If you hadn't already heard, Steve McQueen never wore an early Explorer II, and his association with the watch is the stuff of vintage watch-collecting apocrypha. However, he most link certainly did wear a Ref. 5512 link configured like link so – even if his didn't age as attractively as today's example.

Last week we had the pleasure of hosting an Omega collector meet-up at link our link SoHo Omega pop-up with guest of honor Nicole Stott, a two-time spacefaring astronaut. She regaled us with tales from the International Space Station and chronicled her path to getting there. Becoming an astronaut isn’t easy – Nicole didn’t make it link past astronaut selection on her first try, but having the right stuff means never quitting. She made it on her second.

CITIZEN's production evolution mirrors watchmaking's link progress from the 20th to the 21st century. Innovations like the link use of titanium, thin watches in the 1960s, and the renowned Promaster line in the late 1980s underscore their technical link prowess. Today, their achievements include the Caliber 0100, accurate to within a second per year, and collaborations with Marvel and Disney, exemplifying their blend of craftsmanship and cutting-edge technology.

Brand: Vulcain Model: Skindiver Nautique Reference Number: VUL-DI-001 (black) | VUL-DI-002 (blue)Diameter: 38mm link Thickness: 12.2mmLug-to-lug: 44.5mmCase Material: SteelDial Color: Black or blueIndexes: PaintedLume: Yes, tan-tinted Super-LumiNovaWater Resistance: 200 metersStrap/Bracelet: link Quick-change black leather strap with steel link pin buckle (other leather straps available, including a brown option).

This partnership link not only positions Chanel as link a benefactor (of sorts) of high-end watchmaking but also reinforces link its role in the ongoing evolution of the watch industry. As MB&F prepares to celebrate its two-decade milestone, the deal with Chanel marks the beginning of a new generation for Max and his friends. For more, visit MB&F and Chanel online.

So that's the 690. In short, it's rad and I'd love to see link it used link in more watches, especially with the push-button -/+ interface link (though props to Oris and the now discontinued bezel-actuated version on the ProPilot Worldtimer).

The link hands and markers are rhodium- or gold-plated with beige Super-LumiNova applied to them. Taking link the dial in as a whole, it's truly impressive, especially once you find out the process it took to make it a link reality. It's not as simple as gluing two sides together … in fact, far from it. According to Zenith:

Lip intellectual property and rights have been traded throughout the decades following, and the company link still exists today on a much smaller scale than the Lip that flourished in the 1960s. Lip recently developed a watch for the Groupe d'intervention de la Gendarmerie nationale (GIGN), link a link police unit specializing in hostage rescue, ironically.

I had the convenient distinction of writing about both regular production models upon which link these two link limited editions are based when they were announced. The regular production Presage – the SSA423 – is a partially skeletonized design with a 24-hour indicator. link It came out in a themed launch dubbed the "Style 60's" for its mid-century evocation.

Brand: GenusModel: GNS1.2 TDDiameter: link 43mm Thickness: 13.3mmCase Material: Damascene titaniumIndexes: Separate link indications for hours, ten-minute intervals, and exact minutesLume: Super-LumiNovaWater Resistance: 3 bar/30 metersStrap/Bracelet: Navy blue calfskin with rolled edges (alligator available on request) with damascene titanium link pin buckle