Unapologetically plastic: Swatch Sistem51 Review

The Sistem51 is probably the most interesting watch introduced at Basel 2013, unfortunately it's not until almost SIHH 2014 that we actually saw the watch come on sale in Switzerland.
I've obtained a few and here are my impressions: (disclaimer, I purchased these for resale but will attempt to maintain neutrality in this overview).

The watch, like the iPhone 5C, can be said to be "unapologetically plastic" both inside and out. The watch is almost ironic because of how it satisfies many haute horologerie requirements. There is no dust whatsoever inside the watch, it's immaculate. The escapement is held by a full bridge and is even "free sprung" (but not variable inertia). Adjustment is quite good with amplitude around 270 degrees and a promised 5 second accuracy, presumably on the wrist. I found it was +10 vertical and spot on flat.

The watch features 90 hours of power reserve, this is partly due to the 21.6k vph frequency, precision lubrication and assembly by machine only, and plastic escapement that is likely both light and self lubricating.

A few unusual review notes: 
The rotor is undirectional (clockwise winding) and seems to rely on a very high gear ratio since the oscillating weight is plastic.
Hand winding is possible, but it requires turning the crown an unusual counterclockwise.
There is an ETA stamp on both the watch itself as well as the movement.
The movement does not hack
Date change occurs between 11:30 and 1:00 am
Different colours come on different straps. The white version comes on a plain silicon strap, while the black comes on a apparently leather strap, and the red one comes on a stitched silicon strap.
Straps are much more comfortable than I expected.
The rotor sounds a bit loose when shaken, but all 6 I have here have the same sound.
The rotor gives a kind of lightweight but noticeable "Valjoux wobble" when rotating counterclockwise.
Escapement is louder than most watches, probably due to the plastic casing.

Enjoy the photos below!

*My wrist is 6.25" and quite flat

The Most Important Sub-$1000 watch of 2013: Tissot Powermatic 80 Review

The PowerMatic 80 represents that ultimate democratization of a practical mechanical watch. Coming in at around 600 USD for the steel, non-COSC version, it seems like the steal of the horological century. 

The watch is 41mm in diameter and 9.75mm thick, but wears slightly larger due to its restrained appearance. The case is a mix of brushed, polished, and patterned surfaces which give it a subtle, modern appeal. The front crystal is sapphire and appears to be anti-glare coated, while the rear is a display back which shows the C07.111 movement, a modified ETA 2824 with a reduced frequency of 21,600 vph, new synthetic escapement, and improved hairspring which all contribute to the new 80 hour power reserve.

The 80 hour reserve is the most important, and arguably only, feature of the watch. The 72+ hour power reserve has always been largely in the realm of watches priced above $5000 featuring in-house movements such as the Grand Seikos or the Rolex 4130 movement in the Daytona.

Overall quality

The solid end link bracelet is quite nice, with a brushed finish and a polished line down the middle. The extra links are attached with pressure pins and the clasp is a double deployant. The finish of the case is better than can usually be expected at this price range, but shows some irregularities where the polished and brushed surfaces meet. The dial is a matte black (or matte white) and appeared to be very clean. 

Design

With a modern appearance that's very understated, I really feel this watch is a winner in terms of design. The polished details gives it a subtle flash. The lack of literature on the dial is also a huge plus. The watch wears very well and due to its relative thinness, is quite comfortable. The bracelet doesn't have any noticeable sharp edges either.

The bad

I think the watch is, at all levels, perfectly appropriate for its price class. However, with a largely plain dial and relatively small movement, I'd preferred to see Tissot make a 38mm or 40mm version of this watch. This would temper the large expanse of matte black in the center of the dial and make the watch a more serious dress watch option. The choice of a display back, while understandable for marketing, is also dubious. With a crudely finished movement, I'd rather see a nice plain or engraved steel back.

The Powermatic 80 is undoubtedly a huge step forward. While it may never make its way into watches of other brands due to the reduced supply of ETA movements, I hope that more affordable watches can have such a useful features like the long power reserve.

*My wrist is 6.25" in circumference but relatively flat so tends to handle <42mm watches okay.

Attempted Scammer Alert!!

I believe that most people are good, but in buying and selling watches one can never be too careful. An individual imitating someone I'd dealt with before sent me this email:

Hope all is well. Thanks again for the watch. Quick question for you. I was wondering if you would be interested in a white dial daytona 116520 SS V series in MINT condition w/box and complete papers. A good friend of mine gave it to me to sell for him, he only wants $7,600 for it. Guess he ran into some money issues and needs to sell. I just don't need any more Daytonas right now. Let me know.

Best Regards,

-------

His bank information is:

Bank:  Wells Fargo Bank

Full name:   Jeremy Honor

Account#:  325-266-0844

Routing#:  121-000-248

Banks address:  1302 W International Speedway Blvd, Daytona Beach, FL 32114

Banks telephone#:  386-254-1830

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Fortunately, I never wired the money due to the highly suspcious nature of the emails but this is a warning to anyone looking to buy watches online. The scammer used an email that was similar to the actual individuals and used the same gmail "name".

Another watchnet member had also almost been scammed and his post is here: http://forums.watchnet.com/index.php?t=tree&th=560108&mid=645769&rid=74939&rev=&reveal=