In 2021, the enthusiast-focused and affordably-priced Chinese language watchmaker CIGA design was given an enormous accolade by winning a prize at the Swiss watch industry’s GPHG event in Geneva. The prize was a serious win as a result of Chinese language corporations with comparatively low-priced watches like CIGA design have traditionally had little to no illustration on the usually high-luxury timepiece award occasion. The 2021 prize went to CIGA Design’s unique Blue Planet watch, which was later updated with the CIGA Design Blue Planet II. The primary CIGA Design Blue Planet II watch featured an identical face as the unique Blue Planet watch, however with quite a lot of ergonomic and general design enhancements supposed to make the core product a greater wristwatch. Now, CIGA Design releases a brand new dial design for the Blue Planet II, which additionally has a three-dimensional map of a portion of the Earth, however this time with a deal with a special a part of our blue planet – the Atlantic Ocean.
The primary CIGA Design Blue Planet watch has a dial with a map view that facilities on the Indian Ocean and far of the encircling components of Asia. The Atlantic model of the Blue Planet II shifts the main target to the Atlantic Ocean, with a view of a lot of North & South America, in addition to Europe and Africa. You will need to word that the success of the Blue Planet watch impressed CIGA Design to come back out with a number of variations of it, a lot of which can look related at a look. For instance, the Blue Planet II is available in a metal or titanium case, and will be present in 43mm or 46mm broad variants. At launch, the CIGA Design Blue Planet II Atlantic is available in a metal or titanium case, sized solely at 46mm in width (which is okay with me). Reviewed is the titanium mannequin, and I acknowledge and respect its lightness. The metal mannequin is prone to look very related, solely with about 30% extra case weight.
Although the case diameter may counsel a big dimension, actually, this watch doesn’t put on too large, because of the lugless design and intelligent structure. With the extremely curved AR-coated sapphire crystal over the dial, the case is definitely simply over 17mm thick… however you’d actually by no means understand it given how near the wrist the case sits when mounted within the included tapering 22mm blue Fluororubber straps. The case can be waterproof to 30 meters, and on the again, there’s a sapphire crystal exhibition window with a view into the mechanical motion.
I wish to emphasize that getting a case form like this right (i.e., visually engaging but additionally wearable) could be very onerous to do. Many watch manufacturers (principally these are very excessive worth factors) have tried the “bubble case” look earlier than. Some get it proper, and others find yourself with unwearable hills on their wrist. The trick is to make use of depth, supplies, design, and ending appropriately in order that the dial presentation is as spectacular as doable in an area that isn’t too tall. The principle dial impact on the Blue Planet II is the middle a part of the dial, which is supposed to appear to be a part of a globe. CIGA design performs with the form and proportions of the globe to attain a very spectacular end result.
One of many largest challenges of the unique CIGA design Blue Planet was that it was tough to learn. The best way time is informed is just not that completely different from a standard two-hand watch, however the truth that the dial makes use of turning discs versus fingers is what creates the excessive degree of visible novelty. The middle earth globe a part of the dial turns and features because the hour hand. Time is indicated usually with the compass rose appearing because the hour indicator hand. Minutes are indicated on the thinner center ring that strikes between the fastened peripheral hour indicator ring and the middle globe part. This ring additionally strikes like a standard minute hand, however is learn in another way. Minutes type of go backwards on the turning ring and are learn on the present place of the compass rose hour indicator. Thus, to learn the time, you first take a look at the present place of the hour indicator hand, after which look to see precisely the place on the minute monitor it’s pointing. That’s how hours and minutes are learn on a dial just like the CIGA design Blue Planet II. The dial high quality is general very good, with good textures and a welcome degree of raised, three-dimensional surfaces. The mixture of blue, silver, black, and white colours is nice, in addition to fashionably conservative.
One of many stranger components of the Blue Planet II Atlantic is the power to shortly establish acquainted components of our planet on the map-style interior dial. It isn’t that particulars are onerous to see. In actual fact, the actual development of it with the blue oceans and raised silver topography is de facto slick. It very a lot will get excessive marks for aesthetics. The composition, nonetheless, creates a perspective of trying on the earth, which most of us are unfamiliar with. You need to flip your head the appropriate manner and make some orientation changes to identify even the acquainted contours of North America. The main points of a lot of Europe are additionally tough to tell apart. Different components of the world are certainly a bit simpler to see. For instance, if you happen to reside in Cuba, Greenland, the higher components of South America, or possibly Spain, you will get a superb take a look at house. In essence, the components of the planet from this Atlantic-centered view of the Earth which can be seen are principally locations with decrease inhabitants. Thus, fewer folks can say, “I’ll get this watch as a result of I can see my house from it,” in comparison with the Indian Ocean-centered unique Blue Planet and Blue Planet II dial show. Word the luminous paint used for the compass rose hour indicator (and evenly on the numeric markers) that permits it to be learn at the hours of darkness as soon as charged with gentle.
Contained in the watch is an automated mechanical motion produced in China generally known as the caliber CD-04-E that CIGA design says is “self-developed.” The automated motion operates at 3Hz with 40 hours of energy reserve. It gained’t provide chronometric efficiency, however it is going to be in a position to transfer the 2 heavy time indicator sections on the dial reliably. CIGA design created a reputation for the way the dial signifies the time, which they name “Asychronous-Observe Expertise.” Whereas not extraordinarily high-end, I discovered the motion to be appropriate and the carrying and working expertise to be greater than acceptable with the Blue Planet II Atlantic.
Folks get CIGA design watches for a mixture of design fascination and element, with engaging pricing. They actually aren’t the least costly Chinese language-made watches, nor are they attempting to be. Moderately, an organization like CIGA design tries to push the envelope of what watch design at the moment appears to be like like and is perceived (i.e., they behave like an inventive innovator), however with out charging luxurious style home costs. It’s a decidedly enthusiast-focused method that requires the existence (and a focus) of an informed and enlightened watch collector neighborhood. Certainly one of my favourite little particulars on the Blue Planet II watch is the metal folding deployant buckle. CIGA design might have simply chosen a components bin element right here and known as it a day. Moderately, they created a system that additionally tries to push the envelope of what yow will discover at this worth level, and created a moderately slick locking deployant with ‘hidden’ launch pushers (you press the facet screws in) and a minimalized design you usually solely see at a lot excessive worth factors.
Whereas the CIGA design Blue Planet II and Blue Planet II Atlantic watches aren’t for everybody, it’s a genuinely profitable and good product that gives a superb mixture of fascinating options. Most significantly, the watch appears to be like good and is snug to put on. It additionally gives wonderful storytelling potential, isn’t boring, and is greater than probably dissimilar to most of what you have already got in your assortment. The Blue Planet II isn’t with out its quirks, however this CIGA design watch is an icon of our instances. Value for the CIGA design Blue Planet II Atlantic is $1,199 USD in metal and $1,399 USD in titanium. Learn more at the CIGA design website.
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