Ollech & Wajs Astrochron Blue Owner Review : Rare, muscular and versatile

As a lover of tools and the Valjoux 7750 caliber, and a fan of the OW brand and its philosophy, I quickly gravitated toward this beautiful Astrochron. It's worth noting that the brand guarantees Origin +90% Swiss Made, a very important detail in terms of value for money, when some barely exceed the mandatory 60% by cheating here and there... So I'm a fan of this caliber, certainly very common, but which has survived the decades without major issues. The unidirectional winding gives it a crazy charm, in my opinion, when the oscillating weight goes crazy, reminding us unpredictably throughout the day of the presence of this timepiece on your wrist. Some hate it, but I love it! Here we have a variation of the Valjoux 7750 with this 7753 version, which differs in the arrangement of the sub-dials, and which incorporates a discreet pusher at 10 o'clock to quickly "jump" the date to the months in 30 days, for example, without having to unscrew the crown, and that's great. Despite all its intrinsic qualities, I'm quite disappointed with the brand. While this watch is a real tank ready to face anything, the ceramic bezel has cracked twice, and this was without any damage on my part. I own a C-1000 (also OW) which is currently in service for the same reason... Upon inquiries, the brand has apparently changed bezel suppliers to address the problem. However, I've lost confidence in my OW watches for my daily life as a technician who needs a durable tool without question. I switched to another reputable tool brand, and today I wear a Sinn 856 UTC, which perfectly fulfills the role of an everyday toolwatch, allowing you to do everything without worrying about this kind of problem. I'm also disappointed by the Super Luminova, especially on the hands, which fades far too quickly to be readable all night. While yes, the lum is very attractive with its presence on the bezel for the first 20 minutes, it's important to note that night vision is necessary in certain professions, like mine, as a sound technician in live performance.