Momentum Sea Quartz 30 Fingers-On Overview

Momentum Sea Quartz 30

In 1980, Magnum P.I. hit the airwaves and for the primary 3 seasons, Tom Selleck as Magnum wore a Chronosport Sea Quartz 30. Some followers will bear in mind him sporting a Rolex Pepsi GMT, which is true as that’s what he wore for five seasons and thus is rather more memorable to followers of the present. However true followers bear in mind the unique and although Chronosport is not round, technically its predecessor is. They’ve launched a replica of that unique piece, the Momentum Sea Quartz 30. And this has been fairly the discharge, and the response has been loopy. Momentum put out the primary preorder in January, for $198, the unique value of the 1980 Chronosport, and that batch bought out in a short time. They launched a second preorder for Could supply and people are bought out, and the web site states you may signal as much as be notified when the third preorder will go stay. Right here we’re on the finish of February and this watch shouldn’t be presently in inventory, and will not be till the third or fourth quarter of the yr, primarily based on how issues are going. Why is it so fashionable? Is it value? The design? Nostalgia? We are going to focus on all of it right here at this time.

Specs:

• 42mm Stainless Metal Case
• 47mm Lug to Lug
• 11.3mm Thick
• 20mm Lug Width
• 93 Grams in Weight
• Screw Down Crown
• 300m Water Resistant
• Sapphire Crystal and Bezel Insert
• Ronda 507 Quartz Motion
• Tropic Rubber Strap
• Made in China, Assembled in Vancouver

Worth $259 USD

https://momentumwatch.com/products/sea-quartz-30-42mm-black

So for these not conscious, Chronosport began within the Nineteen Seventies (or apparently within the 60s and bought to a North American firm within the 70s) and the proprietor of Momentum, Simon, owned that model along with his brother. Now, between 1980 and at this time, there’s a lot that occurred, and as an alternative of rehashing a whole lot of what I talked about within the video and likewise getting manner off monitor as there’s a lengthy historical past there, I’ll simply say Chronosport ceased operations within the mid-80s to 90s, and Simon went on to proceed working St.Moritz, which is an organization out of Canada that has made watches for numerous manufacturers and did begin their very own model as nicely, Momentum, which actually began to choose up steam within the 2000s. Chronosport in Europe, within the 90s, had nothing to do with this Chronosport. And past this Sea Quartz 30, Chronosport made a whole lot of cool watches, together with extra variations of the Sea Quartz, the UDT famously worn by Stallone in Rambo First Blood Half II, and numerous others. So if you wish to see a whole lot of what they produced, go forward and google Chronosport.

Image discovered on Reddit

We are able to discuss historical past all day, however as an alternative, let’s discuss what you get with this new Momentum Sea Quartz 30. I’m informed precise classic Chronosport fashions have been despatched to China (sure it’s produced in China, assembled in Vancouver) to have the ability to make this replica, and with out with the ability to deal with an actual Chronopsort in hand, I can solely go by pictures and say it seems to be fairly shut, however I’m certain watch historians may discover variations or choose it aside, half by half, however to my eye, it seems to be like they did a very good job. And one factor to say, no these weren’t Monnin circumstances (who made CWC and the Heuer mannequin), as many believed they have been. The unique fashions have been made by Swiss MRP, in Switzerland, and doing a little analysis, I additionally noticed Le Jour watches used this case made by MRP again within the day as nicely. One factor that’s the identical is the 42mm chrome steel case, and one factor that’s modified is now as an alternative of a bakelite bezel insert, it’s now sapphire.

pictures on-line, it does appear to be a reasonably devoted recreation, and since this case design has been achieved by so many manufacturers, it truly is iconic. The highest of the Momentum Sea Quartz 30 case is brushed however the remainder of the case is extremely polished, however I like how they transition from brushed to polished with a big chamfer. The crown is extremely polished in addition to the bezel, and whereas my expertise with the crown operation has been optimistic, I cannot say the identical for the bezel. The bezel is de facto tight and laborious to grip, probably as a result of excessive sharpening, probably as a result of mechanism, however both manner, I don’t discover the bezel motion to be nice, however I do notice that is additionally a $259 watch, so I can’t anticipate perfection both.

