Ball Engineer Master II Slide Chronograph Watch, Slipping To The Future


When I first read about the new Ball Engineer Master II Slide Chronograph, I for some reason had the refrain of “Time keeps on slipping, slipping, slipping… into the future” pop into my head. Is this new Ball the future of chronographs? Well, time will tell. For now, though, it definitely is an intriguing iteration.

If you were only to look at the dial of the new Ball Engineer Master II Slide Chronograph, you would have no problem identifying it as a chronograph: it has a traditional “tri-compax” layout with the 30-minute register up top, running seconds at 9, 12-hour register at the bottom, and a tachymeter scale around the outside. When you look to the side of the almost 48 mm case and see no pushers surrounding the crown… then you begin to question your assumptions.

Slide In Its Neutral Position

Of course, a brand like Ball is not going to play games to give the appearance of a chronograph while actually tucking other functionality in; so, how do you engage the chronograph? Well, that is accomplished by a highly unusual solution of having a slider on the left-hand side of the case. Sliding it up starts (or stops) the chronograph movement, while sliding it down resets all indications of the chronograph to zero. It is worth noting as well that the slide mechanism returns to its neutral position after you engage the start/stop or reset.


The case is only water resistant to 30 meters – that is strange given how “durably versatile” most Ball watches are. With that said, the Trainmaster Standard Time ought to be a very convenient option for casual to formal use.Through a sapphire crystal display caseback window, the back of the watch delivers a view of this base Swiss ETA or Sellita automatic motion which Ball refers to as their caliber RR1105-C. The movement has further been COSC Chronometer certified, which adds a little overall price and explains the $2,000-plus cost point. The watch’s automatic motion and Chronometer certification status are memorialized via cursive text published on the dial wrap around the subsidiary moments dial.I personally favor the bracelet choice onto the Ball Trainmaster Standard Time watch, but that is only my personal preference. As a dress watch that is directly inspired by turn-of-the-century pocket watches, you truly can’t go wrong here unless you are interested in something a little larger – and if you are, you may as well just get an true turn-of-the-century pocket watch that has been converted into a wrist watch (as those do exist). If anything, this is an outstanding watch for men and women that are suffering from diminished dreams or are only starting to learn how to read an eye with analog hands vs electronic. You would be amazed just how a lot of people out there suffer from being unable to readily read the time on analog watches – which is not anything to be embarrassed of. Digital watches are easier to read, but sadly just are not as sexy as analog watches. Cost is $2,499.

Slide In Its “Up” Position, Used For Starting The Chronograph

Aside from the basic cleverness of how this was accomplished, is it a beneficial change? Well, for one, you won’t have pushers getting caught on anything (or acting as inadvertent crown protectors), so damage to how you engage the chrono should be negated. Second, this solution does present a cleaner look to the case edge as well – which is a good thing for those who liked the look and functionality of a “chrono” but would prefer to do so without having the protruding push pieces. Last but not least, the chunky, 47.6 millimeter wide and 15.5 millimeter tall stainless steel case of the Ball Engineer Master II Slide Chronograph is already large enough without the added with of the pushers. On the flip side, your local watch guy might have a bit of a learning curve when it comes time to maintain the movement.

Slide In Its “Down” Position, Used For Resetting All Indications Of The Chronograph

As to the rest of the watch, well, it is classic Ball. Under the AR-coated sapphire front, you have got a crisp black dial that remains legible through day and night, thanks to the 15 tritium gas tubes that need no external “charging.” Also, in line with the standards of the brand’s Engineer line, the Ball Engineer Master II Slide Chronograph features sufficient resistance specs against shock and magnetism – up to 5,000 Gs and 4,800 A/m, respectively. The only “spec” where this new model is a bit of a disappointment is its water resistance rating at only 5 atmospheres, although we are guessing that is due to the unique slide mechanism.

