SPOTLIGHT ON: Aquaracer Calibre S Chronograph

CAF7013.FT8011

I thought, for a change, I would talk about a watch that I really like just as it is, and one which I am seriously thinking about purchasing (although having said that I notice that Watch Finder have now sold the one they had the other week).

My big problem with most Aquaracers, or at least the steel ones, is that they look too much like the Aquagraph. But this one, having a yellow dial and and a split bezel, is distinct enough to make it a viable option. I don't have any watches with any significant amount of yellow on (the Aquagraph does have two yellow hands but that's all), and I don't any watches with the Calibre S movement either. 

The movement intrigues me. I'm not really looking to buy quartz watches, but this is a hybrid movement which is both mechanical and quartz. I love the idea that the stopwatch uses the main hands and resumes the correct time when not in use. One thing I really love about my F1 Kirium is when you wake it up from battery sleep it spins around to the correct time. Really, really cool.

I've kind of wanted a yellow dial watch for a long time, but every one I saw ended up looking a bit 'cheap'. Yellow can be a difficult colour to get right, and to be fair I haven't seeen this in the flesh either, but in the pictures it looks good. I guess we've all seen enough yellow dialed 'Ferrari' watches to make us think twice, right? The black outline around the hands and markers makes for a great contrast, much better than solid black would have been I think, and black is the perfect colour for the sub dials too.

I can't remember how much Watch Finder were selling the one they had for, but they give the list price as £1750, so I think £1300 would be about right. At that kind of money it's very tempting, and a quick Google tells me that the FT8011 strap is a straightforward buckle affair so nothing to worry about in that department either. Hmm.. I'm really wishing I'd bought it now.