Baselworld 2017: Highlights from Day Four, Part Three

We've been breaking these recaps into two parts per day based on how many watches we saw and want to share with you, but let us tell you, we had a LOT of appointments on day four. Here's our third installment for that day, with a diver with an interesting movement collaboration, an update to an already great chronometer, and a sportier version of a Glashütte classic. One of the most interesting things at Baselworld this year was Tudor's choice to develop their new chronograph movement using a Breitling base calibre, so when we visited Breitling and were informed that the new Superocean was using a movement derived from the Tudor MT5612, we were not surprised, but intrigued. Collaboration in the watch industry is not new - many brands have done so in the past, mostly very quietly - but two major brands like Tudor and Breitling engaging in reciprocal collaboration on movements and talking about it publicly is a welcome shift. The industry as a whole is going through some rocky moments, and as watch collectors, we love seeing brands collaborating. We're all in this together, from the watch creators to the watch obsessed, and we think that embracing collaboration is an important way for the industry to pass over the bumps in the road without getting too many dents in the car. (Apologies for the terrible metaphor.)

The new Superocean with the Tudor-derived Breitling B20 movement comes in two case sizes, 42mm and 46mm, and starts at $4,000 on a rubber strap.

The Zenith Defy El Primero 21 with its ability to measure time to the 1/100th of a second is impressive. The balance wheel oscillates at a frequency of 36,000 VPH (5hz), which is already a high frequency, and the separate chronograph function oscillates at a frequency of 360,000 VPH, which allows for the 1/100th of a second accuracy. Even more impressive is the balance spring, which is made of a carbon composite that renders it invulnerable to magnetic fields and temperature fluctuations.

Glashütte Original updated its Senator Chronograph to give us the new Senator Chronograph Panorama Date. Making the move to a steel case, this piece reads a bit sportier and a bit more fun than its predecessor, and has some gorgeous blue lume on the hands and dial markers that is quite aesthetically pleasing. It utilizes the same column-wheel in-house chronograph movement as the version they introduced in 2014.

Stay tuned for more Baselworld highlights.