IDK, maybe I'm just lucky
I bought this "Cobalt Blue" Horizons GMT from Zelos a while ago and it never ceased to charm me since then.
I'm not a huge fan of blue dials and with its pronounced sunburst the dial can become very dominant, but it works for me in the case of the Horizons.
Thinking back about how I bought it, it's not very obvious that this is the watch that I wanted. It happened during a period when my interest in bronze watches and GMT movements was peaking, but I wasn't looking to combine the two together, or commit to a purchase of any kind.
I just happened to watch a review from Jody of JOMW and it left me wanting to know more about the Horizons, but the reason was its size, as there are not a lot of sub 40mm GMT offered by any brand.
A quick trip to Zelos and I found the bronze "Cobalt Blue" model which caught my attention due to the contrast between the bronze case and the vivid dial. It was only after I put it in the shopping cart that I realized that I just bagged the very last one.
So pure luck so far, and it could have turned sour if the Horizons ended by being a bust. After all, until then Zelos were better known for dive watches on the larger and chunkier side of the scale.
But my luck stuck and I discovered a nice and tight watch with a slightly unusual recessed bezel that made it appear even smaller than its official 40mm diameter, and more comparable in look and wear to a 38mm.
There are some downsides to the size of course, the thin bezel with its matte blue ceramic insert lack contrast, and the secondary 24Hr markers on the chapter ring are obscured most of the time due to the chapter ring's angle, so it's actually not the best at being a GMT.
So far the ETA 2893 Elaboréproved to be both reliable and perfectly suitable for a caller GMT, which is actually the type of GMT that I prefer. Even the tropic strap was found to be made of rubber instead of the more common silicone and therefore is not causing my wrist to itch during the summer.
I guess that I'm just lucky, or that sometime good things happens even to terrible people like me.
I'm a big fan of watches that are interesting because they are either unique, have interesting features, well designed or simply offer a great value for their price.
Nice looking watch. It will be a pleasure for you to see the watch patina.
Nice looking watch. It will be a pleasure for you to see the watch patina.
Actually I don't recommend letting the Horizons tarnish too much because of another unusual feature: It has a polished case.
Bronze watches are usually brushed but the case profile of the Horizons is both polished and has a chamfer. My recommendation is to keep it bright by wiping it occasionally with a lightly oiled cloth.
That is a real stunner. I love the blue on the bronze case. On the patina that's a personal thing. However @Catskinner has a good point about polished surfaces on bronze.
I own 6 Zelos and over the years he has used different types of movements. I have the Spearfish with the LJP G100 and love the 12mm thickness of that case. Even the Hammerhead wears smaller than I thought. Oh well I can ramble on here.
Enjoy that bad boy!
Cheers 🍻
Yeah, I like that a lot. Congrats and long may your luck continue.