Available on a steel bracelet or leather strap (standard pin buckle) at a price of around $3,700 (we are awaiting the official number), the Ball Engineer Master II Slide Chronograph is definitely an extension of the innovation we have been seeing from the brand in the last year or so. And for chronograph fans, well, it is giving you a design you have never had before. ballwatchusa.com

Tech Specs from Ball Watch

  • Model Number: CM3888D-S1J-BK | CM3888D-LL1J-BK
  • Movement: Automatic caliber BALL RR1402
  • Functions: 15 micro gas tubes on hour and minute hands, slide bar and dial for night reading capability
  • Patented slide chronograph with accumulated measurement up to 12 hours
  • Tachymeter
  • Shock resistant to 5,000Gs
  • Anti-magnetic to 4,800A/m
  • Water resistant to 50m / 160ft
  • Hours, minutes, subsidiary seconds, day and date
  • Case: Stainless steel, Ø 47.6mm, height 15.50mm
  • Anti-reflective sapphire crystal
  • Screwed-in crown
  • Band: Stainless steel bracelet with folding buckle or crocodile leather strap with standard buckle
  • Dial: Black

Ball Trainmaster Kelvin Watch Review


If I were to chart out the brands I have been spending time with over the last 6 months or so, Ball – while certainly not all alone – would likely be up at around the top of that list. This is mostly due to the sheer variety of watches they have put out lately, which makes it rather easy for me to find something that matches my taste. Today, we’ll take a look at a piece that features one of the more unique complications I have seen from them, in the form of the Ball Trainmaster Kelvin watch.

On the surface of things, this watch looks like just another dressier piece that has had tritium tubes applied. A closer look shows us that things are a bit different, at least from other Ball watches I’ve seen.

For starters, take close look at the tritium tubes that mark out the hours. In actuality, these should be called pips; you have somewhat oval markers (in tritium) that match the applied minute markers around the edge of the dial. Of course, Ball being Ball, these are mostly in green, but then you have an orange pip at 12 o’clock, with a more yellow hue showing up on the handset.

Then we have the matter of the third hand on the watch, the one down at 6 o’clock. This is actually a mechanical thermometer. Sure, this is more of a “gee whiz” complication than anything highly practical, but it is a fun one to see in play. As with any other watch that has a thermometer, your own body heat will throw things off. If you want to know the temperature of a room, you’ll need to take it off your wrist for a bit.

That thermometer is how the name Kelvin got attached to this Trainmaster model. Of course, Lord Kelvin is why we have the Kelvin temperature scale. The sapphire exhibition caseback also lays claim to temperatures, with scales printed on there to help you go from Kelvin to Fahrenheit – or Celsius, if that is the model you opt for. I do wonder if it would have been possible to fit all three scales on there at the same time and/or to print these scales on a tinted or “smoked” sapphire case back, improving the legibility of the white scales.

Now, we did inquire as to how, precisely, the mechanical thermometer works within the watch. Unfortunately, we were not able to ferret out any details from the brand, nor were we about to open up the case to go on a treasure hunt. If I had to hazard a guess, it likely involves something involving a bi-metal strip that expands and contracts in response to the temperature (i.e. like what was found in the old mercury-capsule thermostats).

The other twist the Ball Trainmaster Kelvin has for us shows up on the dial side, in the placement of the date window. It shows up at the 2 o’clock position, which I do not know that I have ever seen before. As far as layouts go, it’s ok enough, and it keeps from seeming like things are crowding in on the temperature display.

If we ignore the thermometer for a minute, you can plainly see that the Ball Sg50 Watch Replica is very much a dress watch, especially with the dark grey dial we had in for review (you can also get it with a white dial). The 39.5mm wide and 10.5mm thick case is made from 18k rose gold, and features a very high polish on it.

The amount of metal making up the case is actually pretty minimal, between the exhibition caseback and the tall, domed sapphire crystal that covers the dial. So, while the gold certainly catches light, it’s not overly flashy, which I appreciated. I also rather liked that domed crystal, as it is reminiscent of the domed plexiglass that older watches often had, and it works well with the smaller case.

Wearing the Ball Watches Endurance Replica was quite a treat. In terms of visual style and sizing, this is a watch that just clicks for me on a variety of levels. Simply put, when it comes to “smaller” watches like these, I really appreciate clean, almost vintage, styling. The crocodile leather strap works thematically, and it fit well right away. This is not a watch that will weigh you down either, coming in at 74g on the scale.

