Been busy this weekend, the crystal for this one FINALLY arrived after almost 6 weeks.

This is a Seiko Railroad Approved Quartz with a 7546 movement, very serviceable, pretty robust, I did a complete tear down on this as it was non-running when I got it, clean, reassemble, fully went through the keyless and the calendar side as the Day wasn't advancing at midnight, a donor date adjuster wheel was stolen from a basket case I picked up and now we're fully back in working order. I slapped it on this NATO I had laying around and it works surprisingly well!

Finally completed. The NOS crystal from Japan was the right move, but was not cheap. The Parawater gasket was still serviceable thank goodness, pressed the bezel on and there you have it. 1968 Citizen 7 Star Deluxe. I swiped a strap from one of my other watches that needs some attention so I'll order something but for now I can wear it finally!

Dials I’ve sprayed with Paraloid B‑72. A few folks have asked what this does: it’s a conservation‑grade consolidant archivists use on paintings and other art. I’m running it at about 5% B‑72 in acetone; the solvent flashes off fast and leaves a very thin, almost invisible protective skin over the dial.

These four are “keepers” – the rest were sacrificial practice pieces. The Orient’s printing is completely intact; that wild lacquer damage was actively eroding, and B‑72 has locked it in so it can’t keep flaking. The Bulova RR dial used to shed paint every time I touched the edge; now it’s safe to handle and hasn’t lost any more.

Every watch tells its story differently. Some people are drawn to the dial, while others immediately notice the engineering or design details.

At first glance, a skeleton watch looks like a watch with its dial removed. In reality, it's much more than that.

A traditional mechanical watch conceals most of its movement beneath the dial. A skeleton watch, however, is designed so that the movement itself becomes the dial. Bridges, plates, gears, springs, and the escapement are carefully revealed, allowing the wearer to observe the mechanics that power the watch.

Creating this effect requires a process known as skeletonisation (or openworking). Watchmakers meticulously remove material from the movement's bridges and main plate, exposing the mechanism while preserving its structural integrity. Every cut must be carefully calculated to avoid removing too much metal, which weakens the movement; remove too little, and the architecture loses its visual impact.

The challenge doesn't end there. Because every component is visible, each one must be hand-finished with techniques such as beveling, polishing, brushing, engraving, or frosting. Unlike a conventional movement, there is nowhere to hide machining marks or imperfections.

Functionally, a skeleton watch operates just like any other mechanical watch. The mainspring stores energy, the gear train transfers that energy, and the escapement regulates its release to keep accurate time. The difference is that these processes are no longer hidden—they become part of the experience.

Rather than simply telling time, a skeleton watch invites you to watch time being created.

A familiar form, re-entered through another logic.

Not redesigned. Reconstructed through light behavior.

The Nautilus silhouette is no longer the subject.

It becomes a starting condition.

What matters is no longer the form itself, but how it behaves under light.

Light does not sit on the surface.

It circulates.

Across ceramic density, it softens, then tightens, like a controlled instability.

The structure does not decorate the form.

It interrupts it.

Each refractive point breaks continuity and redefines how the eye reads the object.

When worn, the object stops referencing its origin.

It starts responding to motion.

Not as product. As behavior.

What remains is not the watches.

When the movement becomes the dial.

Ulysse Nardin has unveiled the Freak X New Generation, an updated version of one of the watch industry's most unconventional designs. The Freak line has long been known for replacing traditional watch hands with parts of the movement itself, turning the mechanics into the display.

The latest model keeps that signature concept while refining the overall package. It features a redesigned case, a slimmer profile, and a movement that remains front and center. The watch combines modern materials with the futuristic styling that has defined the Freak collection for more than two decades.

According to the review, the new version feels like an evolution rather than a complete reinvention. It aims to make the Freak more wearable and accessible while preserving the visual spectacle that made the original stand out in the first place. The result is a watch that still looks unlike almost anything else on the market.

My Thoughts: