Orient & Peanuts Bambino 38 Cream Yellow Dial 75th Anniversary Collaboration Limited Edition Reference RA-AC0M17G - A Touch of Childhood Nostalgia, A Review (plus Video)

I do have a number of cartoon related watches in the collection. I got Disney and Penuts related timepieces such as the Ingersoll Mickey Mouse 30’s Collection Watch, Disney Parks Authentics Mickey Watch, Disney Parks Authentics Gears Link Mickey Mouse Watch Automatic, Ingersoll 1892 ID00202 Limited Edition Disney New Haven Wristwatch and the Omega Speedmaster "Silver Snoopy Award" 50th Anniversary.

When Orient collaborated with Peanuts to celebrate their joint 75th anniversary together and launched a series of limited edition timepieces, I was intrigued and wanted to know more. Out of interest, I visited a Solar Time outlet in Mid Valley Megamall and I was greeted with three of the four models on offer. What was available is the Bambino 38 in white or cream yellow as well as the Mako 40 dive watch. 

After looking at all three, I decided to go for something classic. I like the vintage look of the cream yellow dial version and decided to take that back home.

Zenith Chronomaster Revival El Primero A384 Reference 03.A384.400/21.C815 - It has the Pedigree and its Genesis is Remarkable, A Review (plus Video)

The year 1969 was defining period for the horologists as it was the year the first truly automatic chronograph movement was born. In fact, three independent designs were launched that year by the three separate groups. The first was Seiko, the second was Zenith and the third consists of Breitling, Heuer, Buren-Hamilton with the help of Dubois Depraz.

In conjunction to the 50th anniversary of that momentous event, members of all three groups created commemorative timepieces to celebrate that occasion. Seiko created the Seiko Prospex Automatic Chronograph 50th Anniversary Limited Edition SRQ029J1, Hamilton created the 

Hamilton American Classic Chrono-Matic 50 Auto Chrono Limited Edition while Zenith created the Zenith Chronomaster Revival El Primero A384. I was able to acquire the first two and today, finally I was able to complete the 'trinity' with the acquisition of the third piece, the Revival El Primero A384. 

This acquisition is also memorable as this is the first Zenith to join the collection.

Hamilton American Classic PSR Digital Quartz Reference H52414130 (similar to H52424130) - A Time When it Became an Industry Disruptor, A Review (plus Video)

I found a tribute watch that represent my birth year (1970). The Hamilton American Classic PSR Digital Quartz Quartz Reference H52414130 (let's call it the PSR from now) is a modern reinterpretation of the famous Hamilton Pulsar. That particular model was Hamilton first digital quartz timepiece.

 

Hamilton PSR on my wrist

The PSR was created to mark the 50th anniversary of Hamilton's key milestone of creating the first digital watch. A short history of the milestone can be found in the next section.  

Seiko Presage 2020 Limited Edition SPB127J1 Tribute to the 1964 “Crown Chronograph” (similar to SPB129J1 and SPB127J1) - Well Sized, Fairly Weighted and Comfortable to Wear, A Review (plus Video)

In October 2019, Seiko launched Seiko Presage Chronograph 55th Anniversary Limited Edition SRQ031J1 (or SARK015 if you are in Japan). This special model was made to commemorate the brand's first mechanical hand-wound Caliber 5719 chronograph movement in 1964. This movement was paired with the 1964 Seiko Crown Chronograph, Seiko’s first mechanical chronograph watch.

A lot of write-ups about that limited edition timepiece advocate that Seiko was 'commemorating' the 1964 Seiko Crown Chronograph. However, it was the movement that was being recognised (for more, visit this article I wrote). I was actually surprised that a lot of people got that wrong. Even the design of the SRQ031J1 looks different when compared to the 1964 Seiko Crown Chronograph.

This time around, Seiko launched three specific models with different dial colours to commemorate the 1964 Seiko Crown Chronograph. These models are limited editions and only 1,964 units of each model will be produced. Visually, these new limited edition models have more in common with the 1964 Seiko Crown Chronograph than the SRQ031J1. Nevertheless, these new models are not chronographs unlike the 1964 Seiko Crown Chronograph.

Hamilton American Classic Chrono-Matic 50 Auto Chrono Limited Edition Reference H51616731 - A Great Tribute Watch, A Review (plus Video)

Recently, I was fortunate to get my hands on a 50th anniversary timepiece from Seiko that commemorates the brand’s first automatic chronograph movement launched in 1969. The Seiko Prospex Automatic Chronograph 50th Anniversary Limited Edition SRQ029J1 was made in honour of the Seiko Caliber 6139. It was a major milestone for Seiko but it also was part of a gigantic battle by big watch makers to come out with the first truly automatic chronograph. In fact, three competing designs were launched in 1969 by the three competing teams. The first team was Seiko, the second team was Zenith and the third team consists of Breitling, Heuer, Buren-Hamilton with the help of Dubois Depraz. I am happy to note that I also just gotten my hand on the 50th anniversary timepiece to commemorate the third team’s first automatic chronograph movement, the Caliber 11 Chrono-Matic. The Hamilton American Classic Chrono-Matic 50 Auto Chrono Limited Edition is the timepiece that Hamilton would like to remember that momentous event.

Like the Seiko commemorative timepiece, the Hamilton design is actually an interpretation of a 1972 model called the Chrono-Matic E GMT Countdown instead of a model designed in 1969 (Seiko chose a 1970 model instead of a 1969 design for their commemorative timepiece). Nonetheless, it was a great choice by Hamilton as the Chrono-Matic E is a classic and much sought after by collectors today.

Seiko Presage Chronograph 55th Anniversary Limited Edition SRQ031J1 (or SARK015 in Japan) - Nostalgia of the Swinging Sixties, A Review (plus Video)

In 1964, Seiko created another historical milestone for the brand when it launched a mechanical chronograph which also happens to be the first for Japan. The watch in question was created to be in time for the 1964 Summer Olympics which happens to be in Tokyo, Japan (more about this later). This year, Seiko decided to commemorate that occasion with the launch of the Seiko Presage Chronograph 55th Anniversary Limited Edition SRQ031J1 (or SARK015 if you are in Japan).

Seiko actually launched two limited edition watches to commemorate its milestones in mechanical chronograph movements. Apart from the SRQ031J1, Seiko also launched the SRQ029J1. While the SRQ031J1 honoured the 1964 milestone, the SRQ029J1 honoured the 1969 milestone instead. The 1964 milestone is Seiko's first manual winding chronograph while the 1969 milestone is Seiko's first automatic chronograph, the 6189.

I already have the SRQ029J1 in the collection (please click here to go the full review) and the acquisition of the SRQ031J1 completes the collection.

Seiko Prospex Automatic Chronograph 50th Anniversary Limited Edition SRQ029J1 (or SBEC005 in Japan) - A New Panda is Born, A Review (plus Video)

I was able to acquire another heritage timepiece from Seiko. This time it is the Seiko Prospex Automatic Chronograph 50th Anniversary Limited Edition SRQ029J1 (or SBEC005 if you are in Japan). This watch was created to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the legendary Caliber 6139. When launched in 1969, it was the world’s first automatic chronograph with a column wheel and vertical clutch. Today, the principle design of the 6139 is used in most high-end chronograph movements.

When the watch was announced by Seiko back in early October 2019, a number of famous watch reviewers mentioned about the 50-year confusion regarding the SRQ029J1. They concluded that Seiko have taken a 1970 design as a basis for this re-craft which definitely makes the 50-year claim somewhat overstated.

However, I disagree with this conclusion as the title for this watch relates to the movement and not to a particular historical wrsitwatch, unlike the SLA017J1, SLA025J1 and the SLA033J1. Since the 8R48 movement used in the SRQ029J1 is a direct descendant of the 6139 movement, what Seiko did was not wrong.

Seiko Gundam 40th Anniversary Limited Editions Prospex 1000m Marinemaster Professional Zaku II SLA029J1/SBDX027 (similar to SLA031J1/SBDX029) - Gundam Tuna, A Review (plus Video)

I have to be honest, I am not an anime fan. Although The Mobile Suit Gundam television series was launched when I was a kid (I was a nine year old then), it wasn't a series that local television companies in Malaysia (RTM and TV3) broadcast. As such, it was more than a decade later that the series was broadcasted in Malaysia hence the fan base is more junior in age compared to me. When it was announced that Seiko will be doing a collaboration with Gundam for its 40th Anniversary celebration, I wasn't that impressed.

As you know, I do have the SBDX011. When I compared the original Emperor Tuna against the collaborative Gundam Tuna, I started to get interested. There are a number of tweaks in the new Gundam Tuna that I recommended Seiko to consider changing when I first reviewed the SBDX011 years ago. Anyway, I am a sucker for unique stuff from Seiko and after considering the merit of getting it for the collection, I pulled the trigger.