Ollech & Wajs Introduces A New Bezel And Movement With The M110

Ollech & Wajs recently announced the M110 which marks the first time in the brand’s history to use a compass bezel. This is naturally surprising considering the Zurich-based brand has been designing and producing watches that were utilized by the military, deep-sea explorers and NASA astronauts since the 50’s and 60’s. The design language has largely remained the same since the brand was revived in 2016 – familiar case bodies, faded tones, and overall encapsulating a vintage aesthetic. Although their line of watches look like they’ve been taken out of a time capsule, OW has updated their watches with modern materials and features that make their watches a strong case for an everyday vintage inspired watch, with some legitimate brand history and credibility to boot.

As mentioned above, the M110 sports a steel 360 degree compass bezel. The finely brushed surface serves as a platform for the fully indexed bezel and the cardinal directional markers shaded in a faded green (almost eton blue). For those uninitiated to a compass bezel, here’s a little crash course on how to use one. If you’re located in the Northern Hemisphere (north of the equator), you would align the hour hand in the direction of the sun relative to your current position. Now using the distance between the hour hand and the twelve o’clock marker going in a clockwise direction, locate the midpoint between the two. That is the position where you would align the ‘South’ marker. Voilá, you’ve got your bearings. The folks who find themselves in the Southern Hemisphere would follow the same exact process, except when you locate the midpoint, the ‘North’ marker is aligned to that position instead of the ‘South’.

The M110 features a matte gray dial with white hour markers and a date window at 6 o’clock. Ollech & Wajs adds a couple of design touches to the dial that pay tribute to their military heritage. The twelve o’clock marker is demarcated by a triangle and two dots, which is commonly seen in pilot’s watches to assist with being aware of the dial’s upward orientation. The other military design cue comes in the form of the three consecutive minute markers colored in the matching faded green accent located after each quarter hour. This represents the radio silence periods used by the military, and it is only during those specific three minutes when the unit is able to make or listen for any distress calls.

The case proportions come together in a way that should wear like a traditional skin diver on the wrist. The M110 measures 39.56mm in width, 47.5mm lug to lug and 12.5mm in thickness. The case appears to draw a striking resemblance to an older OW model in the 1964 Aquaguard – brushed finish, H-shaped lugs and an oversized crown sans crown guards. The major difference here is that the M110 has an extra 100 meters of water resistance totaling its rating to 30 ATM.

The other ‘first’ for OW and the M110 is that it houses the Soprod Newton P092. You might recognize the movement name, as we’ve seen the Soprod Newton family used more regularly with the likes of Serica in their 5303 no-date model. In addition to the distinguishing characteristics of the Soprod Newton P092 that include a balance bridge and a screw regulator, Ollech & Wajs has modified the movement to meet their own specifications. The Soprod Newton movement within the M110 is adjusted in five positions and is adorned with the OW engraving and a custom shaped rotor.

The Ollech & Wajs M110 adds a freshness to their line of watches. The gray tones and splash of green accents, combined with the steel bezel feels somewhat modern to my eye. I’m also keen on seeing different functionalities come together into one watch. I appreciate seeing a diver equipped with a dive bezel, but also has a GMT function to track a second time zone. This is in the same vein, as the M110 is a skin diver that can assist with navigating on land (or at sea) with the compass bezel.

The M110 is slated to come on a brushed steel mesh bracelet and another strap option that’s yet to be announced. The steel mesh bracelet is another example of OW adding a modern touch and practicality to make the M110 easy wearing. The bracelet clasp houses an extension mechanism activated by a dual-button setup located on the clasp. The lug holes appear to be positioned towards the end of the lugs, but this particular steel mesh bracelet has a set of endlinks that cover the gap (a significant gap here is a huge pet-peeve of mine) between the case and the bracelet connection to the lugs.

The Ollech & Wajs M110 is slated to be released later this year and according to the brand, will be priced between CHF 1,456 to CHF 1,596, which roughly equates to $1,467 to $1,608 at the time of writing. Ollech & Wajs