I am sad that the Rolex GMT IIc and Doxa SUB 1000T Pro Mil Ed are gone. At least the Omega SMP co-axial black Bond is here to cheer me up.
Since I already have a blue Bond co-axial on Bond bracelet, I want to wear the black Bond slightly different:
But I have to admit, I do miss the Bond bracelet from time to time (I think I still am a bracelet guy). Future plan: maybe I would put the SMP GMT Great white on rubber strap, then put the SMP speedy bracelet on the black Bond. But that's for later. Right now, I am wearing it with a black NATO strap and I think its a great match to the watch.
So far I am liking the watch. Though the watch has similar (actually the same) layout to the blue Bond co-axial, it actually *feels* different. The black dial and bezel insert looks much deeper than the blue color on the blue Bond co-axial. The black wheel is white on black (background) to complete the dial dial.
Two things thats different from the blue Bond co-axial (besides the color) are the wave pattern on the dial and the lume material.
On the blue Bond co-axial, the wave pattern on the dial stops right at the minute marks (chapter ring?). So the minute marks are printed on smooth surface. While on the black Bond, the minute marks are printed on wave patterns, the wave patterns extends all the way to the edge of the dial (rehaut).
The second thing is the lume material. The blue Bond co-axial has C3 Super Luminova that's very bright. Its one of the best lume I have seen so far. But from time to time in day light, the lume will appears to be light green. On the black Bond, the lume color (in the dark) is blue. And in day light, the color appears to be much whiter all the times. The down side is the blue lume isn't as bright as the light green C3 SL lume. Having said that, the lume still last through the night (tested by me). I think the brightness of the blue lume is in between C1 SL and C3 SL. Compare the Rolex Sea Dweller (non-Maxi dial), the blue Bond co-axial and black Bond, the order would be:
Rolex SD < black Bond < blue Bond co-axial
Though the blue lume is not as bright as the light green C3 SL, it matches the watch's characteristics perfectly. The color on the black Bond is black, white and red (second hand tip and the word "Seamaster" on the dial). So the "always white in day light" blue lume would be much preferred than the "sometimes appear light green" C3 SL. I am happy with Omega's decision to go with the blue lume material on the SMP black Bond.
Another thing that I think Omega did right is the lume dot on the bezel insert. The lume matches that of the hands and dial. It makes all the lume color matches perfectly. This is important (to me) since this completes the watch. There are quite a few watches in the market that has blue lume on the dial but with light green lume dot on the bezel insert. The mismatch indicates the lack of attention to detail and possibly cost cutting. So I have to give a thumb-up to Omega for doing it right.
I am glad that Omega makes the two Bond co-axial (watches) to be similar yet so different. This makes me (who own both of them) doesn't feel like owning two of the same watch. :-)