As the Ball Trainmaster Kelvin is a limited-edition model (only 600 pieces will be offered), plus with the use of rose gold, it should not be a surprise that the watch commands a premium. If, instead, you want something without the temperature complication (obviously the big draw on this model), the Trainmaster One Hundred Twenty or Eternity may fit the bill.

An obvious comparison for the Ball Trainmaster Kelvin would be the Breva Genie 01 watch, as that is also one that concerns itself with monitoring weather-related metrics, in this case, barometric pressure. While the two watches share that in common, they are of course much different beasts. While the Ball Trainmaster Kelvin aims for more of a refined, dress-watch feel, the Breva instead goes for a very large-and-in-charge attitude, showing off its meteorological bits and bobs. Oh, and of course, the pricing is worlds apart as well, with the Breva coming in at about 20x higher.

Frankly, for my money, a thermometer seems like a more useful readout than a barometer. That said, both are definitely superfluous gadgets, and one could argue that neither belong in a watch. For me, I argue that they do belong there. Perhaps they are not the most practical complications in the world, but I think something like this, which I’ll label as “scientific whimsy” fits like a hand in a glove with our passion for precision micro-machines, and manages to bring some levity – along with a healthy dose of “gee whiz.”

Ultimately, that is what things come down to: how much do you like the thermometer being included? I think it is a neat trick built into a beautifully styled watch, but it is not a complication that is terribly useful to me in day to day situations. In these looks, one of the other models I mention above would probably be a better fit for me, personally. Then again, when a gorgeous watch like the Ball Trainmaster Kelvin offers something out of the ordinary, well, that may just be worth the price of admission. Price for the Ball Trainmaster Kelvin is $8,499ballwatch.com

Tech Specs from Ball

  • Movement
    • Automatic caliber BALL RR1601 (editor’s note:  based on the ETA 2892)
    • Chronometer certified COSC
  • Functions
    • 14 micro gas tubes on hour and minute second hands and dial for night reading capability
    • Patented mechanical thermometric indication (range: from -35°C and 45°C/-31°F to 113°F)
    • Hours, minutes, sweep seconds and date
  • Shock resistance: 5,000Gs
  • Water resistance: 30m / 100ft
  • 18k/750 rose gold
  • Ø 39.5mm, height 10.5mm
  • Anti-reflective convex sapphire crystal
  • Convex sapphire crystal case back with silkscreen printed temperature conversion between the Kelvin and Celsius/Fahrenheit scales
  • Crocodile leather strap with 18k/750 rose gold standard buckle
  • Grey or silver with Celsius or Fahrenheit scale
  • Limited Edition: 600 pieces

Ball Engineer II Marvelight Watch Review


When it comes to the watches that Ball is creating, it is hard for me to not be attracted to the light shows that some of their designs pull together. It calls to mind the car my family got in the mid-80s (a Pontiac 6000 STE, for those curious) where my dad called the dashboard a rolling light show – which, for the time, it really was. Those can be fun, but sometimes you could do for dialing things down a little bit. In that case, I believe the Ball Engineer II Marvelight is an exercise in restraint.

For starters, we have what could almost be considered a small case for Ball, with it coming in at a mere 40mm wide and just a tad over 13mm thick. This is presented in what I consider to be a very classic look, complete with a polished bezel and lugs, and a lack of crown protectors.

Right off the bat, the stage is set for a more restrained Ball, one that is a bit dressier – or perhaps, more conservative, depending on your point of view – than some of their other offerings. This is further reinforced by the bracelet, with its polished centers set into the brushed finish of the outer links. Where it really stands out, however, is the highly legible dial.

Here, we see that Ball used flat tritium tubes on the Ball Engineer II Marvelight, which accomplishes two things. To start with, it gives the Ball Watches Pre Owned Replica the look of “regular” lumed indices (albeit, rather wide ones). This, in turn, moves the watch away from the tactic-cool vibe you can pick up from some tritium-equipped watches. Second, it makes for a very even dispersion of light at those indices when you check the time in the dark. It is a bit of a shame that the same tubes could not be used on the handset, but they would have turned into monsters and, I have a feeling, not looked very good. Weight is also a major issue with hands, as a movement’s torque is enough to move only so heavy of a handset.

