Morten Linde and Jorn Werdelin presented their latest novelties during the Geneva Fair at the 4 Seasons. It was a good opportunity for me to have a closer look on the latest versions of the Spido family and of course to discover the Oktopus II Moon Gold and Moon Black which feature the first module of the brand created, developed and produced in-house.
I) Spido FamilyAs you know, the Spido family is characterized by a 3D skeleton complex case which gives a lot of personality to the design. This case was also conceived to receive the instruments which can be fixed on top of the watch. Two instruments are available: the Reef dedicated to Diving and the Rock to Skiing and Mountaineering. The idea is to have all the useful information on the wrist during the risky activities without feeling the need to bring a computer at the same time. The modules were developed by profesionnal athletes and it is the reason why they are focused to easily display the key data on a very legible way.
3 new Spidolite watches were unveiled at the end of 2012: the Spidolite II Black Gold, the Spidolite II Titanium Red and the Spidolite II Titanium Blue.
They share in common the use of Titanium skeleton case and of the LW04 movement, actually a custom-made Concepto 2251 caliber.
The Spidolite II Titanium Blue is a LE of 75 pieces.
The dial is made of two different layers. Top layer holds the blue base and the orange indexes while the lower layer is decorated with perlage.
You will notice the very discreet date window on the right, even if 3 figures are visible, only the tiny orange index indicates the right date.
Skeleton case made of 19 components, open dial, the Spidolite II has a very light, almost hollowed design.
The LW04 movement has nice finishings for this kind of watches even if I'm not a great fan of these blue screws with white groove which seem to be out of context IMHO. On the other hand, the design of the rotor is coherent with the style of the watch:
The LW04 movement has a 4hz frequency and a power reserve of 42 hours.
The Spidolite II Titanium Blue is not designed for small wrists. The case is quite bulky (46x44mm) and thick (15mm). Moreover the shape of the strap increases this feeling. If you have a big enough wrist, the Spidolite II will be worn with comfort because the strap and the buckle work very well to hold the watch. Don't forget that a heavy module can be put on it and so the position on the wrist has to be perfect.
The Spidolite II Titanium Red combines black and red details. The bezel is finished with black DLC treatment.
I appreciate the microbillé and satin finish of the case:
The LW04 movement is decorated to respect the style of the watch. As you can see, the Linde Werdelin colour is not the same than with the Titanium Blue version.
The Titanium Red is not as peaceful than the Titanium Blue version: the contrast between the case and the bezel, the red colour make it more daring. The Titanium Red is a LE of 75 pieces.
My fav version is without any doubt the Spidolite II Black Gold.
It is by far the most refined of the series:
I love the combo of PG and black of the upper dial. The date is almost invisible which is fine for me!
The crown is made of PG:
The dark atmosphere makes it smaller on the wrist but the case size can't be forgotten. Anyway, I was very seduced by this version, for me, the most convincing of the 3.
The Black Gold is a LE of 75 pieces.
II) Oktopus II MoonThe logical question is to wonder why a moonphase display is useful on a diving watch. But if you don't understand the reasons behind the addition of this complication, it is because you are not a romantic diver! Actually, when you dive, you always look for the best light conditions... and if you dive during the night, the Moon light can be very helpful!
The idea is at the end very simple. Thanks to the first in-house module by Linde Werdelin, you will be able to choose the best day for a night diving!
It is the reason why Linde Werdelin focused on some different points:
- the realistic rendering of the Moon
- the ability to have a comprehensive view of the moonphases during a range of several days to choose the best day for the diving activity.
The Oktopus II Moon is available in two versions:
Moon Gold (12 pieces) and Moon Black (47 pieces)
Without any hesitation, my fav version is the Moon Gold for the same reasons than I have a soft attraction for the Spidolite II Black Gold. I like the combo PG and Black and the PG material enhances the beauty and the sharpness of the Oktopus case.
This case can also hold the additional instruments. It is very different from the Spido case but at the same time, it shares the same complex design. It was inspired by an air-tight pressure chamber used by Linde Werdelin to test the instruments and for diving simulations.
The watch features a black ceramic bezel:
The 5 parts construction case can be appreciated in each position. A very successful design in my point of view.
The contrast between the bezel and the PG case creates nice shade of lights. Moreover, the finishings of the dial give the feeling that the dial and the case are a single part. The skeletonized dial is made of 3 different layers.
The Moonphase display is located on two locations. At the bottom of the dial, you can have the moonphase indicator for the current day, the 3 previous ones and the 4 next ones. Between 1 and 2 o'clock, the display indicates the moonphase for the 9th,10th and 11th day after the current day.
So to sum up the whole indicator, you will get a moonphase display for a range of: 3 days before - current - 4 days after - 9,10 et 11 days after so 8 + 3=11 days are displayed for a range of 15 days.
I find the display well integrated on the dial lay-out:
The case size is very similar to the Spidolite one: 46x44mm with a thickness of 15,25mm. So the same comments than with the Spidlite can be made: test the watch if you feel that your wrist won't be large enough.
The caseback with the engraving drawn by Martin Linde. The movement is not visible and I assume it is a Concepto base as usual which powers the in-house module. Its specifications are classic: 42 hours of power reserve, 4hz frequency.
The Black Moon features a Titanium case with satin finish and a black ceramic bezel.
Thanks to the Moonphase display, some blue details are visible on the dial:
The caseback with the Octopus engraving:
The crown also bears an octopus symbol.
On the wrist:
I consider that these Oktopus II Moon as the best Linde Werdelin watches I've ever seen. First of all, I like the Oktopus case because it is complex without being too demonstrative. It has very sharp lines but at the same time, it has a smooth and fluid design.
Moreover, the complication is well integrated on the dial and once we understand the concept behind, we find it... useful. Three years ago, a first Oktopus with a moonphase display was presented in a LE. At that time, the watch was powered by a Piguet movement modified by Andersen. The current watch takes advantage of an in-house module what is a proof of positive evolution for the brand.
I would like to thank a lot the Linde Werdelin team for the warm welcome during the Geneva Fair.
Fx
