956 by Joseph Ollech and Albert Wajs in Zurich, Switzerland. Albert was responsible for the design, engineering and manufacturing of the watches, while Joseph handled marketing and retail sales. Before creating their own watches under the brand Ollech &amp; Wajs, they started their business in 1954 making steel bracelets for other brands.
The brand is known for distributing watches to units of the American army during the Vietnam War and for having earned its reputation among divers and pilots around the world.
After 12 years of negotiations and after having been its distributor for the French market, in 2017, Charles Le Menestrel, a watchmaking enthusiast, bought the brand. The current range includes models like the Ollech &amp; Wajs P-101 and the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/ollech_&amp;_wajs/p-104">Ollech &amp; Wajs P-104</a>, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/ollech_&amp;_wajs/c-1000">Ollech &amp; Wajs C-1000</a>, the<a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/ollech_&amp;_wajs/ocean_graph"> Ollech &amp; Wajs Ocean Graph</a> and the Ollech &amp; Wajs Navichron.
<h2 dir="ltr">How much does an Ollech &amp; Wajs watch cost?</h2>
The prices of Ollech &amp; Wajs watches change and differ depending on the model. Most cost between CHF 1,500 and CHF 2,000 depending on the models and finishes. Expect to pay CHF 1,456 for an Ollech &amp; Wajs 350CI and close to CHF 2,300 for an Ollech &amp; Wajs Navichron Chronograph. The second-hand market is also an opportunity to look at to buy a cheaper Ollech &amp; Wajs. Vintage models including the Ollech &amp; Wajs Navichron and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/ollech_&amp;_wajs/astrochron">Ollech &amp; Wajs Astrochron</a>, are very popular with collectors and they should find out about the seller before taking the step of purchasing a vintage one.
Ollech &amp; Wajs is an independent watch brand and produces several hundred watches per year, all models combined. To choose an Ollech &amp; Wajs that best suits you, Dialicious owners' reviews are a valuable resource for evaluating each of the different models through real owner experience.
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 October 2024)

Iron Annie F13 Tempelhof Owner Review : Endearing, simple and readable

Beautiful, accessible watch inspired by aviation

Where to buy your Iron Annie?

YOU ARE :

Other reviews published by DSF

Tactical Frog

Undone
Type 20 Classic

Berny

Steeldive

Citizen
Tsuyosa

Invicta
Vintage

Spinnaker
Fleuss

Seiko
Prospex

Ingersoll

Praesidus
A-11 Tom Rice

Customize your Iron Annie with our selection of accessories:

Eagle Eye Watches

ABP Concept

Iron Annie F13 Tempelhof Owner Review : Endearing, simple and readable

Beautiful, accessible watch inspired by aviation

Where to buy your Iron Annie?

YOU ARE :

Other reviews published by DSF

Tactical Frog

UndoneType 20 Classic

Berny

Steeldive

CitizenTsuyosa

InvictaVintage

SpinnakerFleuss

SeikoProspex

Ingersoll

PraesidusA-11 Tom Rice

Customize your Iron Annie with our selection of accessories:

Eagle Eye Watches

ABP Concept

Undone
Type 20 Classic

Citizen
Tsuyosa

Invicta
Vintage

Spinnaker
Fleuss

Seiko
Prospex

Praesidus
A-11 Tom Rice