The BALL Orbital II: The Return of the Amortizer!
The BALL Orbital II in Black, retailing for $5,799.
When it comes to shock resistance, the innovation that BALL is most known for is SpringLOCK; a cage that protects a watch movement's hairspring and ensures accuracy against the strain of mild repetitive shock. Since it is an extremely small cage and can fit in almost any movement, SpringLOCK can be applied to any BALL Watch. (In 2013, the year of it's introduction, it came out in three models: The Engineer Hydrocarbon Airborne , Hydrocarbon Black and the Trainmaster CannonBALL II. )
The Orbital II doesn't feature SpringLOCK, but the evolution of a different anti-shock technology: The Amortizer. The Amortizer differs from SpringLOCK in that it protects the rotor of a movement instead of the hairspring. Rather than protecting the accuracy of the timepiece over mild repetitive shock, it inhibits the rotor from damaging the watch during a moment of anticipated extreme shock. When toggled to the "on" position, the Amortizer locks the rotor in place.
The Orbital II is the third model in which BALL has used the Amortizer. It was first introduced in the original Spacemaster Orbital in 2010, and then later in 2012 in the entire BALL for BMW collection. The Orbital I uses the "heavy duty" manual version of the Amortizer, while the BALL for BMW collection features an Amortizer that automatically engages if the watch experiences shock. BALL CTO Phillipe Antille has referred to the BMW version of the Amortizer as "Amortizer Light."
The automatic version of the Amortizer in a BALL for BMW Chronograph."Amortizer Light."
Fittingly, the Orbital II refines the manual style Amortizer from the original Orbital Limited Edition. The Orbital II features a manual toggle switch on the caseback where the user can toggle it backwards and forwards to disable and enable the rotor. The new toggle switch is considerably larger and easier to use than the one found on the original Orbital.
A photo of the much larger amortizer toggle switch on the Orbital II.
A photo of the case back and profile of the original Orbital. The Amortizer's switch was smaller and not as easy to toggle as the one found on the new Orbital II.
Cosmetically, the two different generations of the Orbital are very similar. Both watches feature massive 45mm titanium cases with a thickness just over 18mm. That having been said, the Orbital II is a little more minimalistic than its predecessor. The original Orbital featured a dial with a compass pattern, 360 degree scale, and a 24 hour scale, all on the flat surface of the dial. Both of these scales have been moved to the chapter ring of the Orbital II and the compass pattern has been replaced a smooth black dial. The original Orbital's triple tube hour markers have been replaced by Arabic markers made out of tritium tubes.
The Orbital 2 is available in a black dial with either a titanium bracelet or a rubber strap.
The chapter ring of the bezel features a 24 hour scale, along with a angular compass indication scale.
The Arabic hour markers of the Orbital II are composed of tritium tubes.
The cyclops date magnifier and red GMT hand of the Orbital II.
The circular guilloché pattern of the six and nine o'clock subdials of the Orbital II.
The compass bezel of the Orbital II.
The Orbital II has the same highly unique feature of tritium tubes in the chronograph pushers used on the Orbital I and NEDU.
The caseback and Amortizer toggle on the Orbital II.
The clasp of the Orbital II is similar to other titanium HydroConquest models such as the NEDU or Deepquest.
The Lume of the Orbital II. The subdials and bezel feature traditional sun charged lume. The hour markers and hands feature BALLs signature tritium gas tubes
The BALL Orbital II in Black, retailing for $5,799.
When it comes to shock resistance, the innovation that BALL is most known for is SpringLOCK; a cage that protects a watch movement's hairspring and ensures accuracy against the strain of mild repetitive shock. Since it is an extremely small cage and can fit in almost any movement, SpringLOCK can be applied to any BALL Watch. (In 2013, the year of it's introduction, it came out in three models: The Engineer Hydrocarbon Airborne , Hydrocarbon Black and the Trainmaster CannonBALL II. )
The Orbital II doesn't feature SpringLOCK, but the evolution of a different anti-shock technology: The Amortizer. The Amortizer differs from SpringLOCK in that it protects the rotor of a movement instead of the hairspring. Rather than protecting the accuracy of the timepiece over mild repetitive shock, it inhibits the rotor from damaging the watch during a moment of anticipated extreme shock. When toggled to the "on" position, the Amortizer locks the rotor in place.
The Orbital II is the third model in which BALL has used the Amortizer. It was first introduced in the original Spacemaster Orbital in 2010, and then later in 2012 in the entire BALL for BMW collection. The Orbital I uses the "heavy duty" manual version of the Amortizer, while the BALL for BMW collection features an Amortizer that automatically engages if the watch experiences shock. BALL CTO Phillipe Antille has referred to the BMW version of the Amortizer as "Amortizer Light."
The automatic version of the Amortizer in a BALL for BMW Chronograph."Amortizer Light."
Fittingly, the Orbital II refines the manual style Amortizer from the original Orbital Limited Edition. The Orbital II features a manual toggle switch on the caseback where the user can toggle it backwards and forwards to disable and enable the rotor. The new toggle switch is considerably larger and easier to use than the one found on the original Orbital.
A photo of the much larger amortizer toggle switch on the Orbital II.
A photo of the case back and profile of the original Orbital. The Amortizer's switch was smaller and not as easy to toggle as the one found on the new Orbital II.
Cosmetically, the two different generations of the Orbital are very similar. Both watches feature massive 45mm titanium cases with a thickness just over 18mm. That having been said, the Orbital II is a little more minimalistic than its predecessor. The original Orbital featured a dial with a compass pattern, 360 degree scale, and a 24 hour scale, all on the flat surface of the dial. Both of these scales have been moved to the chapter ring of the Orbital II and the compass pattern has been replaced a smooth black dial. The original Orbital's triple tube hour markers have been replaced by Arabic markers made out of tritium tubes.
The Orbital 2 is available in a black dial with either a titanium bracelet or a rubber strap.
The chapter ring of the bezel features a 24 hour scale, along with a angular compass indication scale.
The Arabic hour markers of the Orbital II are composed of tritium tubes.
The cyclops date magnifier and red GMT hand of the Orbital II.
The circular guilloché pattern of the six and nine o'clock subdials of the Orbital II.
The compass bezel of the Orbital II.
The Orbital II has the same highly unique feature of tritium tubes in the chronograph pushers used on the Orbital I and NEDU.
The caseback and Amortizer toggle on the Orbital II.
The clasp of the Orbital II is similar to other titanium HydroConquest models such as the NEDU or Deepquest.
The Lume of the Orbital II. The subdials and bezel feature traditional sun charged lume. The hour markers and hands feature BALLs signature tritium gas tubes