Edox has recently expanded its Grand Ocean collection with a new Extreme Sailing Series special-edition model. Featuring the same basic styling as other timepieces in the family, the 2013 Edox Grand Ocean Extreme Sailing Series (ref. 45004 357B BUIN) is available in three versions: black, blue and, don’t look now, pink PVD.
Although this new Grand Ocean Extreme Sailing Series features a standard-sized Edox 45 automatic caliber (which is in fact just a re-branded ETA 2892-A2 work-horse movement with a Dubois Depraz 4500 chronograph add-on module), it is delivered in a gargantuan stainless steel body whole 48 millimeters in diameter.
While many oversized watches of this kind look stupid with their disproportionate dials and the hour and minute hands that are just too long, this one actually looks great. Yes, the big date indicator at 12 o’clock could look too close to the visual center, but this design problem is elegantly diminished with the Edox logo put right above it.
The unidirectional rotating bezel, too, could have looked too thick. Luckily enough, it is visually divided by an outer part with something that could be used as a dive timer and an inner bezel flange with a standard tachymeter scale on it.
Surprisingly, the watch doesn’t look terribly massive in real life. Even in these promo photos, you can see that it would fit nicely even with a guy of normal proportions.
To my taste, the only drawback of this watch is the movement that powers it. Although the ETA 2892-A2 in its, um, pure form is known for its reliability and ease of maintenance, it is not that stellar in this regard when equipped with a third-party add-on module. Not only does the chance of a sudden failure increases when you make a mechanism more complex, but it also gets a lot more difficult (thus expensive) to service if anything goes wrong.
The watch will probably be pricey, too. If you plan to order this beauty, be prepared to shell out around €5000 for this thing*.
See also: Edox Chronodakar Chronograph Edition
WWR Verdict
Originality 4.5/5
Build Quality: 5/5
Usability: 4.5/5
Overall Legibility: 4/5
Nighttime Legibility: 4.5/5
Value for Money: 3/5
Overall Rating: 4.5/5
UPDATE ON PRICING: I have just received a reply from an Edox representative and it looks that the watch will be less expensive than I thought. In Switzerland, the GO Extreme’s recommended price is said to be CHF 4900 which roughly translates to $5500 USD and €4000 at the current exchange rate. Well, that’s actually not bad at all for such a brilliant timekeeper.
Photos: Edox
Edox Grand Ocean Extreme Sailing Series (45004 357B BUIN) specification
Price: CHF 4900 (MSRP)
Movement: Automatic, Caliber Edox 45 (Based on ETA 2892-A2 and Dubois Depraz 4500 add-on chronograph module), Swiss Made
Number of jewels: 49 (21+28)
Movement frequency: 28,800 vph
Power reserve: 42 hours
Movement decoration: Branded rotor
Functions: Hours, minutes, small seconds, big date, chronograph
Case: Stainless steel with Black, Pink or Blue PVD coating
Shape: Round
Size: 48.00 mm
Dial: Matches the color of the PVD coating
Hour markers: Applied, luminous dots
Hands: Luminous
Water resistance: 300 meters
Strap: Structured (leather-style) black rubber on stainless steel buckle with engraved Edox logo
Crystal: Sapphire, antireflective
Back: Transparent