As it is, the tube selection (both on the dial and the beveled hands) do a good job of balancing the desire for low-light legibility with a classy, conservative appearance. Further cementing those conservative looks is the magnifier (aka cyclops) that shows up over the date window on the sapphire crystal. I have never played around with one of these before, and I think I am sold on them in a watch styled like this. In the end, it is a simple thing that adds a lot of utility to the watch just by making the date really easy to see.

While I have focused on the looks of the piece, it really shone for me in that one criteria: utility. Be it day or night, at the office or home, in a suit or in jeans, the Ball Engineer II Marvelight just plain worked. The case sizing was a good fit for my wrist size, and I had zero problems with reading the time (as you would expect from Ball). This, simply put, was a watch I clicked with immediately, and kept it on my wrist for a good long time. Inside the watch is a rather standard Swiss automatic mechanical movement (like an ETA 2824 or Sellita SW200) with the date.

If you want the appearance of this dial and appreciate what Ball is trying to do with this particular product, then I feel a lot of people will find the Ball Engineer Master II Diver Worldtime a surprisingly helpful timepiece. This is particularly true for regular travelers that want something trendy, sporty, not especially showy, which does not seem like most other world time watches. At the time, the less than $7,500 gold-cased watch was a veritable bargain compared to the cost of additional gold watches on the market, and its classic pocket watch style made for a lasting and favorable conservative design.Ball was instrumental in the creation of the American railroad industry – which relied to a large extent on everybody agreeing what time it had been. The original Ball Trainmaster Standard Time was regarded as a celebration of the adoption of standard time in America, which explains why the timepiece has this name.

That is where the one stumbling block I ran into with the Ball Engineer II Marvelight occurred: on the wrist. Specifically, with the sizing for the bracelet. Ball does quite nicely include two half-links on the bracelet, which you can use to size things more accordingly. For me, though, I could not find that “just-right” fit.

I ended up settling on a sizing that is a touch larger than I prefer, which allows it to slide down over the wrist bones. By removing one link, and substituting in a half-link, I was able to keep it above the wrist, which I prefer. This resulted in a fit that was just a touch too tight, especially as the day wore on (protip: if you see part of the case back imprinted on your wrist, the watch is too tight).

Now, normally on a bracelet, this is not an issue – you can fiddle with the micro-adjustment pegs on the clasp, right? Not so with the Marvelight. Here, they have a very tricky flush-end clasp that looks great – just no micro-adjustment for you and me. Depending on how you like your watch to fit, this is definitely something you would want to consider.

The bracelet issue aside, I really enjoyed my time with the 172g Ball Engineer II Marvelight. I like tritium watches, and my styling tastes tend to skew a bit towards the more traditional – and this watch was a great combination of both. Our review sample came with a blue sunray dial, but they are also available with black, silver, or grey. Regardless of dial color, you can pick up one your own for a price of $1,899. ballwatch.com

Brand: Ball
Model: Engineer II Marvelight
Price: $1,899
Would reviewer personally wear it: Just about without a second thought – if it were not for my bracelet sizing issues.
Friend we’d recommend it to first: This is for someone with tastes like my own – conservative styling, but looking for a watch with a bit of subtle flash.
Worst characteristic of watch: All of the polished surfaces – they are fingerprint magnets.
Best characteristic of watch: The complete look of the watch. You get something that could almost be considered retro in many ways, but packaged up with modern materials and excellent illumination.

Ball Engineer Master II Skindiver II Watch Hands-On


I may never be able to fully explain my love of lume and dive watches, but with the Ball Skindiver II, I can at least frantically point at a shining example. Announced this year at Baselworld 2015, the new Ball Engineer Master II Skindiver II is an update to the vintage-inspired Skindiver of 2012. The second generation of this diver is a bit bigger and a bit more grown up, all while retaining Ball’s mix of classic dive Ball Watch Deepquest Replica styling with just enough innovation for a modern wrist.

While the OG Skindiver from 2012 was 40.5 mm wide, the new Ball Engineer Master II Skindiver II is 43mm wide and 14mm thick with a steel case, sapphire crystal, and luminous ceramic bezel scale. Loosely based on a Ball Skindiver model from 1962, the original model stemmed from the growing popularity of skin diving (aka free diving). Those of you who pay attention to free diving know that Ball is quite active and has been a long-time supporter of Guillaume Nery, a free diving world champion and a pioneer within the sport.

