Today, the Zodiac brand is mainly associated with diving watches.
But if you look into the past, you can find the Zodiac Hermetic family, which includes several very interesting models not related to diving. Among the chronographs with the Valjoux 72 movement and 24-hour Aerospace Jets, there is one very attractive model that caught my attention about four years ago.
In the current Zodiac watch lineup, there is only one model that doesn't want to dive - the Olympos. Its case shape is so individualistic, yet Zodiac decided to revive this devil with a mysterious hour hand.
To my disappointment, the silver central disc with the hour hand didn't survive to this day, and Zodiac replaced it with a standard hand. Nonetheless, there aren't many options for more classic watches in the current Zodiac catalog, so let's dream about whether the Hermetic Small Seconds introduced today could become a new addition to the lineup.
Distinctive Design Language
I dare say that many watches may bore you so much that you won't even look at them properly. And there's no need. There are so many watch brands and released watches that most of them just look alike. The longer you collect watches, the harder it becomes to attract you with their design.
On the other hand, if you see something genuine, it cuts like a razor blade. This applies not only to the 24-hour dial of the Hermetic Aerospace Jet from the 1960s with bright red hour markers but also to the Zodiac Hermetic Small Seconds.
Triangular Luminescence
The main decoration of the watch is the luminous triangles, perfectly applied to the outer edge of the dial. All of them, except those located at the “12” and “6 o'clock” marks, point to long, carefully polished hour markers.
They are formed in such a way that each resembles an “I” notch or a mighty column. What's even more interesting is that each triangle is filled with lume (beautifully aged today). And these triangles are not tiny.
They are larger than standard luminous dots. What impresses me most is the quality of the lume application. Each triangle looks exactly like its neighbor. The lume is applied so neatly that the edges of the black triangles are visible and create a beautiful outline around the lume. It's simply stunning.
Sporty Elegance
The small seconds register is slightly recessed. Besides the 12 identical long thin lines marking five-second intervals, there's nothing special on the seconds track. If you remove the luminous triangles and the Arabic numeral “12”, you would get clean dress watches by default.
But thanks to the luminous triangles, the watch gains its unique character and a slightly sporty spirit.
Dial as a Magnet
The applied logo with a high polish is a nice detail for a watch of this category. It pairs beautifully with the Arabic numeral “12” and the long indices. The mother-of-pearl matte white dial helps these shiny elements to shine even more. And yet I can't stop studying this white dial, which somehow attracts me. I admit, the minty-mint condition of this piece helps a lot. The watch looks like it just came from the manufacturer.
NOS
Fortunately, the lume looks sturdy, and I'm not worried it will soon crumble and fall. The tone in which it has aged is also interesting. It's neither pale nor warm. It's somewhere in between, as if wanting to ensure you have a non-relic watch in your hands.
These Zodiac Hermetic Small Seconds came to me with a price tag attached to the original old-school Zodiac clasp. I think I don't need to say that the strap, which had never been fastened to a wrist, also retained the golden Zodiac logo.
Usually, I don't show mercy to NOS watches, but these I have never worn. Perhaps these are the only NOS watches in my collection that I have never worn to the office or a family dinner. Well, until last week, that is… Happy hunting!
