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amanico
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AMVOX, THE REVIEW.

Well, we all know now that an Amvox III will be presented at the next SIHH, but we still ignore what it will be and what it will look like.
So, for the impatients watchnuts, and I include myself, of course, I make this review of the Amvox family.
A lot of us are wondernig why this co branding, as some of us don't like this phenomenon...
I'm a bit sepctic too, in the "Co Branding move", in general.
But some are nice, and, IMHO, The Amvox line is well thought, and historically correct.
Why?
1/ The Story between JLC and Aston Martin began a lot of time before 2005, as Aston Martin cars were equipped with Jaeger Speedometers in the years 1920's.
2/ They share the same idea of " Luxury", the same approach of the work well done, a certain conception of sport, and innovation.
From this co branding,in 2005, a 1st watch was born, the Amvox I, to celebrate 2 anniversaries:
The 40th Birthday of the Memovox de plongée, aka...Polaris, and the 40th Birthday of the Aston Martin DB5.

The Amvox I:



The Polaris:



I/ The Amvox I:
There were basically 2 Amvox I, the SS, and the titanium version, which are both interesting and very nice watches.
Esthetically speaking, the 1st surprise, and a BIG surprise is that the Amvox is clearly an evocation, an Hommage of the Polaris:

The similarities are simply stunning: Same shape of the case, the case back, the lugs, the crowns, same size ( 42mm), even the same unpleasant system for the setting of the date, and the size of the Strap!





Here with the Amvox II, front and case back:





The design of the dial borrows some details from the Polaris, (even if I would more speak
of an modern reinterpreation), and from the old speedometers of the Aston Martin Cars.



The SS Version is a limited production, distinguished by its particular black dial, which appears perfectly finished.
The combo black dial /polished SS looks very nice, giving to this watch an undiscutable touch of class, decontraction and sport.I prefer it with the strap, even if this one is perfectible.
The bracelet gives it a less classy touch, IMO.
See Jerome and pplater Amvox I, they customized their watches by choosing a nice red strap, which perfectly matches with the end of the second hand!!!





The Titanium version differs on the following points:
- The color of the metal, with its titanium grade 5 that gives a darker look.I think
that for this watch, the finish of the titanium is a better solution than the polished titanium finish of the MMR, as this is a tool watch, which the MMR is not..
- Hence, the weight, much lighter.
- The most visible difference is maybe the color of the dial,in Ruthenium.
This finish is very appealing, as the dial changes of color with the light...From the brown to the grey...something very appealing, pleasant to see and to live with.
- This is a Limited Edition of 1000 pieces.











The alarm of these 2 versions sounds a bit different, the frequences are a bit higher, aerian on the titanium version.But this is subtile, and you can only get the difference while comparing them simultaneously.

Please note that also exists a 3rd version that, I think, was reserved to the owners of an Aston Martin car..It was quite the same version than the titanium, but with yellow numbers and indexes.Also a LE in a very short run.

Here's the pic of the beast...I have some others, but not sure of the origin...



I chose the Titanium version because of its beautiful dial, and I'm still in love with it since 15 months now.
I changed the strap for a grey one, in a light dark nuance, to match with the dial.
It's a very comfortable and easy watch to wear with a suit or or more casual clothes...
Indeed a lovely watch!

JLC launched two other versions of the Amvox I, the R line, in titanium or platinum.
The size of the case is 44mm instead of 42,, the dials are of course bigger ( maybe too big?),
less dicrete in the titanium version with the British Green Racing dial ( perfect for a bronzed skin, but if your skin is white white...heeeerm!) than in the platinum, which receives a nice black dial with some yellow touches...Not ugly!





Here, a mcro of the nice platinum dial:





Personnally, I prefer the 1st line, not the R one.The dial seems to be more balanced in the forst version, while the R lacks a bit of balance, IMHO...But if you don't have a chicken wrist as mine, maybe the R is better...Tastes and wrists...LOL.

II/ The Amvox II:

This was a great idea to have invented and created such a piece.
This is the most original Chrono system I've ever seen...that avoids ANY kind of pusher!





After the titanium, here, the PVD version:



And the platinum:



I remember the 1st time I saw this watch in December 2005, and the feelings I had while contemplating the Press File, completely excited by this brilliant idea to use the sapphire glass as a pusher.
The Sytem is simple:

- You have a trigger at 9, you put it at the middle, and you can use the chrono, and the reset function.
You put it down, and you lock the reset function, you can only start and stop the Chrono.
You put it up, and you lock all the Chrono functions.





- You push on the glass, at 12, you start the chrono.Twice, and you stop.
Push at 6 and you'll reset the chrono!
Simple, isn't it?
The movement ( caliber 751B) is an automatic winding, 28 800 vph, and has a quite large power reserve of 65 hours.
As for esthetics, the subjective topic....OUCH
Some don't love, as they consider JLC has nothing to do with this kind of watches....
I respectfully disagree, and I invite them to go and try one, to make a final statement...
This is a concept watch, it has the look, and the innovation to postulate to this kind of interesting watches.
It also has the look of a concept watch, as the UN Freak, or the JLC MMR( well, with less ambitions than these 2 last, of course, but the spirit is here).
That's maybe the reason why I love so much this Amvox II !!!
Esthetically, for me this is a very nice watch, well thought and finished.
The case is 44mm diameter, , which is big, but well balanced, covered by a lightly covered crystal, and allowing to see a nice, dynamic and young looking dial with its Black ( or grey for the platinum), silver, red and yellow touches.
Please note that the original minutes and hours counters, as the hands, are luminova tainted.







Located at 6 hours, you have a partial sight on the Chrono levers...painted in red, as the parts of the Breaks of a racing car...that move when you use the chrono!
The crown is designed as the fuel tank crown of an old AM, and the indexes at the middle of the dials borrow their design from the old speedometer too!







All the owners of this watch can certify it, it perfectly sits on the wrist, with a lot of presence and great comfort...due to the pivoting case which looks a bit like a lightly curved caseback.







Here a terrific pic of the PVD...



This innovative watch was launched during the SIHH 2006, announced in LE of 750 pieces in Titanium, 250 pieces in PVD, and 200 pieces in platinum...The demand was so high that JLC made 500 pieces of the black model instead of the previous 250.

One amazing thing is that each of these 3 versions has it own interest.
The PVD is the one that looks the more as a concept watch...At the beginning, I wqas a bit deceived by the SS trigger and crown, but it matches with the silver part of the dial so, it's not THAT disturbing, as I had the opportunity to play with it a few days...
The Titanium is a very coherent and nice version, more contrasted than the PVD, less concept watch looking, but a very nice and lovely A II.
The Platium is the more exclusive with its own dial, the quite important weight, and the mix of platinum for the case and some parts of titanium on the sides of the watch...My favorite.

The weak part of the watch is, once again, the strap, very comfortable and supple, but a bit too " cheap" looking...But there is a possibility to order some special, and in a next futuer, the Cordura / leather Strap of the DBS which is a beast! ( IMHO).

JLC presented during the SIHH 2007 the AMVOX DBS, which is, basically, an Amvox II with 2 particularities:





The most visible is that on the middle, the dial is open, which allows you to see the mainplate.
The 2 detail is more discret,.You'll have to pay some attention to notice that you have a 3 rd counter, just above "6" which is not a second counter, but that is here to check if the watch works...In French " indicateur de marche"...







The DBS comes in 2 versions: The Titanium ( Limited to 999 pieces) and the Rose Gold ( 300 pieces) as the pics posted above shows it.

My feelings were a bit mixed about the DBS...I was less enthusiast than I was for the A II.
I didn't get why JLC made another run of this original watch, and I was a bit deceived by the Titanium, prefering and understanding more the Rose Gold version that didn't exist before in the A II range.

I still appreciate the Rose Gold, as I could see it recently one more time in Sicily.







I 'm keen on this contrast ...The warm touch of the Rose Gold, and the matt color of the dial, this is really a beautiful contrast!

As for the titnaium, I had more problems to appreciate it, till I had the opportunity to test it for 3 weeks.

Now, I think that for people who don't already have the "normal" A II, this is an interesting alternative, interesting and nice, isn'it , BHK9???

As to end this too long post, and if I'm lucky enough to have someone still reading me...LOL, here are some thoughts about the Amvox range, which would also be a praise for the new Amvox III:
The Amvox is , IMHO, a Family in the Family, and a nice one, as it mixes the beauty of the pieces with a certain vision of these 2 famous brands about luxury and innovation.
After an Hommage to a Mythical Alarm watch, and a technical and innovative Chrono, I truely hope that the Amvox III will add and bring something interesting, again, to this family.
Best, and thanks for looking!
Nicolas

added to Editor's Pick This message has been edited by AnthonyTsai on 2008-01-26 20:36:48

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