With the larger case size comes increased water resistance, now 500m versus the 300m resistance of the previous model. The Ball Engineer Master II Skindiver II also features an automatic helium escape valve which, while functionally useless for 99% of the market, has become a hallmark feature on “hardcore” dive watches over the past decade or so.

As with all Ball models, lume is crucial, and the Ball Engineer Master II Skindiver II features the same bright and legible setup as the preceding model, with 15 double-sized micro gas tubes forming the markers and luminous elements of the hand set. These micro gas tubes glow without requiring any external light for charging, they are bright and hugely legible in low light situations. The luminous ceramic bezel has been carried over from the previous model and offers both excellent legibility, a complete minute scale, and proper scratch resistance.

Aside from the additional 2.5mm of case width, the Ball Engineer Master II Skindiver II can be recognized for an updated and somewhat cleaned-up dial design. The new dial is textured and forgoes the more pronounced minute markers of its older sibling. Also cut from the new design is the eccentric disconnected day and date display, with the Skindiver Part Deux opting for a simple date display at 4:30, where it won’t interfere with any of those glowing tubes. Finally, the Ball Engineer Master II Skindiver II has an orange second hand, a small but noticeable change from the Skindiver’s red second hand.

Inside its up-sized case, the Ball Engineer Master II Skindiver II uses Ball’s RR1103-C, which is an ETA 2824 that has been treated to COSC certification. While treading into the upper-middle range of prices where we normally see the 2824, the Ball Engineer Master II Skindiver II is still a fitting home for such a movement. Ball has not (yet) gone down the road of creating and implementing their own movements and the Ball Engineer Master II Skindiver II sits at a price point well below newly in-house competition like the Tudor Pelagos ($4125).

A brand known for offering considerable value and high-end building from the watches that they produce, Ball Watch Company is once more introducing another exciting timepiece for their developing Engineer collection. The Ball Engineer III CarboLIGHT is your brand’s most recent model and a watch which fuses two revolutionary materials into the case construction. Ball refers to the as their CarboNANO technology and now, the Ball Engineer III CarboLIGHT is available for a very special pre-order price.Together using the accompanying stainless steel version — the Ball Engineer III IronLIGHT — the CarboLIGHT marks Ball’s latest plunge into the world of creating robust timepieces with innovative materials. Maybe the model’s most standout characteristic is its own case, which has a distinct uneven pattern which makes each watch unique. This can be a distinguishing trait that’s a result of using carbon, which weighs about 50% significantly less than stainless steel and delivers a significantly lighter texture that’s long-lasting. Beneath the surface, Ball also integrates a full coating of mu-metal round the motion that enables the watch to both draw and divert static or low-frequency magnetic field lines for interference-free operation. Pair this with Ball’s Amortiser® system which protects against extreme shock, and you own a wristwatch that can get you through anything.

The Ball Engineer Master II Skindiver II retails for a price of $2799 USD, including both the multi-link steel bracelet and the comfy and sport-ready rubber strap seen in the above photos. While the Ball Engineer Master II Skindiver II is a step away from the vintage aesthetic of the previous model, it is a definite step towards the sport dive Ball Watches Forum Replica that Ball needs. With a competitive price, simplified design and toolish intentions, it’s hard not to dig the new Ball Engineer Master II Skindiver II. After all, it’s a diver and it packs a respectable glow – what’s not to like? ballwatch.com

Review Golf ball View’s Golf ball for BMW TimeTrekker

Ball Replica Watch includes a lengthy history that hyperlinks the particular brand to transportation. In the end, its eponymic creator, Webb C. Basketball, made his title by looking into making time instruments for the US railroads. One modern method in which the maker connects to those roots is through it’s relationship together with BMW. As of this year’utes Baselworld, Basketball replica omega Watch presented a completely new piece for your special best replica watches collection: the Basketball regarding mercedes TimeTrekker.

