Taking A Dip In The Coffee Corner — Aquatic Watch Talk Featuring Eberhard & Co, Mido, And NOMOS

I couldn’t resist wearing the Summer Splash prize watch for a little while. Rest assured Fabio, LeFred, and @babywildanimal — the three winners of the #FratelloSummerSplash competition who will very soon receive the colorful and fun watch that’s on my wrist — I treated your Casio G-Shock DW-5610DN-9ER with extra love and care. Anyway, we’re taking a dip in the coffee corner this Monday with Eberhard & Co, Mido, and NOMOS. Let’s talk about watches that don’t mind a summer splash in the sea, the lake, or the inflatable pool on your apartment’s balcony.

I don’t know about you, but I root for the underdog. But no, I’m not talking Studio Underd0g this time. Instead, I’m talking about small, traditional watch brands with quite the reputation that are struggling to keep their heads above water. In a watch world where luxury conglomerates become more dominant by the hour, this is an all-too-real situation. One of the underdogs that I have a soft spot for is Eberhard & Co. Why? Well, because I always found the watches in the brand’s Tazio Nuvolari collection very tasteful creations. And if you ask me, the Scafograf 300 (ref. 41034) is a dive watch that’s very hard to dislike. But what about the new Scafograf 200 DLC Limited Edition?

Taking a dip in the coffee corner with the Eberhard & Co. Scafograf 200 DLC LE

Let me refresh your memory a bit. Back in the 1950s and ’60s, Eberhard & Co launched quite a few relevant dive watches. One of them was the Scafograf 200, a helium-valve-equipped watch that was water-resistant to 200 meters. And now it’s back in black. A black DLC coating, that is. The newest iteration of the Scafograf is based on a dive watch from 1959 and will be made in a run of 135 pieces. It’s a fitting number considering that Eberhard & Co is celebrating its 135th anniversary this year.

The information is scarce for now, but what I know about the new Scafograf 200 is that it has a screw-down case back and crown and that there’s a helium valve at 9 o’clock. The looks may be more or less traditional, but the black attire and ceramic bezel insert add some touches of modernity. And I very much like the dial with its four prominent, historically correct triangular markers in combination with the round indexes. Want to know what’s inside the case and what the case size is? So do I. It should be an automatic caliber like the Sellita SW200-1 or maybe one of the last ETA 2824-2 movements out there. And if I had to make a guess about the case size, I think — no, I hope — that it’s 40mm.

Hopefully, you will find more information about the specs and the price on the official Eberhard & Co website soon. Consider the words I wrote about the watch as a little heads-up.

The Mido Ocean Star Titanium is worth a watch talk in the coffee corner

You might already know that the latest iteration of the Ocean Star now features a ceramic unidirectional bezel. Those who still find the watch a bit too plain — I’m referring to the steel case and bracelet — might get excited when I tell you that there now is a titanium version available. The Ocean Star Titanium (M042.430.44.051.00) is a dive watch that’s water-resistant to 200 meters. The brushed finish looks function-forward and gives it a technical, no-nonsense look. While some may also find this also quite plain, titanium does attract a specialist crowd. Additionally, as you’d expect from a modern dive watch, the screw-down crown has protective shoulders to keep it safe from hazards. This diver from Mido sure looks capable indeed.

The engraved screw-in case back won’t allow you a glance at the ETA-produced automatic movement inside. Rest assured, though, that it has an autonomy of up to 80 hours, and as you can see on the dial, a day/date feature. The dial with its rippled, decorative texture shows large indexes that are coated with white Super-LumiNova.

The price of the Ocean Star Titanium is pretty lightweight considering its qualities and qualifications. In Switzerland, this new Mido will set you back CHF 1,130.

More information is available on Mido’s official website.

Taking a dip in the Rhine with the Nomos neomatik Ahoi

It’s 1,235 kilometers (768 miles) from the source of the Rhine to its estuary. Dr. Joseph Heß, project leader at Chemnitz University of Technology, is also an extreme swimmer, and he swam the full distance of the Rhine in 25 days. On his wrist during the swim was the NOMOS Ahoi neomatik Atlantic. Heß passed through Constance, Basel, Karlsruhe, Wiesbaden, Bonn, Düsseldorf, and Rotterdam while he swam for Swim4Science. This is an organization that aims to make various projects and research — on water quality, for example — more accessible and visible to both fellow scientists and the public.

Heß said about the 40.3 × 10.6mm steel Ahoi on his wrist that “the key factors for me were the comfort and the weight. Even after more than twelve hours in the water, the watch still felt great to wear. And it was light enough to not affect my swimming style over such a long period. I’m amazed that something so beautiful and graceful can withstand such a battering without it leaving a trace.” Heß had only the watch as company as he swam downstream: “It’s a lonely sport because you don’t hear or see anything.” Shipping traffic, cold, heat, enormous calorie consumption, faulty escort boats, and strong currents were some of the other obstacles that Heß faced. But he overcame them all, just like the Ahoi.

If you want to find out more about the Ahoi neomatik Atlantic (€3,140), you could head to the official NOMOS website.

Planning to go swimming somewhere soon? What’s your preferred kind of water — salt, sweet, or chlorate? And most importantly, what watch will you be wearing while you’re taking a dip? Lots of things to talk about in the coffee corner, if you’re not already on a holiday, that is. In any case, have a great watch week!

Please find and follow me at Lex Stolk • Instagram