Most of my fellow rotorheads are familiar with the inexpensive Wankel engine themed watches that are available, some even marketed by Mazda. The most basic feature a housing shaped dial face while others have a rotating rotor element which spins but does not trace a true epitrochoidal path (see title graphic). The high end independent Swiss watch brands of MB&F and Urwerk collaborated in 2012 to produced a limited run mechanical watch with a Wankel engine theme that was truly worthy of celebrating the design innovations of the NSU Ro80 and all the rotary engined Mazda models and their profusion of motorsports victories.
The ZR012 made by the company known as C3H5N3O9. If you’re a chemist like me, that formula might appear familiar and is otherwise known as 1,2,3 trinitroxypropane or nitroglycerine. In this era of plastic explosives that might not mean much but it was once a widely used explosive and rocket propellant. It is still used as a first line drug to alleviate pain by temporarily dilating blocked coronary arteries. The company made only 24 watches, half in black finish and half in zirconium metal finish. All sold quickly despite the price of …. $180,000 USDeach.Behrens, a HK based watch company, introduced their own version in 2020 that was clearly inspired by the ZR012. They made their watch affordable by using an off the shelf Sellita SW200-1 automatic movement and adding their own stack of surface components that defines the dial face. The price is $5000 USD and I tried to have Behrens send me a sample to review but they ignored me. They are failing to expose their product to the large market of rotorheads who know nothing about watches, but do occasionally read this blog. Businesses often show creativity and insight in one direction but also exhibit frank stupidity in other ones.
These are watches that have limited popular appeal. They are difficult to read at a glance. The ZR012 is massive and ungainly to wear on anybody’s wrist unless you are bear sized. But in this era of Porsche and even Leica branded watches, its all part of the fanboy experience. But you can also participate for much less cost and also demonstrate the mechanical skills possessed by all true rotary engined car owners – unlike Ferrari owners, there are no poseurs in the rotary engined car owners camp.
On the left is the relatively rare 1960 Bulova gold plated Assymetric President’s model. They can be had for about $200 USD, cheaper in non running condition which is ideal since I’m only interested in the rotor shaped watch case. On the right is a cheap modern Bulova quartz watch which happens have the same dial face diameter.The project is to put the modern quartz movement into the vintage watch case. The vintage Bulova had not been serviced in decades and the dried lubricants had turned into glue and made it impossible to dislodge the movement. I had cut some grooves in the periphery and could rotate the movement partially but had to cut through the movement right through the dial face before getting enough purchase to rip the offending thing out of the case. Next I cut off the lugs.We need a modern battery powered movement for use as a car clock and I lost the original clock to the priorities of a boost gauge. Now you too can have a clock worthy of being inside your Rx7.
I have degrees in Biochemistry and Dentistry and practice clinically 2 days a week. The rest of the week I devote to photography and bringing you the very best writing in this blog.
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