Review Golf ball View’s Golf ball for BMW TimeTrekker

Mixing Golf ball View features with 325i repair signatures, the actual TimeTrekker is really a tool view with rushing DNA. It’s situation is forty-four mm broad and made of stainless. This example helps the watch maintain it’s anti-permanent magnetic power: it can protect the actual movement through forces as much as four,800 The/m.

Ball-Watch-BMW-TimeTrekker-bracelet-blue-560

While the replica watch appears primed for a trip in a higher-overall performance vehicle, additionally , it offers several options that come with a diver’utes view. It has a dark porcelain frame which revolves one way. The frame has lustrous white markings and gradations for that first 15 minutes. The TimeTrekker can also be water-resistant in order to two hundred meters. And also you’d be able to see it well under water, as well, because it offers 14 tritium tubes on its call and fingers for legibility at nighttime.

Within is replica Ball’s RR1102-C movement, a COSC-certified chronometer. It becomes an automatic, four-Hz motion, based on the ETA 2836-2. You can catch sight from it with the sapphire caseback. The motion is protected through Golf ball’s trademarked Amortiser impact moderation system; this also indicates this’utes a great view to put on during vigorous sports activity. Its capabilities tend to be hour, minutes, sweep seconds, day as well as date; the latter two can be seen on the call apertures at three to’clock.

The call, which is available in dark or blue, has a “pierced” style on its flat color, echoing racecar furniture or perhaps a smooth 325i repair interior. The call can also be cosigned: it has the actual Golf ball title from twelve o’clock along with a 325i repair logo design to replace the 3-to’time clock catalog. Above the dial is really a nonreflective azure crystal.

INNOVATIONS FROM BALL REPLICA WATCH

Ball Watch creates Swiss-made cheap replica watches in light of its long-standing American legacy that started in 1891 with watchmaker Webster Clay Ball. He was designated boss time investigator to the U.S. Government Railroads to perform timing tests on all rail line Replica watches and execute a period institutionalization framework after the terrible train wreck in Kipton, Ohio. Today, Ball Watch proceeds with the legacy began by Mr. Ball and delivers accumulations that push development and benchmarks. For further knowledge on the new timepieces, we sat down with Jeffrey Hess, President and CEO of Ball Watch USA. Amid this meeting we got more than we anticipated, so pause a moment to replica watches and learn.

INNOVATIONS FROM BALL REPLICA WATCH

The lively carbon external shell puts forth the defense ultra-light and for all intents and purposes scratchproof and gives an appearance like volcanic rock. The slate dark dial joins red markers referencing hot magma; the markers and hands highlight luminescent H3 gas-filled tubes, which are well known to best copy Ball Watch models. This watch is outfitted with the COSC-confirmed programmed development, Swiss BALL RR11102-C, fueling the hours, minutes, seconds, day and date. Implied for the present day pilgrim, it can withstand effects of up to 5,000 Gs, and it is water impervious to 100 meters.

INNOVATIONS FROM BALL REPLICA WATCH

In view of Ball Watch’s spearheading soul, the Engineer II Volcano was made out of a mission to enhance precision by decreasing the outside variable of attraction, prompting the connection with volcanoes. The 45mm watchcase is developed of a few parts, one being mumetal, a compound of nickel, iron, copper, and molybdenum, having high assurance against attractive fields and dispatching Ball Watches into a universe of new materials for the best swiss fake watch business online store.

INNOVATIONS FROM BALL REPLICA WATCH

This swiss copy watch is perfect for pilots directing the sky. Propelling its luminescent abilities, the bezel of the Engineer Hydrocarbon AeroGMT incorporates new smaller scale gas H3 light tubes into the pivoting bezel. Besides, the bezel recognizes a third time zone on this GMT watch with its 24-hour degree. Manufactured for low-light circumstances, the self-controlled luminescent innovation in this Replica watches is 100 times more capable than customary paint and will last up to 25 years. It utilizes three distinct shades of radiance: orange distinguishing 12 o’clock, green for the second time zone hand and yellow for the lists and fundamental hands. Outfitted with the COSC-ensured programmed development, BALL RR1201, inside the 42mm stainless steel case, this replica watches can ingest the effect of 7,500 Gs and conveys an antimagnetic resistance of 4,800 A/m. This extreme best cheap replica watch highlights a licensed triple collapsing clasp.