Momentum did a very good job recreating the dial, the paddle-style fingers, the printed markers with raised SuperLuminova utilized to it, and the day/date (Chronosport did make a date solely as nicely, I believe it was the Sea Quartz 1000). I additionally like how they replicated the brand and model title on the dial, with a Momentum M emblem and the title beneath. At the moment that is the one dial coloration out there, the matte black dial with the orange minute hand. Some pictures you see on-line could present the colour of the indices and bezel numbers to be extra of a yellow or patina lume coloration, however it’s the truth is that C3 inexperienced coloration. Above the dial, between the rehuat (flange) and the sapphire crystal, you will notice there’s a fairly thick white O ring seal. That bezel insert is sapphire as nicely, and that is likely one of the causes that Momentum stated they didn’t go together with the unique producer, saying they couldn’t do the sapphire bezel insert. Undecided why they couldn’t, or if that’s only a line they’re giving to justify having it made in China. I don’t suppose many will care, and I assumed having it made in China stored the fee manner down, which is nice for the buyer.

On my 7 1/2 inch (19.05cm) wrist, this actually is nice to put on. The 42mm measurement is my candy spot and the brief lug to lug retains it from overhanging my wrist coupled with the flat and actually plain case again, that is snug, but additionally stable feeling watch on the wrist. The strap can also be lengthy sufficient to suit my wrist with a couple of half inch to spare.

However there are some things to debate. The case again of the Mometnum Sea Quartz 30 as you see under is obvious, just about like the unique would have been, and I don’t thoughts that in any respect, however the all-high polished again, together with the lugs and such, is simply asking for scratches, particularly while you do strap modifications, or use this watch as a beater, which I’m certain many will do. The Tropic Rubber strap does have quick-change pins, so in case you maintain these straps or use different quick-release ones, you may mitigate the potential for scratches however let’s have a phrase about these pins.

They’re, from my expertise with them over the previous few weeks, not precisely very strong. Quite a few instances I discovered just a bit little bit of stress can knock them misplaced, and that was on each coloration of strap I’ve right here, so it wasn’t restricted to only one. Talking of colours, sure, it comes with both a black or orange tropic, (you may select which coloration on the web site at checkout) however Momentum additionally affords different colours within the strap part, and I had them ship a protracted inexperienced as nicely, as I believed it might be a very good combo. However again to these pins. Sure, they’re handy and I didn’t discover the straps coming off whereas truly on the wrist, however they only don’t really feel that safe to me. On the very least, one thing to pay attention to.

Lastly, we check out the lume, and to make this simple, I’ll simply give it a grade of B-. Initially charged it’s good and vibrant, however the bezel would be the first to fade, relatively rapidly I’d add, and the dial will just about fade utterly after 2-3 hours. So no, this isn’t Seiko or Citizen lume, but it surely does glow properly and doesn’t simply fade inside seconds both.

For years I noticed individuals saying they might love a homage to the Chronosport, and now with this Momentum Sea Quartz 30, they get greater than an homage, as it’s being made below the helm of the unique proprietor of the 80s icon. I believe the pricing is superb for what it’s, and hopefully, it stays that manner as $259 is a really inexpensive value for a very good, stable watch, particularly as of late. Sure, it’s quartz, I imply, it says it proper on the dial, as was the unique, and like many quartz, that second-hand doesn’t all the time hit the marker useless on, however who is aware of, if there may be demand, possibly we’ll get an auto model of those at some point.

Within the meantime, it will likely be fascinating to see how lengthy it takes till these are in inventory on the Momentum web site and never simply out there for preorder. The watch will not be good, however no $259 watch is, and truthfully, with the nostalgia that surrounds these, they in all probability may have even charged extra and nonetheless maintain promoting out. Don’t overlook, in case you do get one, it’s best to develop a mustache and cease by the thrift retailer and seize a Hawaiin shirt. I didn’t, however it’s best to.

Extra data: https://momentumwatch.com/products/sea-quartz-30-42mm-black

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