AboutTime Issue # 17 Summer 2019 | Page 90

ZODIAC Killer Watch not Whale Zodiac Revisits Retro Classic With colors inspired by vintage diving masks, Zodiac’s Super Seawolf 53 Compression will likely be sold out by the time you read this – but you can always look for one on the secondary market – and look you should. The color keys are totally kitsch and the SSW 53 Compression is (was?) a great buy at $1,095 on Silicon and $1,395 on stainless steel bracelet. Water resistant to 20ATM, this 40mm throwback houses the Swiss Made STP 3-13 automatic winding mechanical movement with the upgraded Swan Neck style regulator embellished with blued screws. Beating at 28,800, the 3-13 will run accurately for approxi- mately 42 hours when fully wound and is of course shock and tempera- ture resistant. Surrounding the sapphire crystal over the dial is your choice of an arctic white or a sea-foam green bezel, both of which are protected by a mineral crystal ring. These surround a safety orange inner chapter on the dial that highlights the functional nature that inspired the original de- sign. Extra large hour markers hold a surfeit of lume, as do the simple but full size hands. One nice touch on the dial is that the hour hand has a partition in the lume, making it easy to recognize as the hour hand when reading the time in the dark. In an ocean of design re-boots and homage designs, Zodiac stands out with a legitimate history that is being revisited in an authen- tic manner that embraces the past with an eye on the present. More details at www.zodiacwatches.com 90 | AboutTime Magazine